PSC 2302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Electoral College, John Quincy Adams, Montesquieu
2 Feb 2016
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11:14 am: separation of powers early writings. Baron montesquieu, the spirit of the laws, 1748. Probably the 1st discussion of separating powers of gov. Thomas hobbes and john locke agreed that power came from the people, but. Hobbes thought all power should go to a single monarch. Locke favored dividing powers between a monarch and a leg. assembly. Witnessed growing power of parliament: american separation of powers. If men were angels, no gov. would be necessary. Gov. must have the power to govern but also to control itself. Check and balances: each branch of gov. can check the other: some checks and balances. Can mean lots of things don"t get done. No coup detat (overthrow pres. : us pres. All but one of 44 pres. have been elected pres. or vp. Two pres. had long careers in us after leaving office. Jqa- 8 terms in house: election of pres. Each state has electoral votes equal to its total cong. delegation.
