Indirect influence: Montesquieu

During the read of the Spirit of laws as well as the descriptions that are very boring, because describes the model of States, some surprise is present and to pick it is important to write the new essay but also to tell an indirect influence of Montesquieu to the republic of USA, the answer is it is impossible, not certainly because the constitution of USA has been written from direct influence of Filippo Mazzei (1730-1816) that was a very famous student of constitutions that was emigrant to USA after the “revolution”, and he bought a ranch next to that of George Washington and when the “revolution”, occurred Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826) that was the author of declaration of Independence in 1776, and for this writing Jefferson asked the collaboration of Filippo Filippo Mazzei, born in Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, that certainly have read Montesquieu, because this book has been written in 1749 and the model of republic USA is indirect translation of Montesquieu, that in a chapter of his book he said: “Hence we can consider that the humankind would be compelled  finally to live always under the govern of one, if they haven’t studied a form of constitution that has every vantage of the republic and the vantage of monarchic state. I want consider the federative republic for whole numerous political institutions are consent become part of a State greater that every wants build. It is a society of societies that built other new, that can grow because other consent to gather…”; we can also consider that Montesquieu, that written his book, I repeat before of 1749, inserted examples from the ancient Greek, he naturally didn’t consider that in ancient Greek very much cities were in constant war among them, but he after considers also examples as the Dutch, Germany and Switzerland. And he continues: “This model of republic, able to resist to the stranger power, can keep in its greatness without corruption in intern. This model of State prevent every problems. Who wants usurp the power don’t could enjoy of same credit to every confederated state. If in fact he become very potent in one state, others states would be alarm; if he submit a part other would resist through the independent forces  that he has usurped, and annihilate him before the he has consolidated his power. If in some state occurs a revolt, other can calm it…This model can die for a part and lives to other, the confederation can free oneself but the other states can continue to be confederated”; if we think to principal model of a federal republic, this is the USA, in theory we have a description of USA may 30 years before the USA was born, because the description, that is absolutely theoretic, because in reality the policy has other tools, but the concept that Montesquieu has expressed in become reality; we must also consider that the political model of Montesquieu were the Germany and Dutch, the confederated models, therefore he has took from these models, but Mazzei has given the real translation of think of Montesquieu. The proof of this influence is also in model of election, because Montesquieu take for example both the ancient the Dutch: “In the Dutch republic a province can’t has an allied without consent of other. This law is good and even necessary in the federative republic…The Licia(2th century b.Ch.) republic was a confederation of 23 cities; the greater have three votes, the middle two and the little one. The Dutch  republic is composed from 7 provinces, great or little they have one vote alone”; here we can see a contradiction of history, because the more modern among the States this is the USA has took a model, or better Mazzei has suggested a politic model that is ancient, this is a model of Licia republic, that is in second century before Christ. The model of election of the president of USA is indirect; this is with the votes of liable, and the same model for the Licia republic and the Dutch republic.

 Alessandro Lusana