Freedom and(in) democracy: interface between Montesquieu’s time and the exhortation for the future

Abstract

Contextualization: This essay examines Montesquieu's political theory, emphasizing the importance that the author attributed to the government of laws, combined with the relevance in understanding virtue and freedom as democratic foundations, in addition to highlighting the need for constant vigilance on the part of those represented in relation to the danger arising from the concentration of powers. The author's formulation regarding the tripartite division of powers enjoys historical permanence, underpinning contemporary constitutionalism and preserving the mark of essentiality imprinted on his theory.

Objective: The research proposal aims to discuss a possible democratic need for popular vigilance, to be exercised in a constant tone, related to the warnings formulated by the author regarding the degeneration of governments.

Methodology: This is a work developed under the dialogical-deductive approach of a qualitative nature, produced from bibliographic references written by Montesquieu himself and other complementary bibliographic sources.

Results: It was concluded that, given the definitiveness of the author's fundamental ideas and his consequent warnings for the future, which contrast with the degenerate behaviors practiced today by exponents of the extreme right in and against democracy, the risk of perpetuating the form of self-government was evident.