43 Montesquieu Quotes for You to Enjoy

Montesquieu

French Philosopher

Born: Jan 18, 1689

Died: Feb 10, 1755

Laws Man Men People Power War

Related authors: Albert Camus Blaise Pascal Henri Bergson Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Paul Sartre Michel de Montaigne Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Simone Weil

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

Justice Law Tyranny Name Shield Than Which

The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy. Montesquieu

Democracy Dangerous Welfare Tyranny Citizen Prince Public Apathy Public Welfare Oligarchy

There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice. Montesquieu

Justice Law Tyranny Name Greater Shield Than Which

Religious wars are not caused by the fact that there is more than one religion, but by the spirit of intolerance... the spread of which can only be regarded as the total eclipse of human reason. Montesquieu

Religion Intolerance Religious Total Spirit Religious Wars Eclipse More Only Fact Spread Caused Than Human Regarded Which Reason Wars Human Reason

The deterioration of a government begins almost always by the decay of its principles. Montesquieu

Government Deterioration Almost Principles Always Begins Decay

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. Montesquieu

Be Happy Happy People Difficult Think Other Would Would-Be Easy Only Almost Since Always Than Want Wanted Happier Them

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. Montesquieu

An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war. Montesquieu

War Maintain Empire Itself Founded

Useless laws weaken the necessary laws. Montesquieu

Weaken Laws Useless Necessary

When the body of the people is possessed of the supreme power, it is called a democracy. Montesquieu

Politics Democracy People Power Possessed Supreme Supreme Power Body

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. Montesquieu

To love to read is to exchange hours of ennui for hours of delight. Montesquieu

Love Delight Exchange Hours Read To Love Ennui

Republics end through luxury; monarchies through poverty. Montesquieu

Luxury Poverty Through End Republics

Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one's wit at the expense of one's better nature. Montesquieu

Nature Better Favor Wit Mode Expense Speaking

We should weep for men at their birth, not at their death. Montesquieu

Death Men Birth Weep Should

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

Liberty Whatever Laws Permit Doing Right

If the triangles made a god, they would give him three sides. Montesquieu

God Made Three Sides Would Give Him

The severity of the laws prevents their execution. Montesquieu

Severity Laws Prevents Execution

The state of slavery is in its own nature bad. Montesquieu

Nature Own State Bad Slavery

Although born in a prosperous realm, we did not believe that its boundaries should limit our knowledge, and that the lore of the East should alone enlighten us. Montesquieu

Alone Knowledge Believe Our East Born Boundaries Prosperous Although Limit Lore Did Us Realm Should Enlighten

They who assert that a blind fatality produced the various effects we behold in this world talk very absurdly; for can anything be more unreasonable than to pretend that a blind fatality could be productive of intelligent beings? Montesquieu

Man, as a physical being, is like other bodies governed by invariable laws. Montesquieu

Man Other Physical Laws Like Governed Being Bodies

There should be weeping at a man's birth, not at his death. Montesquieu

Death Man Birth Weeping His Should

Power ought to serve as a check to power. Montesquieu

Power Ought Check Serve

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