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How did Montesquieu use the Troglodytes story in Persian Letters?
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Montesquieu
Montesquieu.
In his 1721 work Persian Letters, Montesquieu utilizes the allegorical story of the Troglodytes to explore and critique the theories of Thomas Hobbes regarding the state of nature.1
Through this narrative, Montesquieu examines the transition from a state of chaotic self-interest to a society governed by virtue and social cooperation. By depicting the rise and fall of the Troglodytes, he illustrates the necessity of moral and social bonds for the survival and prosperity of a community, effectively challenging the Hobbesian view that human nature is inherently driven solely by conflict and egoism in the absence of a sovereign power.1