Question: Which 18th-century philosopher is most closely associated with the concept of "separation of powers" in government?

Tue, 05 May 2026 02:19:03 +0000

Which 18th-Century Philosopher Is Most Closely Associated with the Concept of Separation of Powers? When studying the foundations of modern democratic government, one concept stands out as a cornerstone of political liberty: the separation of powers. This principle divides governmental authority into distinct branches—typically the legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent any one entity from monopolizing control. Among the key thinkers who shaped this idea, one 18th-century philosopher stands above the rest: Montesquieu. ### Who Was Montesquieu? Charles-Louis de Secondat, better known as Montesquieu, was a French Enlightenment philosopher born in 1689. His seminal work, The Spirit of the Laws (De l’esprit des lois), published in 1748, is widely credited with introducing the revolutionary idea of separating government power into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.