Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brede et de Montesquieu 18 January 1689 - 10 February 1755), is most generally referred to as Montesquieu. He was a French lawyer, highly educated in the schools of his day, and wrote prolifically of political philosophy. He is most noted for his concepts of the theory of separation of powers in government. His view of humanity was that the quest for power was insatiable and natural and that it was incumbent on the political system to restrict that quest by separating power and being suspicious of its motivations. Montesquieu is credited as initiating a...