USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The first modern formulation of the doctrine was that of the French political philosopher Montesquieu in De l’esprit des lois (1748; The Spirit of Laws), although the English philosopher John Locke had earlier argued that legislative power should be divided between king and Parliament.

Detailed explanation-2: -Montesquieu’s idea of checks and balances refers to the belief that the government of a country should be divided between different spheres in which the administration should be split between executive, judicial, and legislative.

Detailed explanation-3: -Montesquieu went on to clarify the idea in his own words: “When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body or magistrates, there can be no liberty. Again, there is no liberty if the judicial power is not separated from the legislative and executive powers.

Detailed explanation-4: -The term “trias politica” or “separation of powers” was coined by Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, an 18th century French social and political philosopher.

Detailed explanation-5: -Montesquieu concluded that the best form of government was one in which the legislative, executive, and judicial powers were separate and kept each other in check to prevent any branch from becoming too powerful. He believed that uniting these powers, as in the monarchy of Louis XIV, would lead to despotism.