Historical Figure
Montesquieu
1689–1755
French judge, historian, and political philosopher (1689–1755)
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Biography
Charles Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French judge, intellectual, historian, and political philosopher.
In Their Own Words (5)
In a free nation, it matters not whether individuals reason well or ill; it is sufficient that they do reason. Truth arises from the collision and from hence springs liberty, which is a security from the effects of reasoning.
Quoted by Thomas Erskine in the trial of Thomas Paine, 1792 , 1792
In every government there are three sorts of power: the legislative; the executive in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the executive in regard to matters that depend on the civil law.By virtue of the first, the prince or magistrate enacts temporary or perpetual laws, and amends or abrogates those that have been already enacted. By the second, he makes peace or war, sends or receives embassies, establishes the public security, and provides against invasions. By the third, he punishes criminals, or determines the disputes that arise between individuals. The latter we shall call the judiciary power, and the other, simply, the executive power of the state.When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.Again, there is no liberty if the judiciary power be not separated from the legislative and executive. Were it joined with the legislative, the life and liberty of the subject would be exposed to arbitrary control; for the judge would be then the legislator. Were it joined to the executive power, the judge might behave with violence and oppression.There would be an end of every thing, were the same man, or the same body, whether of the nobles or of the people, to exercise those three powers, that of enacting laws, that of executing the public resolutions, and of trying the causes of individuals.The executive power ought to be in the hands of a monarch, because this branch of government, having need of dispatch, is better administered by one than by many: on the other hand, whatever depends on the legislative power, is oftentimes better regulated by many than by a single person.But, if there were no monarch, and the executive power should be committed to a certain number of persons, selected from the legislative body, there would be an end of liberty, by reason the two powers would be united; as the same persons would sometimes possess, and would be always able to possess, a share in both.
Book XI, Chapter 6. , 1748
Not to be loved is a misfortune, but it is an insult to be loved no longer.
No. 3. (Zachi writing to Usbek) , 1721
The laws of Rome had wisely divided public power among a large number of magistracies, which supported, checked and tempered each other. Since they all had only limited power, every citizen was qualified for them, and the people — seeing many persons pass before them one after the other — did not grow accustomed to any in particular. But in these times the system of the republic changed. Through the people the most powerful men gave themselves extraordinary commissions — which destroyed the authority of the people and magistrates, and placed all great matters in the hands of one man, or a few.
Chapter XI. , 1876
If one only wished to be Sad, this could be horrible for the rest of civilisation; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.
As quoted in A Dictionary of Thoughts: Being a Cyclopedia of Laconic Quotations from the Best Authors, Both Ancient and Modern (1891) edited by Tryon Edwards. , 1891
Timeline
The story of Montesquieu, told in moments.
Born Charles-Louis de Secondat near Bordeaux. His family was minor nobility, rich enough to own vineyards. A beggar woman was chosen as his godmother so he'd remember that the poor existed. He remembered.
Publishes Persian Letters anonymously. Two fictional Persians visit Paris and write home about what they see. French society is ridiculous, they report. The satire is devastating and wildly popular. Everyone knows who wrote it. He pretends otherwise.
Publishes The Spirit of the Laws after twenty years of work. The separation of powers. Checks and balances. Climate theory. It's 31 books long. The Catholic Church bans it. The American Founders read it like a manual. Madison quotes it in the Federalist Papers.
Dies in Paris at 66. Nearly blind by the end. Diderot visits him on his deathbed. The Spirit of the Laws has been translated into every European language. The U.S. Constitution is written 32 years later. His fingerprints are on every article.
Artifacts (6)
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