Montesquieu and Locke: Separation of Powers and Natural Rights

VOCABULARY flashcards covering Montesquieu's separation of powers and Locke's natural rights as they relate to the Constitution and the Declaration.

Montesquieu

French philosopher who argued for separation of political power into three branches—the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary—an idea that influenced the U.S. Constitution.

Separation of powers

Division of government powers among legislative, executive, and judiciary to prevent the concentration of authority.

Legislature

Branch of government that makes laws (one of the three branches in Montesquieu's framework).

Executive

Branch of government that enforces laws (one of the three branches).

Judiciary

Branch of government that interprets laws (one of the three branches).

John Locke

Philosopher who argued government exists to serve the people by protecting their natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

Natural rights

Inherent rights that the government is obligated to protect, including life, liberty, and property.

Life, Liberty, Property

The natural rights identified by Locke that governments should protect.

Declaration of Independence

Influenced by Locke's ideas about government deriving authority from the people to secure their natural rights.