Montesquieu and the Founding Fathers: Federalism, The Separation of Powers, and The Crisis of American Democracy October 14, 2009

Host: The Heritage Foundation. What does it take to achieve limited, republican government in a large nation such as the United States? Is it possible to sustain a healthy republic over a large territory? As events unfold, this has become a pressing question. The Founders had to deal with this question as well, and they turned to Montesquieu for guidance. The most frequently cited political philosopher during the creation of the American Constitution, Montesquieu argues that maintaining a large republic requires the institutional structures of federalism and a separation of powers. This advice was central to the success of the American Constitution, but it was fundamentally challenged by the Progressives and their recent heirs. Today, with the explosion of centralized administration, we are seeing the effects of that challenge.

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