Question

Baron de montesquieu wrote the spirit of laws, which_______.

a. praised england’s laws, political liberty, and religious freedom

b. promoted the idea that power should be divided among three branches of government

c. argued that men and women could free themselves of unreasonable rules created by monarchs

d. argued that people should follow their emotions rather than their reason

Answer 1

For those wondering, the answer (B) is indeed correct. This law is what gave us the legislative, judicial, and executive branch.

Answer 2

Answer: b. promoted the idea that power should be divided among three branches of government.

The Spirit of the Laws by Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu was published in 1748, and became one of the most influential books in political theory ever written. Montesquieu touches on a huge variety of subjects, from types of government, to the effects of weather in social arrangements.

One of the topics he discusses is the separation of powers. As a revision to John Locke’s Second Treatise, Montesquieu argues that the executive, legislative and judicial functions of government should be performed by separate bodies. He also argues that each branch should be able to limit to some extent the power of the other branches. This idea was very relevant when the US government was being developed.