Baron de Montesquieu

1. Baron de Montesquieu Separation of Powers

2. Important facts • Real name : Charles-Louis de Secondat/ born in 1689 • Attended a Catholic school and became a lawyer • Inherited his title from his uncle • Wrote a book called Persian Letters that criticized French society using humor (satire)

3. The Spirit Of Laws • Montesquieu’s most famous book • Described his theory of government and how it should be organized • Believed that dividing power between three branches of government was the best way to protect political liberty • Called this concept ‘separation of powers”

4. Quotes from Montesquieu • “A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.” • “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.” • “Were the executive power not to have a right of restraining the encroachments of the legislative body, the latter would become despotic; for as it might arrogate to itself what authority it pleased, it would soon destroy all the other powers.”

5. Separation of power • Legislative branch makes the laws. • Executive branch enforces the laws. • Judicial branch interpreted the laws. (Told what they mean.) • No branch would be too powerful. • Montesquieu admired the English government.

6. Separation of powers • Parliament made the laws, the king enforced them and the courts interpreted them. • Each branch of government checked, or limited, the power of the others. • If power was not divided this way, people would lose liberty quickly. • Too much power for any one person is called despotism.

7. Why Montesquieu Is important • His ideas were a powerful influence on later thinkers. • The U.S. Constitution reflects many of his ideas. • Separation of powers is an important idea in our American system of government.