Montesquieu
1689 – 1755 French political philosopher
The theorist of the separation of powers, a founder of modern political science.
- Religion
- Catholic by upbringing, but a deist in temper who studied religions as social institutions.
- Affiliations
- Initiated into Freemasonry at the Horn Tavern lodge in London in 1730. Member of the French Academy.
Montesquieu argued in The Spirit of the Laws that liberty depends on dividing government into separate branches that check one another. This idea shaped the United States Constitution and modern constitutions worldwide. He also pioneered the comparative study of laws and societies.
In the timeline
- 1748 Montesquieu argues for separation of powers central figure