The Novelty of Montesquieu’s definition of despotism Cover Image

INOVATIVNOST MONTESKJEOVOG ODREĐENJA DESPOTIJE
The Novelty of Montesquieu’s definition of despotism

Author(s): Aleksandar Molnar
Subject(s): Politics and society, History and theory of political science
Published by: Sociološko naučno društvo Srbije
Keywords: Montesquieu; despotism; administration; freedom; virtue

Summary/Abstract: Nowhere in his work Montesquieu did give a precise definition of despotism as one of three types of government. However, a number of places where Montesquieu wrote about despotism reveal a fairly consistent model based on five key principles: 1) the supremacy of only one (ruling) political force; 2) equality of subjects based on their nothingness; 3) simplicity of social structure (devoid of class and rank); 4) administrative distribution of only one (ruling) political force; as well as 5) metropolization as a consequence of homogenization policy of one (ruling) political force.

  • Issue Year: 57/2015
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 401-420
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Serbian