“A large empire presupposes a despotic authority in the one who governs.”Montesquieu · Despre spiritul legilor · 1748 · Cartea VIII, Capitolul 19
A vast empire requires a despotic ruler to maintain control.
Montesquieu believes that a vast territory makes it impossible to consult citizens or apply laws gently. Great distances and population diversity require quick, centralized decisions, leading to despotism. For example, the Roman Empire had to resort to authoritarian rulers to keep its provinces under control.
Why it matters Today, this idea explains why federal or decentralized states work better than centralized ones. It is useful when discussing the optimal size of a country.