Separation of powers
"To prevent the abuse of power, power must check power." Montesquieu’s design of checks and balances was written into the U.S. Constitution two generations later, becoming the skeleton of modern democracy.
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Montesquieu
Enlightenment political philosopher; separation of powers
Those Who Ground an Idea Into a Whole System · Disciples & School-Builders
Political philosophySeparation of powersSpirit of the laws
Who they are
Montesquieu (1689–1755), the French Enlightenment thinker, compared political systems in The Spirit of the Laws and proposed the separation and balancing of legislative, executive and judicial powers to prevent despotism. The doctrine directly shaped the U.S. Constitution and modern constitutional government.
Primary sourcesMontesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws, Persian Letters
Key stories
Relationships
Ally
Echoes today
Below are how modern works borrow or reinterpret this name or story — not the original material. The two differ, so keep them apart.
Separation of powersWritten directly into the U.S. Constitution — the basic frame of modern government.