Question

The idea of separation of powers originated with: John Locke Thomas Hobbes Montesquieu Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Answer 1

The idea of separation of powers originated primarily with Montesquieu. In his work "The Spirit of the Laws," published in 1748, he argued for dividing government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial, to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. While John Locke and other philosophers contributed to political theory and concepts related to governance, it was Montesquieu who specifically articulated the principle of separation of powers.