Full Idea
The demand for slavery is the demand for luxury and voluptuousness; it has nothing to do with concern for public felicity.
Gist of Idea
The demand for slavery is just the masters' demand for luxury
Source
Baron de Montesquieu (The Spirit of the Laws (rev. 1757) [1748], 15.09)
Book Reference
Montesquieu,Baron de: 'Selected Political Writings', ed/tr. Richter,Melvin [Hackett 1990], p.206
A Reaction
True monarchists and aristocratic elitists presumably think that a society should have one part which lives in great luxury. Where else are the fine arts and wonderful buildings going to come from?