Final answer:
Separation of powers solves the problem Montesquieu saw by dividing government into three branches, each with its own responsibilities, to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful and to encourage cooperation among them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The problem Montesquieu saw was that an accumulation of power in one person or a single branch of government could lead to tyranny. To solve this problem, the concept of the separation of powers was introduced, which prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful by dividing the national government into three separate branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. Each branch has its own responsibilities and can check the power of the others through a system of checks and balances. For instance, the legislative branch has powers to draft legislation, but the executive branch, namely the president, must sign the legislation before it becomes the law, thus requiring cooperation between them. Similarly, the judiciary has the power to interpret laws and can declare legislation unconstitutional, serving as a check on the powers of the other branches.