USA HISTORY

THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION 1700 1774

THE AMERICAN ENLIGHTENMENT INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Who was the philosopher who separated the government into three branches of government and argued for separation of powers?
A
Voltaire.
B
Locke.
C
Montesquieu.
D
None of the above
Explanation: 

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: -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-3: -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.

Detailed explanation-4: -In the view of Montesquieu: “When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or int he same body or Magistrate, there can be no liberty. Again, there is no liberty if the judicial power is not separated from the Legislative and Executive power.

Detailed explanation-5: -Montesquieu wrote that the main purpose of government is to maintain law and order, political liberty, and the property of the individual. Montesquieu opposed the absolute monarchy of his home country and favored the English system as the best model of government.

There is 1 question to complete.