Montesquieu Essays - Political Philosophy, Politics, Government

Montesquieu In this essay I will be discussing Montesquieu, Dewey, Wright, and Lippmann. These authors have been writing about todays government for many years. These governments have many things in common as well as different. Montesquieu says that virtue is the most important principle of democracy in American government. That all members of society must put the public good ahead of their own interests. The English have been unable to establish a democracy this century because those who were involved in public affairs had some virtue. Their ambition was exited by the success of the bold and daring. The spirit of one faction is repressed by the spirit of another. When virtue ceases, ambition enters those hearts that can admit it, and greed enters them all. One was free under the laws, and now wants to be free against them. The laws are not what are best of the public. Each citizen is like an escaped slave. Instead of the people fighting tyranny, the people are fighting each other. The principle of aristocracy is moderation. The rich and upper class govern aristocracy, and it is ruled by the best people based on their interests and represses those of the people. Moderation in virtue has to lye within the aristocracy. Keeping the interests of aristocracy in mind rather than personal interests. Now such a body can repress itself in two ways. Either by great virtue, which makes noble equal to the people, which would form a great republic. Or by lesser virtue, a moderation that leaves the nobles equal amongst themselves, which brings about their preservation. The moderation founded on virtue is the heart and soul of this government. In monarchies the government uses as little virtue as possible to accomplish things. The laws replace all these virtue in a monarchy. One man is the supreme ruler over all. Honor replaces virtue in a monarch. Honor joined with the forces of laws eventually leads to the goal of government. People put their reputation first n trying to get distinction for themselves. In a monarchy most people are good citizens, but it is hard to find good citizens. For in order to be a good citizen, one must have the intention of being one. Love the state less for oneself than for itself. ?ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country.? Ambition is fatal to the leader of a republic, but has good effect in a monarchy. Honor is not the principle of despotic states, these must be fear in a despotic government. Fear must destroy courage and ambition in order to stop any chances of a revolution. When fear fails to exist, the people no longer have a protector. Montesquieu shows how education will be different in each kind of government. In monarchies education is not found institutions. It is found in everyday life were people can be taught from experience. Education starts at birth and nothing in the republic government to stop it. Minority has no options if the majority is a faction. Stop a majority from forming and you stop majority factions from carrying out their ?evil? schemes. Madison feels this makes republics unstable and dangerous. A pure democracy can only work in a small society. Democracy will not work in trying to govern a large area or a large population because a common passion or interests will be felt by the majority. In democracy there is nothing to stop majority from taking advantage of the minority. Politicians claim that if there were perfect quality in their political rights, they would also have the same possessions, opinions, and passions. This is not true, for we need something to protect us. Madison feels that a republic is the ideal cure for faction. You must first get rid of this by refining and enlarging the public views. It is ideal to have the best representatives possible to make the decision for society. In a big district voting is good because it will keep out one view. It will concentrate on everyone's views and give these elected officials a more broad view from hearing everyone's ideas. That wisdom will enable him to give a better decision than