Portrait of Montesquieu
Center · Thinker or writer · From history

Montesquieu

French political philosopher, 1689 to 1755

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Championed the separation of powers among legislature, executive and courts in The Spirit of the Laws, a model copied in many constitutions.

Montesquieu sits in the right-libertarian part of the Caucus economy and liberty compass: leaning free market and leaning libertarian. The clearest positions are strongly institutional on institutions, leaning libertarian on liberty and authority and leaning secular on religion. The profile is close to the middle on environment.

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Where Montesquieu sits on ten dimensions

Each scale runs from one pole to the other, and the dot shows the overall tendency of this person's record and public life. These are simplified estimates and open to debate.

💰EconomyLeaning free market
State-ledFree market
⚖️Liberty and authorityLeaning libertarian
LibertarianAuthoritarian
🎭CultureSlightly traditional
ProgressiveTraditional
🌍NationSlightly nationalist
GlobalistNationalist
🌱EnvironmentCentered on environment
Growth-firstNature-first
🤖TechnologyLeaning tech-optimist
Tech-cautiousTech-optimist
🕊️War and peaceSlightly peace-first
Peace-firstStrength-first
🏛️InstitutionsStrongly institutional
Anti-establishmentInstitutional
🙏ReligionLeaning secular
SecularReligious
🛡️InterventionismSlightly non-interventionist
Non-interventionistInterventionist

People most like Montesquieu

John Locke English philosopher, 1632 to 170499%Fernando Henrique Cardoso President of Brazil, 1995 to 200397%Benjamin Franklin American founder, diplomat and inventor, 1706 to 179097%Micheál Martin Taoiseach of Ireland, 2020 to 2022 and 2025 to present97%Isaiah Berlin British philosopher and historian, 1909 to 199797%Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India, 2004 to 201497%Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Belarusian opposition leader96%Francis Fukuyama American political scientist95%

People furthest from Montesquieu

Ruhollah Khomeini Supreme Leader of Iran, 1979 to 198917%Benito Mussolini Prime Minister of Italy, 1922 to 194318%Vladimir Lenin Head of the Soviet government, 1917 to 192420%Adolf Hitler Chancellor and Führer of Germany, 1933 to 194520%

Political views closest to Montesquieu

ConstitutionalismHolds that power should be limited by a written constitution, independent courts and…99%Civic republicanismValues citizen participation, civic virtue and freedom from domination, and often…98%Liberal nationalismHolds that nations have a right to self-government and a shared identity, provided they…97%Social market economyKeeps markets competitive but backs them with rules, social insurance and partnership…96%

Read more about Montesquieu

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Biographies of MontesquieuBooks on constitutionalism

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Percentages show how close two profiles are across all ten dimensions. Including a person here is for study and comparison, not approval. Portrait: After Jacques-Antoine Dassier, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; see all photo credits.