Principles of the
Constitution III
Classical Theories of Government
Separation of Powers
Separation of Powers
●‘Trias politica principle’
●The principle of
separation of powers
has been around for
thousands of years
●First developed in
Ancient Greece
Aristotle:
Separation of Powers
●Aristotle was a famous
Greek Philosopher
●Explained the idea of
mixed government in his
book, Politics
●The idea of mixed
government led to the
concept of Separation of
Powers
Aristotle’s Politics:
Separation of Powers
●Praises Sparta’s system
of government
●Sparta
o a Greek City State, operated
as a mixed government
●Mixed government
disperses the power
between social classes
Mixed Government
●All three principal forms
of government
(aristocracy, democracy,
and monarchy)
ultimately lead to
unavoidable destruction
●A mixed government
avoids destruction by
incorporating all three
forms of government
Roman Republic:
Separation of Powers
●Greek Historian,
Polybius, wrote about
the rise of Rome
●Polybius credited the
Roman Republic’s use of
a mixed government for
their long, successful
reign
James Harrington:
Separation of Powers
●English Political
Philosopher
●Wrote the
Commonwealth of
Oceana in 1656
●Imprisoned in the 1660s
under unclear charges
James Harrington’s Oceana:
Separation of Powers
●Presented
Harrington’s vision of
an ideal state or
government
●Encouraged limited
and balanced power
of the government
●Favored a strong
middle class
Enlightenment:
Separation of Powers
●Developed as an
extension of the
scientific revolution
●Attempted to explain
the purpose of
government and the
most effective form of
government
Baron de Montesquieu:
Separation of Powers
●French philosopher
during the Age of
Enlightenment
●Born Charles Louis de
Secondat, in 1689
●Studied the
governments in several
European countries
Baron de Montesquieu:
Spirit of Laws
●Tripartite System
●The Spirit of Laws (1748)
o Montesquieu describes
separation of powers
o Emphasized the importance
of a separate judiciary
●Influenced by Britain’s
government
Baron de Montesquieu:
Separation of Powers
●Known for supporting
separation of the
legislative, executive,
and judicial branches
●Influenced our
Founding Fathers and
Constitution
18th Century England:
Separation of Powers
●Montesquieu admired
the English
Government
●English Government
separated powers into
three parts:
o king
o parliament
o courts
18th Century England:
The Crown
●Strong, but limited
monarch
●Must have
Parliament’s approval:
o Funding and taxation
o Make or revise laws
o War and treaties
18th Century England:
Parliament
●Bicameral
o Two chambers
House of Commons
 popularly elected
House of Lords
 appointed by
monarchy
18th Century England:
Independent Judiciary
●Appointed by
monarch
●Removal
o only for criminal
activity or misconduct
James Madison:
Separation of Powers:
●Influenced by Baron
de Montesquieu
●Madisonian Model
o powers of government
separated into 3
branches
Citations (Images and references)
Slide 1: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://oleglorynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Constitution and gavel-300x279.jpg >.
Slide 2: N.d Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Athena.jpg.>
Side 3: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a4/Aristoteles_Louvre.jpg/115px-Aristoteles_Louvre.jpg>
Slide 4: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/greeks/philosophy/pictures/aristotle.jpg>
Slide 5: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MuzRb709t4Q/Sw2bgLfrQ6I/AAAAAAAABOs/SsA5ZdAmDEQ/s320/Roman+Senate.JPG>
Slide 6: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://www.shestokas.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/polybius_cast_cleitor_mncr1.jpg>
Slide 7: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/James_Harrington_from_NPG.jpg>
Slide 8: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Harrington_-_Oceana_(Toland_1737).png>
Slide 9: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://cdn.history.com/sites/2/2014/01/englightenment-hero-H.jpeg>
Slide 10: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://homepage.usask.ca/~kym905/montesquieu.jpg>
Citations (Images and references)
Slide 11: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Esprit_Loix_1749.JPG>
Slide 12: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Montesquieu_1.png/200px-Montesquieu_1.png>
Slide 13: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/House_of_Commons_Microcosm.jpg>
Slide 14: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/1488/148869.jpg>
Slide 15: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://assets3.parliament.uk/iv/main-large//ImageVault/Images/id_224/scope_0/ImageVaultHandler.aspx.jpg>
Slide 16: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Court_of_Chancery_edited.jpg>
Slide 17: N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 15 Apr 2015.
<http://a1.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,dpr_1.0,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTE4MDAzNDEwNjEwMzI1MDA2.jpg>