Quote by Montesquieu: “Luxury is everywhere in proportion to the inequality of fortunes.”

This observation suggests that excessive displays of wealth and lavish living often increase as the gap between rich and poor widens. It implies that economic inequality fuels extravagant consumption, creating a stark contrast in society's distribution of resources.

Montesquieu examined the social and economic conditions that affected different forms of government. He linked luxury to the concentration of wealth and identified it as a potential source of corruption and moral decay within a state.

French political philosopher whose 1748 work The Spirit of the Laws laid the groundwork for the doctrine of separation of powers and influenced the framers of the United States Constitution. He was among the first to analyse political systems comparatively and empirically.