Separation of powers political science class questions Assignment

Separation of powers political science class questions - Assignment Example and better born have authority and are few." For example, regarding offices one would have elections (an oligarchic element) but no property assessment (a democratic element). Montesquieu agrees in part with Aristotle’s ideas of combining a democracy with oligarchy. He terms them â€Å"executive† and â€Å"legislative† branches, but they are in effect the same as Aristotle’s â€Å"democracy† and â€Å"oligarchy†. Montesquieu echoes Aristotle’s arguments that having the mixture of the traditional governing bodies would balance the power and authority. Further more, he references Aristotle in his book by saying; â€Å"The inhabitants of a particular town are much better acquainted with its wants and interests than with those of other places; and are better judges of the capacity of their neighbors than of that of the rest of their countrymen. The members, therefore, of the legislature should not be chosen from the general body of the nation; but it is proper that in every considerable place a representative should be elected by the inhabitants† (Montesquieu). Aristotle, Montesquieu, and Locke all support the notion that civil society originates when, for the better administration of the law, men agree to delegate legal functions to certain officers. They are all against a â€Å"monarchy† government as it does not support a civil society. It by definition corrupts the individual who is given all of the power. Both Aristotle and Montesquieu allow for a balance between the oligarchy/monarchy and the democracy by allowing an â€Å"executive† element who’s function is to balance that of the legislative/democratic element. 2) Aristotle believed that there were three classes. At the bottom were the farmers, laborers, and poor. As this class of people did not have the leisure time to pursue education, they would make a meager ruling class. The ruling class Aristotle argued should be comprised of the leisured classes, and the â€Å"middling element†. He clarifies that the