Today we share the work of French jurist and political philosopher Jean Bodin (1530-1596) from his famous ‘On Sovereignty: Six Books Of The Commonwealth’, which was originally published in 1576.
Combining old methods of learning with the interests of the time, ‘Six Books Of The Commonwealth’ are counted as a historical record of that transition from specifically medieval to modern ways of political thinking. On the achievement that is Bodin’s ‘Six Books’, the following is excerpted from Kenneth Douglas McRae’s Introduction to ‘Jean Bodin: The Six Bookes Of A Commonweale – A Facsimile Reprint Of The English Translation Of 1606’; Harvard University Press, 1962:
“When the political scientist of today hears the name of Jean Bodin, he thinks, almost automatically, of sovereignty. And this association is justified, for Bodin’s most important contribution to the history of political ideas was an analysis of political authority that went far beyond the work of his predecessors. But what was new and distinctive in his analysis? To the medieval mind the question of political supremacy was one of great difficulty. Under the system of feudal tenure political and property rights had become so thoroughly confused that the notion of undisputed political supremacy within a definite territory could hardly be stated with any clarity. The consolidation of national monarchies in Western Europe paved the way for a clearer understanding of the issue, but even in the sixteenth century men were still groping for a theoretical analysis which would fit the changed political structure. Bodin’s work represents the culmination of a long development. It was he who first defined the state (or commonweal, to use his own term) in a way that is unmistakingly modern. It was he who stressed that the state must by definition possess a supreme political authority; otherwise it is not a state but some lesser type of association. Unlike previous theorists, Bodin made authority the central feature of his entire system of politics… But it was in discussing the characteristics of sovereignty that Bodin made his greatest innovation… Bodin was the first to emphasize… that the most fundamental of these various rights was the power to make laws. All others were subordinate and incidental… Bodin defines sovereignty, discusses its characteristics and its limits, and then enumerates the functions generally vested in the sovereign authority.”
Quotes From ‘On Sovereignty’
Quotes are organized by topic and excerpted from the Seven Treasures Publication edition of ‘On Sovereignty: Six Books Of The Commonwealth’, published in 2009 and both translated and abridged by M.J. Tooley. According to M.J. Tooley:
“An abridgment of an important work, to be justified, must preserve not only the whole of the essential argument, but also its characteristic proportions… The ‘Six Books Of The Commonwealth’… is marked by great elaboration because of the method of demonstration… If one is treating the ‘Six Books Of The Commonwealth’ as a document of sixteenth-century scholarship, none of this material can be jettisoned. But if it is taken as a book on political science much of it can, for it is not all necessary to the development of the argument.”
Autonomy
“… human felicity springs from the union of action and contemplation.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“There are three principal parts of the soul in a man, that is to say the speculative reason, the practical reason, and the factive imagination.” – Book 5, Chapter 1 – The Order To Be Observed In Adapting The Form Of The Commonwealth To Divers Conditions Of Men, And The Means Of Determining Their Dispositions
“The golden mean that everyone is looking for is not secured by a numerical calculation, but in the sphere of morals means [and] rule of reason…“ – Book 6, Chapter 4 – A Comparison Of The Three Legitimate Types Of Commonwealth, Popular, Aristocratic, And Monarchical, Concluding In Favour Of Monarchy
Groups
“A COMMONWEALTH may be defined as the rightly ordered government of a number of families, and of those things which are their common concern, by a sovereign power.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“A FAMILY may be defined as the right ordering of a group of persons owing obedience to a head of a household, and of those interests which are his proper concern… the family… is not only the true source and origin of the commonwealth, but also its principal constituent… Thus the well-ordered family is a true image of the commonwealth… a minimum of five persons is required to constitute a family… fifteen persons could become a political community, meaning by that three complete households.” – Book 1, Chapter 2-5 – Concerning The Family
Social Capital
“A man of good disposition… turns away from unworthy companies and seeks the society of wise and virtuous men. When he has purged his soul of troubling passions and desires, he is free to give his attention to observing his fellows.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“… a wise and thoughtful man reaches the concept of the one infinite and eternal God, and thereby as it were attains the true felicity of mankind.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“There is no commonwealth where there is no common interest…” – Book 1, Chapter 2-5 – Concerning The Family
“… the rightful government of any society, public or private, depends on a proper understanding of how to command and how to obey.” – Book 1, Chapter 2-5 – Concerning The Family
