“All would be lost if the same man, or the same body of magnates, nobles, or people, were to exercise these three powers: that of making laws, that of executing public decisions, and that of judging crimes.”
At a time when everything is being revoked, including the fundamental principles of democratic coexistence, rereading Montesquieu means freeing him from the inert glory carved into marble busts and preserved in the shadowed tranquillity of libraries.
(Ezio Mauro, Italian journalist, in La Repubblica)
Ezio Mauro is a prominent Italian journalist and former editor-in-chief of La Repubblica, known for his incisive political analysis and strong advocacy for democratic values.
His writing often reflects a deep concern for the erosion of institutional checks and balances, as seen in his commentary on Montesquieu.
Mauro’s work is characterised by a blend of historical awareness and contemporary urgency, urging society to engage critically with the principles that underpin democracy rather than passively admiring them as relics of the past.