Introduction to Montesquieu: What are Montesquieu’s ideological propositions? What are Montesquieu's famous quotes? This article will introduce to you:

Introduction to Montesquieu

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (French: Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu , January 18, 1689 - February 10, 1755), a thinker and lawyer during the French Enlightenment, the founder of Western national doctrine and legal theory, together with Voltaire and Rousseau, known as the "Three Swordsmen of the French Enlightenment". Montesquieu had a lot to do with the popularity of the term "Byzantine Empire".

Montesquieu was an encyclopedic scholar. He has made great academic achievements and received high honors. He was elected as an academician of the Bordeaux Academy of Sciences, an academician of the French Academy of Sciences, a member of the Royal Society, and an academician of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin.

Montesquieu’s experience

1. Birth

In 1689, Montesquieu was born near Bordeaux, France. Among the noble families of La Brede Castle. Well educated since childhood. He was a lawyer and speaker of the Bordeaux Assembly.

In 1707, at the age of 19, he obtained a bachelor's degree in law and became a lawyer. In 1709, he traveled to Paris for the first time. In 1714, he began to serve as a consultant to the Bordeaux court.

In 1716, he inherited the position of President of the Court of Bordeaux (Montesquieu's grandfather and uncle had always occupied this position) and was awarded the title of Baron. Montesquieu was an erudite man with profound attainments in law, history, philosophy and natural sciences, and had written many relevant papers.

2. Rise to fame

In 1721, Montesquieu published his famous work "Letters from the Persians" under the pseudonym "Port Mardo". This book exposes and criticizes the evils of feudal society through the story of two Persians traveling in France. It uses a satirical tone to outline the faces of various figures in the French upper class, such as lewd priests, Boasting salon gentlemen, arrogant and ignorant aristocrats, and *** who are threading the needle on the political stage, etc.

The book also expresses hatred for Louis XIV in Montesquieu's introduction, saying that France is more despotic than the East. The book was generally well received.

3. Enlightenment thinkers

In 1726, Montesquieu resigned from his hereditary position as president of the Court of Bordeaux and moved to Paris to concentrate on writing and research. He traveled to many countries in Europe, especially stayed in the UK for more than two years, inspected the British political system, carefully studied the works of early Enlightenment thinkers, and was elected as a member of the Royal Society.

In 1728, he made an academic trip to Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Britain and other countries to conduct on-site inspections of their social and political systems and other conditions. After returning to China in 1731, he specialized in writing.

In 1734, he published "A Theory of the Causes of the Rise and Fall of Rome", using historical data from ancient Rome to clarify his political views.

4. The Spirit of the Laws

In 1748, Montesquieu’s most important and influential work, The Spirit of the Laws, was published. This is a comprehensive political science work. The book was so popular that 22 editions were printed in two years.

Montesquieu opposed theology and advocated science, but he was not an atheist or materialist. Montesquieu was a deist. Montesquieu's most important contribution was to the bourgeois theory of state and law. Montesquieu clearly put forward the doctrine of "separation of powers" based on Locke's idea of ??separation of powers.

Montesquieu particularly emphasized the function of law. Montesquieu believed that law is the embodiment of rationality. Law is divided into two categories: natural law and artificial law. Natural law existed before the establishment of human society. Laws, at that time human beings were in a state of equality; man-made laws include political law, civil law, etc.

Montesquieu advocated bourgeois freedom and equality, but emphasized that the realization of freedom must be restricted by law. Political freedom does not mean doing whatever you want.

Montesquieu said, "Liberty is the right to do all things permitted by law; if a citizen can do things prohibited by law, he no longer has freedom. Because other people do the same will have this right."

It also proposed the "geographic environment determinism", believing that climate will have a huge impact on a nation's character, emotions, morals, customs, etc., and that there is a relationship between the soil and the character of the residents. , especially has a very close connection with the political system of the nation, and believes that the size of the country's territory has a very close connection with the country's political system.

In 1750, he defended "The Spirit of the Laws" and responded to criticism.

5. Death

In 1755, Montesquieu fell ill while traveling and died.

Montesquieu’s ideological propositions

1. Separation of powers

Although Montesquieu was an aristocrat, he was the first French person to openly criticize feudal rule. Thinker, Montesquieu broke through the view of "divine right of kings".

Believes that people should enjoy religious and political freedom. It is believed that determining the spirit of the law and the content of the law is of vital importance to each country.

The means to ensure the rule of law is the "separation of three powers", that is, legislative power, administrative power and judicial power belong to three different state organs. Montesquieu's introduction, the three restrict each other and balance power.

The "Separation of Powers Theory" had a significant impact on the formulation of the "United States Constitution" in 1787, the "French Constitution" from 1791 to 1795, and the "Prussian Code" in 1792. It also completely It denied the three cornerstones of French society at that time: the church, parliament and aristocracy.

2. Deist

Montesquieu was a deist. Montesquieu openly admitted that God was the cause of the world and believed that God was the "creator and maintainer" of the world. However, he also believed that the world was governed by the laws of nature. God could not change the laws of nature, and his activities were also subject to the laws of nature. constraints.

Under the cover of deism, Montesquieu exposed and criticized the crimes of the Catholic Church and monks, pointed out the harm of religious worldview to human society, and fiercely criticized the persecution of the Inquisition. The brutal acts of pagans put forward the idea that various religions should tolerate each other, live in harmony, not interfere with each other, and respect each other.