“When the head of the family… sets aside his private concerns to attend to public affairs… he ceases to be a master and becomes a citizen… a citizen is to be defined as a free subject who is dependent on the sovereignty of another… We can say then that every citizen is a subject since his liberty is limited by the sovereign power to which he owes obedience. We cannot say that every subject is a citizen.” – Book 1, Chapter 6-7 – Concerning The Citizen
“A society or a community is rooted in mutual affection…” – Book 3, Chapter 7 – Concerning Corporate Associations, Guilds, Estates
“… faith is the sole foundation and prop of that justice on which all commonwealths, alliances, and associations of men whatsoever, is founded… faith is not to be kept with him who breaks it.” – Book 5, Chapter 6 – The Keeping Of Treatises And Alliances Between Princes
Sovereignty
“… the true nature of a people is to seek unbridled liberty without restraint.” – Book 2, Chapter 7 – Concerning Popular States
“Unrestrained freedom inflates men and encourages them to abandon themselves to every sort of vice.” – Book 5, Chapter 5 – Whether It Is Expedient To Arm Subjects, Fortify, And Organize For War
“… contemplation is the end and form of the good to which the government of the commonwealth should be directed.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“… it is certain that a commonwealth is not rightly ordered which neglects altogether, or even for any length of time, mundane activities such as the administration of justice, the defence of the subject, the provision of the necessary means of subsistence, any more than a man whose soul is so absorbed in contemplation that he forgets to eat and drink can hope to live long…” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“It is neither the town nor its inhabitants that make a city state, but their union under a sovereign ruler, even if they are only three households.” – Book 1, Chapter 2-5 – Concerning The Family
“SOVEREIGNTY is that absolute and perpetual power vested in a commonwealth…” – Book 1, Chapter 8 – Concerning Sovereignty
“A law proceeds from him who has sovereign power, and by it he binds the subject to obedience, but cannot bind himself… Law is nothing else than the command of the sovereign in the exercise of his sovereign power.” – Book 1, Chapter 8 – Concerning Sovereignty
“The first attribute of the sovereign… is the power to make law binding on all… [The second attribute of sovereignty is] the making of war and peace… The third attribute of sovereignty is the power to institute the great officers of state… The fourth attribute of sovereignty… [is] the right of pardoning convicted persons… Faith and homage are also among the most important attributes of sovereignty…” – Book 1, Chapter 10 – The True Attributes Of Sovereignty
“… severity, though it is blameworthy, maintains the subject in obedience to the laws, and the sovereign who has instituted them.” – Book 3, Chapter 4-5 – The Magistrate
“Cruelty keeps men in fear, and inactive… But viciousness moves the subject to hatred and contempt…” – Book 4, Chapter 1 – The Rise And Fall Of Commonwealths
“The least vice in a prince defaces his fair image, and cannot but have the effect of attracting, persuading, or even compelling his subjects to evil.” – Book 4, Chapter 6 – Whether The Prince Should Render Justice To His Subjects In Person
“The best means of preserving the authority of the monarchy is that the prince should be loved by all, without any alloy of contempt, and as far as possible hated by none. To achieve this two things are necessary. First, just punishments must be meted out to malefactors, and rewards to the worthy. But seeing that whereas the latter is a pleasing task, and the former is invidious, the prince who wishes to command the affection of his subjects should reserve to himself the distribution of rewards… And prudent prince should bestow such himself. But for condemnations, fines, confiscations, and all like penalties, let him delegate their infliction to his officers, for them to administer good and expeditious justice. If he manages his affairs in this way, those who have received benefits at his hands are constrained to love, respect, and honour their benefactor; those who have been punished will have no occasion to hate him, but will vent their anger to their judges. The prince, showering benefits on all, but injuries on none will be welcome to all and hated by none.” – Book 4, Chapter 4 – Whether The Tenure Of Office In The Commonwealth Should Be Permanent
“… it is better to prevent sedition than to try and cure it… There is no better means of appeasing discontent, and persuading subjects to obedience than to employ a good preacher, for he will find a way to soften and turn the hearts of the most obstinate rebels.” – Book 4, Chapter 7 – How Seditions May Be Avoided
“The commonest cause of disorder and revolutions in commonwealths has always been the too great wealth of a handful of citizens, and the too great poverty of the rest.” – Book 5, Chapter 2 – How To Prevent Those Disorders Which Spring From Excessive Wealth And Excessive Poverty
Trust
“…a group of families bound together by mutual trust forms a corporate association or community… mutual trust is the foundation of any society, and much more necessary to men than justice.” – Book 3, Chapter 7 – Concerning Corporate Associations, Guilds, Estates
Virtues
