Tribunal de la foi et tribunal de l’opinion publique au siècle des Lumières Giannone, Montesquieu, Beccaria

This essay shows how Giannone, Montesquieu and Beccaria have answered to their ecclesiastical critics in order to dodge the official censure of the Roman Congregation of Index. Discussing their defenses it will be shown how the same theme of relationship between politics and religion has changed from 1723 to 1764 and a peculiar strategy of the authors who through these texts wanted also to associate the public in their struggle.