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Cristiana Senigaglia
From his early writings on, Hegel dedicates much attention to Montesquieu and makes reference to him especially by elaborating the idea of the spirit of a nation (Volksgeist) and by affirming the close connection between culture and institutions. Nevertheless, Hegel's interest in Montesquieu's theory is not uncritical, as can be shown by his different evaluation of virtue and by his exclusive preference for constitutional monarchy. The complex relationship to Montesquieu can also be seen in the reception of his theory of the limitation of powers: on the one hand, Hegel prefers to speak in terms of an internal articulation of the state, as he worries about the risks of conflict endangering political unity; on the other hand, he extends Montesquieu's concept by introducing mechanisms of control internal to each power and by argumentatively sustaining the necessity of bicameralism.
