GO READ Montesquieu

Yes, that’s an accurate summary of one of Montesquieu’s key criticisms. In his works, particularly “The Spirit of the Laws,” he argued against the abuse of power in French society where individuals in privileged positions exploited social and political institutions for personal gain rather than public benefit.

This criticism became influential in both the American and French Revolutions. His concept of separation of powers (legislative, executive, judicial) was specifically designed to prevent this kind of institutional corruption by creating checks and balances. The American founders, especially Madison and Jefferson, drew heavily from these ideas.

Montesquieu believed that institutions should serve their intended social functions rather than becoming tools for elite self-enrichment. This critique of institutional corruption in the French monarchy and aristocracy did indeed help lay philosophical groundwork for revolutionary thinking in both America and France.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​