"The laws of Rome had wisely divided public power among a large number of magistracies, which supported, checked and tempered each other. Since they all had only limited power, every citizen was qualified for them, and the people — seeing many persons pass before them one after the other — did not grow accustomed to any in particular. But in these times the system of the republic changed. Through the people the most powerful men gave themselves extraordinary commissions — which destroyed the authority of the people and magistrates, and placed all great matters in the hands of one man, or a few."
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Montesquieu, Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline, Chapter XI. ;
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Separation_of_powers
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Separation of powers
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