It has become something of a cliché for contemporary scholars to assert that Madison turned Montesquieu on his head and thereafter give little thought to the Frenchman’s theory that republics must remain limited in territorial size. Madison did indeed present a formidable challenge to Montesquieu’s theory, but I will demonstrate in this dissertation that the authors of the Federalist Papers arrived at the extended sphere by following a theoretical pathway already cemented by the French philosopher. I will also show that Madison’s “practical sphere” ultimately concedes to Montesquieu that excessive territorial size and high levels of heterogeneity will overwhelm the citizens of a republic and enable the few to oppress the many. The importance of this dissertation is its finding that the principal mechanism devised by the Federalists for dealing with factions—the enlargement of the sphere—was crafted specifically for the purpose of moderating interests, classes, and sects within an otherwise relatively homogeneous nation. Consequently, the diverse republic that is America today may be exposed to the existential threat anticipated by Montesquieu’s theory of size—the plutocratic oppression of society by an elite class that employs the strategy of divide et impera.

Dans la perspective des chercheurs qui développent une science, la réalité de sa fondation se présente comme la solution imaginaire de quatre énigmes relatives à l’unité et aux progrès de leurs travaux : 1- La fondation est la source stable des principes d’une science qui se maintiennent au fil de ses développements. 2 – Elle donne à lire la finalité commune des développements individuels de ses recherches. 3 – Elle opère une rupture avec la pensée antérieure en définissant le projet d’un savoir original et plus désirable que ce que l’on croyait savoir auparavant. 4 – Elle institue l’esprit distinctif d’une recherche qui estime que le savoir qu’elle procure vaut la peine d’être développé. En sociologie, il y a consensus pour affirmer que la discipline est fondée, mais on ne s’entend ni sur la ou les œuvres qui la fondent ni même sur l’époque où elle débute. À partir d’une analyse comparée des sociologies d’Auguste Comte et d’Émile Durkheim avec d’autres œuvres depuis les études de l’homme et de la cité d’Aristote, nous explorons la réalité d’une fondation qui pourrait résoudre ces quatre énigmes ainsi qu’une cinquième qui est particulière à cette science sociale : 5 – La fondation de la sociologie initie un mode d’organisation de la recherche incompatible avec le modèle kuhnien de la science normale qui progresse dans le développement d’un paradigme commun. / In the perspective of researchers developing a science, the foundation is presented as the imaginary solution to four enigmas regarding the unity and progress of their work: 1- Its foundation is the stable source of the principles of a science that remain throughout its development. 2- It provides a common finality of the individual developments of its research. 3- It contrasts from previous schools of thought by defining the project of an original and more desirable one. 4- It introduces the distinctive characteristics of a research, emphasizing that the knowledge it brings is worth it. In sociology, there is general agreement about sociology having a beginning, only no one agrees on the works that make it, nor the time it all started. By comparing the works of Auguste Comte and Emile Durkheim with other works since Aristotle, we explore those four enigmas and even a fifth one that is specific to sociology: 5- The foundation of sociology initiates an organisation of research that is incompatible with the kuhnian model of normal science.

This thesis explores the political reformation of “faction” in the political thought of Montesquieu, David Hume, and Edmund Burke, three thinkers whose works span what Pierre Manent calls “an exquisite moment of liberalism.” It examines the transformation of faction from one based largely on class to one based largely on political function and argues that as the political emphasis of “party” overtook that of class, a disconnect in constitutional theory appeared between the principles formerly associated with class, such as honor, and the principles now associated with parties. This disconnect is examined by focusing on the interrelated concepts of political principle, or that which motivates and regulates men, and faction, itself divided into two types, principled and singular. This thesis further considers the role of political principle to faction in each thinker’s thought in order to demonstrate how limited domestic political conflict could sustain itself via a party system. Each thinker recognized that limited political conflict did not weaken the state but rather strengthened it, if engendered by “principled faction” cognizant of a nominal sovereign. Accordingly, it is argued that a similar understanding of “principled faction,” though focused largely on aristocratic ideas of prejudice, self-interest, and inequality, better promoted political liberty within the state and contributed to a greater acceptance of party in political thought.

