Baron de Montesquieu Quotes - Page 2

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Liberty is the right to do what the law permits.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosophical, Law, Liberty

6 Copy quote
When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees. Republics end through luxury, monarchies through poverty.

Baron de Montesquieu

Luxury, Government, Long

34 Copy quote
Democracy is corrupted not only when the spirit of equality is corrupted, but likewise when they fall into a spirit of extreme equality.

Baron de Montesquieu

Fall, Democracy, Spirit

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.153, Library of Alexandria

111 Copy quote
The alms given to a naked man in the street do not fulfil the obligations of the state, which owes to every citizen a certain subsistence, a proper nourishment, convenient clothing, and a kind of life not incompatible with health.

Baron de Montesquieu

Men, Naked, Citizens

"The Spirit of the Laws". Book by Baron de Montesquieu, Book XXIII: Of Laws in the Relation They Bear to the Number of Inhabitants, Ch. 29: Of Hospitals, 1748.

12 Copy quote
Liberty itself has appeared intolerable to those nations who have not been accustomed to enjoy it.

Baron de Montesquieu

Government, Liberty, Enjoy

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.385, Library of Alexandria

17 Copy quote
It is not the young people that degenerate; they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.

Baron de Montesquieu

Birthday, People, Age

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In republican governments, men are all equal; equal they are also in despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything; in the latter, because they are nothing.

Baron de Montesquieu

Men, Politics, Republican

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.106, Library of Alexandria

30 Copy quote
What orators lack in depth they make up for in length.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosophical, Depth, Public Speaking

16 Copy quote
For a country, everything will be lost when the jobs of an economist and a banker become highly respected professions.

Baron de Montesquieu

Country, Jobs, Bankers

134 Copy quote
Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosophical, Law, Liberty

"The Spirit of the Laws". Treatise by Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, Book XXIX: Of the Manner of Composing Laws, Ch. 16: Things to be Observed in the Composing of Laws, 1748.

59 Copy quote
I like peasants-they are not sophisticated enough to reason speciously.

Baron de Montesquieu

Sophisticated, Reason, Enough

33 Copy quote
There are countries where a man is worth nothing; there are others where he is worth less than nothing.

Baron de Montesquieu

Country, Men

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.539, Library of Alexandria

37 Copy quote
No tyranny is more cruel than the one practised in the shadow of the laws and under color of justice - when, so to speak, one proceeds to drown the unfortunate on the very plank by which they had saved themselves. And since a tyrant never lacks instruments for his tyranny, Tiberius always found judges ready to condemn as many people as he might suspect.

Baron de Montesquieu

Tyrants, Color, Law

14 Copy quote
An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.

Baron de Montesquieu

Peace, War, Empires

27 Copy quote
It is unreasonable ... to oblige a man not to attempt the defense of his own life.

Baron de Montesquieu

Men, Defense, Reason

10 Copy quote
...when the laws have ceased to be executed, as this can only come from the corruption of the republic, the state is already lost.

Baron de Montesquieu

Law, Republic, Corruption

17 Copy quote
They who love to inform themselves, are never idle. Though I have no business of consequence to take care of, I am nevertheless continually employed. I spend my life in examining things: I write down in the evening whatever I have remarked, what I have seen, and what I have heard in the day: every thing engages my attention, and every thing excites my wonder: I am like an infant, whose organs, as yet tender, are strongly affected by the slightest objects.

Baron de Montesquieu

Writing, Attention, Care

29 Copy quote
The life of man is but a succession of vain hopes and groundless fears.

Baron de Montesquieu

Men, Vain, Succession

10 Copy quote
If I knew something that would serve my country but would harm mankind, I would never reveal it; for I am a citizen of humanity first and by necessity, and a citizen of France second, and only by accident

Baron de Montesquieu

Country, Humanity, Patriotism

82 Copy quote
There is a very good saying that if triangles invented a god, they would make him three-sided.

Baron de Montesquieu

Three, Triangles, Mathematics

23 Copy quote
Power should be a check on power.

Baron de Montesquieu

Evil, Good And Evil, Checks

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Wonderful maxim: not to talk of things any more after they are done.

Baron de Montesquieu

Acceptance, Done, Wonderful

14 Copy quote
A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.

Baron de Montesquieu

Freedom, Missing, Liberty

151 Copy quote
[The Pope] will make the king believe that three are only one, that the bread he eats is not bread... and a thousand other things of the same kind.

Baron de Montesquieu

Kings, Believe, Religion

"Lettres Persanes" by Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu, No. 24, 1721.

7 Copy quote
Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.

Baron de Montesquieu

Prejudice, Reason, Disposition

Charles de Secondat Montesquieu, baron de, Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu (2005). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.294, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

112 Copy quote

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Born: January 18, 1689
Died: February 10, 1755
Occupation: Author
Cite this Page: Citation

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