Montesquieu
Important French Thinker
Background Infomation
- January 18th,1689 born near Bordeaux
- He was born into a very wealth family but placed in a very poor family during his childhood
- When Montesquieu father died he was placed with his uncle
- Died February 10th,1755 in Bordeaux and he was the age of 66
- Most of his family members died, his mom died when he was 7 years old and his dad died in 1713
- Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu was his full name
- Montesquieu spouse was Jeanne de Lartigue
O.A.R. Ep. 24: Montesquieu
Occupation
- In 1708, Monestquieu studied law in Bordeaux and Paris
- His job was an important French thinker
- Monestquieu was most known for The Spirit of Laws
- He wrote The Spirit of Laws because its about significant impact on political theory
Famous Quotes
- "The less you think, the more people agree with you"
- "Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones."
Beliefs on Government
- Separation of powers
- A man is innocent until a jury finds him guilty
- Ideas we still use today,there is a separation in the Government
- All things were made up of laws
- His ideas about separation of powers became the basis for the United States constitution
An Opponent (James Madison)
- After reading Montesquieu’s most important admonitions in Spirit of the Laws, Madison decided that he could outsmart him.
Thoughts and feelings
- He didn't think all people were equal
- He approved of slavery
- He thought woman were weaker than man so they had to obey their husbands commands
- However he did think woman had the ability to govern