Government by Montesquieu

History of French political philosophy the place of Montesquieu was second that Rousseau. He wrote strongly on the criticism directed against the church of absolute monarchy and other institution which are harmful to the people’s liberty. As a result he became popular among the fellow countrymen who are critical of the autocratic regime.
 

Montesquieu: The modern philosopher, Montesquieu was born in Paris, 1689. He was the son of distinguished French lawyer. His political philosophy was affected by the spirit of rational liberty.  He was in active touch with the intellectual movement of his time. He was a keen student of literature and history. He traveled different countries such as Austria, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Holland and so on. He died in 1755.
 

Main books of Montesquieu: The main books of Montesquieu are

1. The spirit of laws. (1748 published)
2. The Persian letters. (1721)
3. Consideration on the greatness and decline of the Romans. (1734)

Government

According to Montesquieu, for each country the first and foremost element is government. But the form of government for every country is not same.
Some social Functions of Government:
Montesquieu identified three types of government

1. Monarchy: Monarchy represents the rule of an individual based on law. In monarchy system, it is governed by a single person in accordance with fixed and established laws.
2. Despotism: The rule of individualism without laws. It is despotism if a single person directs everything by his own will and caprice. The principle of despotism is fear.
3. Republic: The rule of public. A republic is one in which supreme power is vested in the body of citizens or a part of them. He takes the case of republic where principle is virtue which includes political probity patriotism and love for equality. The function of republic that are identified by Montesquieu are two types—
• Democracy: It is democracy if the supreme power of the state is vested in the kinds of the whole body of citizens.
• Aristocracy: It is aristocracy if it is possessed only by a part of citizens. Mainly the capitalists maintain the state.

Based on aristocracy and democracy, the government has some principles:

• Partly on the number of those who hold political power.
• Partly on the manner in which the power is exercised.

Republic represented an idealized type of government in a customary where the moral and intellectual attainments and standards of the people were very high. It was ordained by virtue. It is government which the whole body of citizens rules directly.

Limitations

1. No principle is followed at all.
2. Despotic governments have no law, was fiction.
3. The republic can be lawless.
4. His republic actuated by the study civic virtue of its citizens was the Roman Republic.
5. The despotism was what he feared.
6. Montesquieu’s classification of government was defective.