De l'influence des passions sur le bonheur des individus et des nations

This work examines how passions shape individual felicity and collective political life, arguing that impulsive emotions are the principal obstacle to happiness. It contrasts passionless characters, whose contentment rests on stable equilibrium, with passionate souls who depend on inner changes and require reflection to mitigate suffering. The author applies the same analysis to governments, considering how institutions interact with human passions and whether recent political upheavals stem from constitutional forms or from other causes. The book combines moral psychology with political theory, offering philosophical reflections on the limits of reason, the structure of institutions, and practical restraints on passionate conduct.