Baron de la Brede et de Montesquieu
France
18 Jan 1689 // 10 Feb 1755
Political Philosopher
18 Jan 1689 // 10 Feb 1755
Political Philosopher
Quotes
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Republics end through luxury; monarchies through poverty
When God endowed human beings with brains, He did not intend to guarantee them
When the savages of Louisiana wish to have fruit, they cut the tree at the bottom and gather the fruit. That is exactly a despotic government
When a government is arrived to that degree of corruption as to be incapable of reforming itself, it would not lose much by being new moulded
To succeed in the world, we must be foolish in appearance, but really wise
The love of democracy is that of equality
The less men think, the more they talk
The culminating point of administration is to know well how much power, great or small, we ought to use in all circumstances
Power ought to serve as a check to power
Liberty is the right to do whatever the law permits
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On Anger: "For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind."
Essays
Essays
On Destiny: "Our destiny exercises its influence over us even when, as yet, we have not learned its nature: it is our future that lays down the law of our today."
Human, All Too Human
Human, All Too Human
On Friendship: "A crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love."
Essays
Essays