Montesquieu and Rousseau
While Montesquieu represents the typical
philosophe in his examination of political systems,
Rousseau came to quite different conclusions.
• Montesquieu argued that climate, geography, and
other nonpolitical elements affect the political system
• He was concerned with the rights of individuals and
argued for a constitutional government to protect
them
– One in which the legislative, executive, and judicial powers
are separated and can check each other
• Montesquieu was also typical in his belief that a
strong aristocracy was necessary to prevent royal
despotism
• His Persian Letters was typical in that the philosophes
used foreigners as foils to point out the deficiencies of
the European system.
• Like many philosophes, he admired the English system
• Montesquieu was a frequent visitor at the salons of
Paris
• Rousseau argued that reason was a chain, not a
liberator, and that it would be better to trust one’s
feelings and emotions.
• Civilization corrupted the innocence and basic
goodness of humans
• Politically, he believed in popular sovereignty and
radical democracy, aka the “general will”
• Rousseau lived in isolation from the other
philosophes and was alienated from the world of
the salons.
• He rejected the elitist attitudes and the belief in
reason of the Enlightenment