Which philosopher is best attributed with America's idea of separation of powers?

Question

John Locke
Baron de Montesquieu

Answer 1

Baron de Montesquieu is best attributed with America's idea of separation of powers. He advocated for the separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government in his influential work "The Spirit of the Laws." This idea heavily influenced the framers of the United States Constitution. While John Locke's ideas of natural rights and limited government were also influential to the American founders, it was Montesquieu's concept of separation of powers that directly informed the structure of the American government.