Baron de Montesquieu Quotes About Liberty

Quotes about: Liberty

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

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Honesty, Integrity, War

• 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

• A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Freedom, Missing, Liberty

• When the [law making] and [law enforcement] powers are united in the same person... there can be no liberty.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Law, Liberty, Enforcement

• Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Abuse, Liberty, Abuse Of Power

  Charles de Secondat Montesquieu, baron de, Charles de Secondat baron de Montesquieu (2005). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.184, The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd.

• Political liberty in a citizen is that tranquillity of spirit which comes from the opinion each one has of his security, and in order for him to have this liberty the government must be such that one citizen cannot fear another citizen.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Government, Order, Political

• 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.

• Political liberty is to be found only in moderate governments.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Government, Political, Liberty

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

• The Christian religion is a stranger to mere despotic power. The mildness so frequently recommended in the Gospel is incompatible with the despotic rage.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Christian, Liberty, Stranger

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

• We ought to be very cautious and circumspect in the prosecution of magic and heresy. The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Wisdom, Two, Magic

• Liberty is the right to do what the law permits.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Philosophical, Law, Liberty

• Countries are not cultivated in proportion to their fertility, but to their liberty.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Country, Liberty, Fertility

  Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.359, Library of Alexandria

• We must have constantly present in our minds the difference between independence and liberty. Liberty is a right of doing whatever the laws permit, and if a citizen could do what they forbid he would no longer be possessed of liberty.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Law, Differences, Independence

  Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (2015). “The Spirit of Laws”, p.204, Library of Alexandria

• Liberty is the right of doing whatever the laws permit.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Law, Liberty, Happy Independence Day

  De l'Esprit des Loix (The Spirit of the Laws) bk. 11 (1748)

• In constitutional states, liberty is compensation for heavy taxes; in dictatorships, the subsititue is light taxes.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Light, Liberty, States

• 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

• We ought to be very cautious in the prosecution of magic and heresy. The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty, and may be the origin of a number of petty acts of tyranny if the legislator be not on his guard; for as such an accusation does not bear directly on the overt acts of a citizen, but refers to the idea we entertain of his character.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Character, Ideas, Two

• There is as yet no liberty if the power of judging be not separated from legislative power and the executrix

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Judging, Liberty, Ifs

• A prince who loves and fears religion is a lion who stoops to the hand that strokes or to the voice that appeases him. He who fears and hates religion is like the savage beast that growls and bites the chain, which prevents his flying on the passenger. He who has no religion at all is that terrible animal who perceives his liberty only when he tears in pieces, and when he devours.

  Baron de Montesquieu

  Hate, Animal, Hands

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

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