MONTESQUEIU

Name: Charles-Louis de Secondat

(1689–1755) French political theorist

THE PERSIAN LETTERS; 1721), and L’esprit des lois (SPIRIT OF LAWS; 1748),

offered criticism of contemporary French society and helped to popularize the ideals of English
constitutional monarchy throughout Europe.POLITICAL THEORY, HISTORY, and sociology was one of the
chief creations

He belongs to a judicial nobility family

in 1716 acquired the office of président à mortier (presiding judge in one section of the court

throughout his life, Montesquieu openly championed the cause of religious TOLERATION, having seen at
firsthand the uselessness of persecution.

a spokesman for the interests of the social groups to which he was linked

Between 1729 and 1731, Montesquieu resided in ENGLAND. In LONDON, he joined the FREEMASONS,
attended Parliament debates, followed the course of political events, and was elected to the ROYAL
SOCIETY OF LONDON

Montesquieu’s ideal political culture was built on an analogy with health in the human body.

Montesquieu developed a sophisticated theory about the role of law in society. He believed that, in
order for 398 Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de the laws of a given state
to be effective, they must be rooted in the spirit of its people, that is, in the special combination of
environmental and social factors that distinguishes its people. Montesquieu did believe that properly
conceived and prepared positive (human-made) laws protect the freedom of human beings.

The emphasis that Montesquieu placed on the role played by social and environmental factors in
shaping the political possibilities for a nation has led some scholars to call him the father of modern
sociology

stimulated criticism
In particular, the concept of the separation of powers, so central to the new American system, was
derived at least in part from Montesquieu

L’esprit des lois wound Montesquieu, Charles-Louis de Secondat, baron de La Brède et de 399 up on the
Inquisition’s Index of Forbidden Books, but that did not p

VITALISM: The healthy political body exists in a state of dynamic balance among its various parts

popularized the idea of political equilibrium guaranteed by a system of checks and balances.

Montesquieu divided his time among his judicial duties, his activities as a wine maker and merchant, and
his role as director of the Bordeaux Academy

Montesquieu entered the literary world with a huge splash in 1721 when the Lettres persanes (Persian
letters) appeared. The book was an instant success, offering at once a juicy piece of entertainment, witty
satire, and insightful criticism of French society during the years of the Regency (1715–23).
MONTESQUEIU

He provided inspiration in the new UNITED STATES oF AMERICA. In particular, the concept of the
separation of powers,

L’esprit des lois, published and distributed from GENEVA in 1748: Montesquieu dreamed of finding a
way to ensure that such abuses of power would not happen again in France and explored bo