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What was Montesquieu’s Big Idea?
Locke and Montesquieu’s
Separation of powers, division of the legislative, executive, and
Political Theories
judicial functions of government among separate and independent bodies.
Directions: Read the two articles on political philosophers, fill in the blanks of Such a separation, it has been argued, limits the possibility of random
the quote from each thinker, and answer the discussion questions (back of excesses by government, since the sanction of all three branches is required
69) in your note book.
for the making, executing, and administering of laws.
The doctrine may be traced to ancient and medieval theories of
Who was John Locke and what was His Big Idea?
mixed government, which argued that the processes of government should
John Locke was a philosopher who lived hundreds of years ago and
involve the different elements in society such as monarchic, aristocratic, and
believed that people needed a system of government and laws to protect
democratic interests. The first modern formulation of the doctrine was that
them from what he called “living in a state of nature.” A state of nature
of the French writer Montesquieu, although the English philosopher John
means that people live naturally, with no laws or government to guide their Locke had earlier argued that legislative power should be divided between
decisions or tell them what to do. At first, you might think this sounds
king and Parliament.
great—after all, who wants rules? Who wants to be told what to do? Well,
Montesquieu’s argument that liberty is most effectively safeguarded
John Locke believed that without a government, life would be very
by the separation of powers was inspired by the English constitution. His
challenging. There would be violence and fighting, and the more dominant
work was widely influential, most notably in America, where it profoundly
(stronger people) would take over and force the weaker people to follow
influenced the framing of the Constitution.
“I am an enlightenment Philosopher and I am
their will. He also felt that the natural rights of people would be
known for separation of powers. My name is
threatened—even the right to life itself.
___________________________. I said that
John Locke believed that in order to prevent this “state of nature”
power should be distributed into the following
there needed to be a system of government for the purpose of protecting
three branches: __________________,
three basic rights. He called this system a “social contract” because it was a
________________, &
contact agreed upon by the people in order to protect their rights. What
____________________________.”
were these three basic rights? He believed all people should have: 1) the
right to life, 2) liberty and 3) the right to own property. The founders of the
United States really seemed to agree with Locke’s ideas. Perhaps they felt
“I am known for my thoughts on Natural
this way this because they had seen these rights taken away by King George
Rights. I said that the purpose of government
III of England.
is to protect _________________,
So, if a social contract means you have to agree to give up certain
______________, &
freedoms, how can it possibly be good? Well, throughout history, we have
______________________. I also said that
seen that when people can do whatever they want, the strongest people
people form an agreement with government
tend to “take over” and force their will upon others. By agreeing to a
in which they give the government power and
reasonable system of rules for everyone to follow, this can be avoided and
give up some freedoms in exchange for the
people gain protection of their rights. In other words, the main purpose of a
government protecting their rights. This
social contract is to protect you! And guess what America’s social contact is
agreement is called _________________
called? You’ve got it: the Constitution of the United States.
________________. My name is
_____________________.”
Discussion Questions
Now it’s up to you to decide: were John Locke and Montesquieu right?
● Do you think living in a state of nature would really be dangerous and
challenging?
● And what about the need for a social contract?
● Do you think people need to agree to a set of rules in order to protect their
most basic rights?
● Finally, what rights do you think are the most important?
● Do you agree that life, liberty and the right to own property should be a
basis for our Constitution? Why?
● Are three branches with different responsibilities really necessary? Why?