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'''[[Montesquieu]]''' (1689–1755) was a French lawyer, man of letters, and political philosopher. |
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'''Montesquieu''' may also refer to: |
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Born in [[1689]] at Chateau La Brede near [[Bordeaux]], he was president of the "parlement" of Bordeaux by the age of twenty-seven, and shortly afterwards achieved literary success with the publication of his ''Lettres persanes'' ([[1721]]), a satire based on the imaginary correspondence of an Oriental visitor to Paris, pointing out the absurdities of contemporary society. He travelled widely, spending two years in [[England]] (1729 - 31), but was troubled by poor eyesight, and was completely blind by the time of his death in [[1755]]. His great work, "De l'esprit des lois" ([[1748]]), was published anonymously and was enormously influential. |
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* [[Montesquieu, Hérault]], commune in the Hérault department, France |
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* [[Montesquieu, Lot-et-Garonne]], commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department, France |
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* [[Montesquieu, Tarn-et-Garonne]], commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, France |
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{{disambiguation|geo}} |
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He argued that the [[aristocracy]] [[Voltaire]] would decry protected the state from the [[absolutist despot]] (or [[monarchy]]) and from the [[despotism of the many]] (or [[anarchy]]). His was a purely political and [[rational]] [[defense]], conveniently non-economic. Montesquieu's motto was, "[[freedom|Liberty]] is the stepchild of [[privilege]]." This allowed Montesquieu to defend the [[constitutional monarch]] as he claimed it was governed by honor. Montesquieu argued that the [[monarch]]s could become too passionate and the commons were too big and too [[egalitarian]] to rule properly. However, he portrayed the [[aristocracy]] as having and maintaining the honor that kept monarchies [[constitutional]]. But, he also warned that the [[aristocracy]] is doomed when it becomes self-interested, arrogant and parasitic. |
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Montesquieu's most radical work situated the three [[French]] classes into a "[[checks and balances]]" (A termed he coined.) of three sovereignties; the [[monarchy]], the [[aristocracy]], and [[the commons]]. Montesquieu saw two types of powers existing; the [[sovereign]] and the [[administrative]]. The [[administrative powers]] were the [[legislative]], the [[executive]], and the [[judiciary]]. These powers were to be divided up amongst the three classes so that each would have a power over the other. This is so radical because it completely eliminates the [[clergy]] from the estates and because it erases any last vestige of a [[feudalistic structure]]. |
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Latest revision as of 11:56, 17 November 2015
Montesquieu (1689–1755) was a French lawyer, man of letters, and political philosopher.
Montesquieu may also refer to:
- Montesquieu, Hérault, commune in the Hérault department, France
- Montesquieu, Lot-et-Garonne, commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department, France
- Montesquieu, Tarn-et-Garonne, commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, France
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Montesquieu.
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If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.