“… there is surely no more fatal enemy to virtue than worldly success…” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“The conditions of true felicity are one and the same for the commonwealth and the individual… to be a good man is also to be a good citizen.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“The sovereign good of the commonwealth in general, and of each of its citizens in particular lies in the intellective and contemplative virtues.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“… the wise man is the measure of justice and of truth…” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“The well-being of the active principle of the soul, which is the link between body and soul, consists in the subordination of appetite to reason, in other words, the exercise of the moral virtues. The well-being of the intellective part of the soul lies in the intellectual virtues of prudence, knowledge, and faith. By the first we distinguish good and evil, by the second truth and falsehood, and by the third piety and impiety, and what is to be sought and what avoided. These are the sum of true wisdom, which is the highest felicity attainable in this world.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“The habit of good deeds is of the first importance, for the soul that is not illumined and purified by the moral virtues cannot enjoy the fruits of contemplation… Felicity cannot be found in that imperfect state in which there is still some good yet to be realized.” – Book 1, Chapter 1 – The Final End Of The Well-Ordered Commonwealth
“… justice is the end of the law…” – Book 1, Chapter 8 – Concerning Sovereignty
“Simplicity without prudence is dangerous and pernicious…” – Book 2, Chapter 3 – Concerning Royal Monarchy
“… the gift of wisdom is vouchsafed only to the very few…” – Book 3, Chapter 1 – The Council
“Justice is never pitiful. Involving as it does strict exaction of rights, it often makes enemies of friends.” – Book 3, Chapter 7 – Concerning Corporate Associations, Guilds, Estates
“An upright man should be concerned first to be just in himself, before he starts administering justice to others…” – Book 3, Chapter 7 – Concerning Corporate Associations, Guilds, Estates
“…princes have been brought to ruin more through the vice of licentiousness than for any other cause.” – Book 4, Chapter 1 – The Rise And Fall Of Commonwealths
“… the man who cannot command himself is unworthy to command a whole people.” – Book 4, Chapter 1 – The Rise And Fall Of Commonwealths
“… justice [is] always the principle foundation of any commonwealth.” – Book 4, Chapter 4 – Whether The Tenure Of Office In The Commonwealth Should Be Permanent
“… fear is the sole inducement to virtue.” – Book 5, Chapter 5 – Whether It Is Expedient To Arm Subjects, Fortify, And Organize For War
“Perjury… always implies impiety and a wicked heart, for he who swears in order to deceive evidently mocks God, fearing only his enemy.” – Book 5, Chapter 6 – The Keeping Of Treatises And Alliances Between Princes
“The nearer a kingdom approaches to realizing harmonic justice, the nearer it is to perfection. By justice I mean the proper distribution of rewards and punishments, and of those advantages due to each individual as a matter of right.” – Book 6, Chapter 6 – Concerning Distributive, Commutative, And Harmonic Justice, And Their Relation To The Aristocratic, Popular And Monarchical States
Final Thoughts
Bodin’s great achievement was not merely in defining sovereignty—though that contribution alone would secure his place in political theory—but in recognizing that political authority must be understood as part of a larger moral and social framework.
What emerges from these quotes is a vision of politics that refuses to separate power from virtue, authority from wisdom, or sovereignty from justice. For Bodin, the well-ordered commonwealth mirrors the well-ordered soul: both require the subordination of appetite to reason, both seek a balance between contemplation and action, and both find their highest expression in the pursuit of truth and justice.
His insights on trust as the foundation of society, on the dangers of extreme wealth inequality, and on the importance of moral example in leadership feel particularly relevant to our contemporary challenges. The warning that “severity, though it is blameworthy, maintains the subject in obedience” while “viciousness moves the subject to hatred and contempt” offers a nuanced understanding of political authority that transcends simple binaries of strength versus weakness.
Perhaps most importantly, Bodin reminds us that political life, at its best, serves a higher purpose than mere survival or material prosperity. His insistence that “contemplation is the end and form of the good to which the government of the commonwealth should be directed” challenges us to think beyond immediate political conflicts to consider what kind of human flourishing our institutions should enable.
In an age often characterized by political cynicism and the reduction of politics to power struggles, Bodin’s integration of sovereignty with virtue, law with wisdom, and authority with moral purpose offers a compelling alternative vision—one where political life remains connected to humanity’s highest aspirations. His work stands as a testament to the enduring value of serious political philosophy: the attempt to understand not just how political power works, but how it might work in service of human excellence and the common good.
Thanks for reading!