Which Montesquieu work introduced the concept of checks and balances and influenced the US Constitution?

• A. The Social Contract
• B. Leviathan
• C. Spirit of the Laws
• D. Two Treatises

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances used to prevent tyranny by dividing government authority among different branches. In Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu argues that liberty is safest when legislative, executive, and judicial powers are distinct and able to restrain one another, creating a balanced structure. This framework influenced the United States Constitution, which adopts a three-branch government with built-in checks and controls so no single part can overstep its authority. While other listed works come from different thinkers and focus on other political ideas, Spirit of the Laws is the source that first clearly links dividing power with safeguarding liberty and shaping constitutional design.