History
Separation of Powers
Quick fact
The French philosopher Montesquieu first articulated the modern separation of powers in his 1748 book 'The Spirit of the Laws,' directly influencing the framers of the U.S. Constitution.
Why this is interesting
Why do most democracies have three separate branches of government instead of a single ruler? The answer lies in a clever idea designed to prevent any one person or group from grabbing too much power.