Cette analyse littéraire examine les parallèles entre les deux romans Lettres persanes de Montesquieu (1721) et Lettres d'une Péruvienne de Françoise de Graffigny (1747) en se concentrant sur le sort des femmes et leur rébellion contre la claustration. Leurs révoltes transformatrices révèlent une volonté qui refuse et puis transcende les barreaux de leur captivité pour vivre librement. La philosophie de Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) personnifie leurs luttes pour devenir et exister, ce qui se traduit par leur capacité de dévoiler leur vraie nature. Elles se battent contre le néant de leurs existences où elles ne peuvent que succomber aux contraintes imposées. Elles se battent pour se définir et pour devenir. Cependant, c'est Graffigny qui nous offre une réponse plus proto-féministe dépassant les paramètres masculins de la société. Son livre répond directement aux Lettres persanes pour créer une nouvelle femme iconoclaste qui transcende les barrières de la société pour se réinventer.

O presente trabalho pretende estudar o fenômeno do federalismo pela perspectiva tridimensional do Direito. Primeiramente, esboçar-se-á o federalismo de uma perspectiva fática, a primeira e mais natural associação humana. Depois, analisaremos a valoração do federalismo, ou seja, a intervenção de um processo racional no curso associativo natural do federalismo. Exemplificamos a valoração do federalismo a partir da teoria contratual de Montesquieu, o qual desenvolve um verdadeiro esqueleto organizacional da extensão territorial dos Estados, conformando as grandes monarquias às pequenas repúblicas: república federativa. Por fim, colocaremos em prática o federalismo fático, associado aos valores, no campo normativo dos clássicos modelos do Direito Constitucional: o federalismo Norte- Americano e o federalismo Alemão. / The present work intends to study the phenomenon of federalism from the tridimensional perspective of Law. Firstly, a picture of federalism from a factful perspective shall be drawn, as the first and most natural form of association. Later, the perceived value of federalism, which is, the intervention of a rational process in the course of federalism’s natural association, shall be analyzed. The perceived value of federalism is exemplified from Montesquieu’s contractual theory, which develops a real organizational scheme for the territorial extension of the States, applicable to both large monarchies and small republics: federative republic. At last, the model of factful federalism shall be put to practice, associating its values to the normative field of the classic constitutional law models: the American and the German federalism.

O presente trabalho pretende estudar o fenômeno do federalismo pela perspectiva tridimensional do Direito. Primeiramente, esboçar-se-á o federalismo de uma perspectiva fática, a primeira e mais natural associação humana. Depois, analisaremos a valoração do federalismo, ou seja, a intervenção de um processo racional no curso associativo natural do federalismo. Exemplificamos a valoração do federalismo a partir da teoria contratual de Montesquieu, o qual desenvolve um verdadeiro esqueleto organizacional da extensão territorial dos Estados, conformando as grandes monarquias às pequenas repúblicas: república federativa. Por fim, colocaremos em prática o federalismo fático, associado aos valores, no campo normativo dos clássicos modelos do Direito Constitucional: o federalismo Norte- Americano e o federalismo Alemão. / The present work intends to study the phenomenon of federalism from the tridimensional perspective of Law. Firstly, a picture of federalism from a factful perspective shall be drawn, as the first and most natural form of association. Later, the perceived value of federalism, which is, the intervention of a rational process in the course of federalism’s natural association, shall be analyzed. The perceived value of federalism is exemplified from Montesquieu’s contractual theory, which develops a real organizational scheme for the territorial extension of the States, applicable to both large monarchies and small republics: federative republic. At last, the model of factful federalism shall be put to practice, associating its values to the normative field of the classic constitutional law models: the American and the German federalism.

O presente trabalho pretende estudar o fenômeno do federalismo pela perspectiva tridimensional do Direito. Primeiramente, esboçar-se-á o federalismo de uma perspectiva fática, a primeira e mais natural associação humana. Depois, analisaremos a valoração do federalismo, ou seja, a intervenção de um processo racional no curso associativo natural do federalismo. Exemplificamos a valoração do federalismo a partir da teoria contratual de Montesquieu, o qual desenvolve um verdadeiro esqueleto organizacional da extensão territorial dos Estados, conformando as grandes monarquias às pequenas repúblicas: república federativa. Por fim, colocaremos em prática o federalismo fático, associado aos valores, no campo normativo dos clássicos modelos do Direito Constitucional: o federalismo Norte- Americano e o federalismo Alemão. / The present work intends to study the phenomenon of federalism from the tridimensional perspective of Law. Firstly, a picture of federalism from a factful perspective shall be drawn, as the first and most natural form of association. Later, the perceived value of federalism, which is, the intervention of a rational process in the course of federalism’s natural association, shall be analyzed. The perceived value of federalism is exemplified from Montesquieu’s contractual theory, which develops a real organizational scheme for the territorial extension of the States, applicable to both large monarchies and small republics: federative republic. At last, the model of factful federalism shall be put to practice, associating its values to the normative field of the classic constitutional law models: the American and the German federalism.