Question 1:
At the beginning of Book I of <em>The Spirit of the Laws</em>, Montesquieu argues that the universe is ruled by laws, and that all beings in the world have some type of laws that regulate their relationships.
This is a response to theorists who claimed that the world as it is was born out of complete chaos, and as a “blind fatality.” Montesquieu thinks that randomness cannot create intelligent beings, such as humans. More importantly, he argues that if we are to create a new or different world, it must also be ruled by laws.
Question 2:
The importance of this concept is the fact that it establishes the rule of law as central to all societies. Moreover, it presents the world as something that can be improved, if human interactions are regulated in the best ways possible and the right laws are created for this purpose. This belief in the perfectibility of humans was central to Enlightenment, and very influential in the construction of the US as a nation.
