Which philosopher advocated separation of powers as a constitutional design principle?

• A. Rousseau emphasized social contract and liberty.
• B. Hobbes emphasized strong central sovereignty.
• C. Montesquieu advocated separation of powers.
• D. Locke emphasized social contract and liberty.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that government powers should be divided among separate branches to prevent the concentration of authority. Montesquieu argued in The Spirit of the Laws that legislative, executive, and judicial powers should be distinct and that each branch should have ways to check the others. This separation helps guard against tyranny and protects liberty, and it has influenced many modern constitutions, including systems with courts that interpret laws, a separate legislature that makes them, and an executive that enforces them.

Rousseau focused on the social contract and liberty without proposing a formal three-branch structure. Hobbes argued for a strong centralized sovereign to maintain order. Locke emphasized natural rights and a government built on the social contract but did not frame government as a three-branch design. Because of this explicit advocacy for dividing and balancing powers, Montesquieu is the philosopher associated with separation of powers.