Baron de Montesquieu Quotes

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To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.

Baron de Montesquieu

Leadership, Funny Inspirational, Integrity

197 Copy quote
It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.

Baron de Montesquieu

Checks, Should

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.205, Library of Alexandria

403 Copy quote
The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

Baron de Montesquieu

Honesty, Integrity, War

353 Copy quote
When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehensions may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact tyrannical laws, to execute them in a tyrannical manner.

Baron de Montesquieu

Umpires, Law, Liberty

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.206, Library of Alexandria

425 Copy quote
There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.

Baron de Montesquieu

Law, Names, Tyrants

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We receive three educations, one from our parents, one from our school-masters, and one from the world. The third contradicts all that the first two teach us.

Baron de Montesquieu

Education, School, Two

310 Copy quote
In the state of nature... all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.

Baron de Montesquieu

Equality, Men, Law

Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.156, Library of Alexandria

253 Copy quote
Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

Baron de Montesquieu

Men, Evil, Abuse

258 Copy quote
An injustice committed against anyone is a threat to everyone.

Baron de Montesquieu

Justice, Human Rights, Threat

71 Copy quote
Law should be like death, which spares no one.

Baron de Montesquieu

Law, Should, Spares

66 Copy quote
To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise.

Baron de Montesquieu

Success, Wise, Looks

61 Copy quote
The less men think, the more they talk.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosophical, Men, Thinking

25 Copy quote
That anyone who possesses power has a tendency to abuse it is an eternal truth. They tend to go as far as the barriers will allow.

Baron de Montesquieu

Peace, Abuse, Tendencies

73 Copy quote
If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.

Baron de Montesquieu

Thinking, People, Would Be

32 Copy quote
Democracy has two excesses to avoid: the spirit of inequality, which leads to an aristocracy, or to the government of a single individual; and the spirit of extreme equality, which conducts it to despotism, as the despotism of a single individual finishes by conquest.

Baron de Montesquieu

Wisdom, Democracies Have, Government

170 Copy quote
Never create by law what can be accomplished by morality.

Baron de Montesquieu

Courage, Law, Morality

41 Copy quote
You have to study a great deal to know a little.

Baron de Montesquieu

Learning, Littles, Study

"Pensées et Fragments Inédits de Montesquieu" by Baron de Montesquieu, 1899.

13 Copy quote
Solemnity is the shield of idiots

Baron de Montesquieu

Stupidity, Shields, Idiot

61 Copy quote
Vitam Impendere Vero (I consecrate my life to truth).

Baron de Montesquieu

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This punishment of death is the remedy, as it were, of a sick society.

Baron de Montesquieu

Punishment, Sick, Remedy

Charles de Secondat Montesquieu, baron de, Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu (2005). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.229, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

13 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
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

36 Copy quote
Life was given to me as a favor, so I may abandon it when it is one no longer.

Baron de Montesquieu

Favors, May, Given

"Persian Letters". Book by Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu, No. 76, 1721.

7 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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What orators lack in depth they make up for in length.

Baron de Montesquieu

Philosophical, Depth, Public Speaking

17 Copy quote

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

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