Question

What was MONTESQUIEU’s contribution to theories of government?

What made DENIS DIDEROT’s ENCYCLOPEDIA such a definitive statement of the Enlightenment’s goals?

What influence did CESARE BECCARIA have over legal practices in Europe?

What contributions did ADAM SMITH make to economic theory?

Answer 1

• What was MONTESQUIEU’s contribution to theories of government?

            Montesquieu was a French judge, man of letters, and political philosopher.He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world .

            Montesquieu said that the best form of government was one in which the legislative, executive, and judicial powers were separate and kept each other in check to prevent any branch from becoming too powerful. While Montesquieu’s separation of powers theory did not accurately describe the government of England, Americans later adopted it as the foundation of the U.S. Constitution.

• What made DENIS DIDEROT’s ENCYCLOPEDIA such a definitive statement of the Enlightenment’s goals?

            DENIS DIDEROT was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer who was the guiding force behind the publication of the Encyclopedia.He showed how reason could be applied to nearly all realms of thought; it aimed to be a compendium of all human knowledge.

            He stated that "An encyclopedia ought to make good the failure to execute such a project hitherto, and should encompass not only the fields already covered by the academies, but each and every branch of human knowledge. Comprehensive knowledge will give "the power to change men's common way of thinking.

• What influence did CESARE BECCARIA have over legal practices in Europe?

            Cesare Beccaria was an Italian criminologist, jurist, philosopher, and politician. His ideas heavily influenced the modern criminal justice system, some aspects of current legal practices such as 3-strikes laws, mandatory minimum sentencing, and plea-bargaining do not reflect his criteria for effective punishment, while some do in other respects

            He held strong views towards the need for reform was articulated his essay “On Crimes and Punishment”, protests against torture to obtain confessions, secret accusations, the arbitrary discretionary power of judges, the inconsistency and inequality of sentencing. The purpose of punishment is to create a better society, not revenge. Punishment serves to deter others from committing crimes, and to prevent the criminal from repeating his crime

• What contributions did ADAM SMITH make to economic theory?

Adam Smith was an 18th-century philosopher renowned as the father of modern economics and a major proponent of laissez-faire economic policies. He is most famous for his "The Wealth of Nations". He proposed that competition between self-interested individuals led naturally to a healthy economy. He argues that the division of labor and specialization produces prosperity.