The Relevance of Montesquieu’s “The Spirit of the Laws” in Contemporary Global Politics

This article analyzes the contemporary relevance of Montesquieu’s The Spirit of the Laws within modern global political systems. The study examines three central dimensions of his theory: the relational nature of laws, the principle of institutional compatibility, and the doctrine of separation of powers as a structural guarantee of political liberty. Using a comparative and theoretical approach, the paper demonstrates that political stability depends not merely on constitutional design but on the correspondence between institutions and social conditions, including political culture, legitimacy, and administrative capacity. The research further argues that many contemporary governance challenges, such as democratic backsliding, hybrid regimes, and ineffective institutional transplantation, can be interpreted through Montesquieu’s framework. Consequently, the article concludes that The Spirit of the Laws remains an essential methodological tool for understanding constitutional development and institutional balance in twenty-first century global politics.