Peace, War, and the Spirit of Commerce: Genovesi as a Reader of Montesquieu

What are the consequences of trade among nations? In De l’esprit des lois , Montesquieu claimed that the spirit of commerce fosters peace, restraining conflict by leading nations to collaborate in pursuit of mutual benefit. Economic interests, he suggested, channel and moderate the violent impulses of human passions. In contrast, the Neapolitan philosopher and economist Antonio Genovesi offered a strikingly different interpretation. In his reading of Montesquieu, Genovesi argued that the spirit of commerce was itself a spirit of conquest—an engine of rivalry and domination among nations. Yet, he maintained, the telos of trade rests upon an alternative spirit, one of mutual aid, capable of nurturing peace and cooperation both within and between societies. This paper offers a philosophical analysis of the dialogue between Montesquieu and Genovesi, tracing how their exchange shaped Genovesi’s evolving reflections on the intricate relationship between commerce and war.