PhilosophersMontesquieu
Montesquieu
To prevent abuse, power must check power.
Enlightenment · Liberalism1689 – 1755 FranceEnlightenment philosopherPolitical thinkerJuristNovelist
Inspirations
Aristote classifying political regimes
Machiavel observing politics as it is, the example of Rome
Locke not putting making and executing the laws in the same hands
Hobbes against the natural state of war and undivided power
criticHeirs
Rousseau climates, but against divided sovereignty
Madisonthe checks and balances of the American Constitution
Tocquevillethe customs and institutions of a people
Durkheimsaw him as a forerunner of sociology
Condorceta good law should be good everywhere
criticSimilar and opposite philosophers
how it is computedClosest
Thomas Paine The rights of man come from his birth, not from a king, and every generation has the same rights as the one before.
92 %Matthew Tindal Christianity is as old as the Creation: natural religion is perfect and revelation can only restate it.
92 %Mozi (Mo Di) Love all human beings without distinction: this is the one rule that brings the world peace.
88 %Francis Hutcheson We have a "moral sense" that approves of benevolence; the best action is the one that brings the greatest happiness to the greatest numbers.
86 %