110+ Baron de Montesquieu Quotes On Government, Human Nature And Separation Of Powers

Baron de Montesquieu was a French lawyer, philosopher, and political theorist who lived during the Age of Enlightenment. He is best known for his work The Spirit of the Laws, which was published in 1748 and is considered one of the great works of political philosophy. He is also credited with the separation of powers in government, which has become a cornerstone of modern democracy. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Baron de Montesquieu on government, human nature, separation of powers.

Top 10 Baron De Montesquieu Quotes

1. The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Liberty... is there only when there is no abuse of power.
5. Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness; but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.
6. But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.
7. 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.
8. Solemnity is the shield of idiots
9. The Ottoman Empire whose sick body was not supported by a mild and regular diet, but by a powerful treatment, which continually exhausted it.
10. To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise.

Baron de Montesquieu Image Quotes

To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise. — Baron de Montesquieu

Baron De Montesquieu Short Quotes

• Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.
• The harshest tyranny is that which acts under the protection of legality and the banner of justice.
• I like peasants-they are not sophisticated enough to reason speciously.
• An injustice to one is a threat made to all
• There is a very good saying that if triangles invented a god, they would make him three-sided.
• I should like to abolish funerals; the time to mourn a person is at his birth, not his death.
• This punishment of death is the remedy, as it were, of a sick society.
• A really intelligent man feels what other men only know.
• A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.
• Republics end through luxury; monarchies through poverty.

Baron de Montesquieu Quotes About Government

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

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

When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees. Republics end through luxury, monarchies through poverty. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

Law in general is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth: the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases in which human reason is applied. — Baron de Montesquieu

I acknowledge that history is full of religious wars: but we must distinguish; it is not the multiplicity of religions which has produced these wars; it was the intolerating spirit which animated that one which thought she had the power of governing. — Baron de Montesquieu

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. — Baron de Montesquieu

Thus the creation, which seems an arbitrary act, supposes laws as invariable as those of the fatality of the Atheists. It would be absurd to say that the Creator might govern the world without those rules, since without them it could not subsist. — Baron de Montesquieu

It is clear that in a monarchy, where he who commands the exceution of the laws generally thinks himself above them, there is lessneed of virtue than in a popular government, where the person entrusted with the execution of the laws is sensible of his being subject to their direction. — Baron de Montesquieu

I shall ever repeat it, that mankind are governed not by extremes, but by principals of moderation. — Baron de Montesquieu

Baron de Montesquieu Quotes About Philosophical

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

The reason the Romans built their great paved highways was because they had such inconvenient footwear. — Baron de Montesquieu

I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve. — Baron de Montesquieu

Peace is a natural effect of trade. — Baron de Montesquieu

Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed. — Baron de Montesquieu

The spirit of moderation should also be the spirit of the lawgiver. — Baron de Montesquieu

Men should be bewailed at their birth, and not at their death. — Baron de Montesquieu

The less men think, the more they talk. — Baron de Montesquieu

Baron de Montesquieu Famous Quotes And Sayings

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

What unhappy beings men are! They constantly waver between false hopes and silly fears, and instead of relying on reason they create monsters to frighten themselves with, and phantoms which lead them astray. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

To succeed in the world we must look foolish but be wise. — Baron de Montesquieu

There is only one thing that can form a bond between men, and that is gratitude... we cannot give someone else greater power over us than we have ourselves. — Baron de Montesquieu

The false notion of miracles comes of our vanity, which makes us believe we are important enough for the Supreme Being to upset nature on our behalf. — Baron de Montesquieu

I shall be obliged to wander to the right and to the left, that I may investigate and discover the truth. — Baron de Montesquieu

The incomparable stupidity of life teaches us to love our parents; divine philosophy teaches us to forgive them. — Baron de Montesquieu

In bodies moved, the motion is received, increased, diminished, or lost, according to the relations of the quantity of matter and velocity; each diversity is uniformity, each change is constancy. — Baron de Montesquieu

Love of reading enables a man to exchange the weary hours, which come to every one, for hours of delight. — Baron de Montesquieu

Slavery, properly so called, is the establishment of a right which gives to one man such a power over another as renders him absolute master of his life and fortune. — Baron de Montesquieu

The coffee is prepared in such a way that it makes those who drink it witty: at least there is not a single soul who, on quitting the house, does not believe himself four times wittier that when he entered it. — Baron de Montesquieu

If I knew of something that could serve my nation but would ruin another, I would not propose it to my prince, for I am first a man and only then a Frenchman... because I am necessarily a man, and only accidentally am I French. — Baron de Montesquieu

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. — Baron de Montesquieu

Men in excess of happiness or misery are equally inclined to severity. Witness conquerors and monks! It is mediocrity alone, and a mixture of prosperous and adverse fortune that inspire us with lenity and pity. — Baron de Montesquieu

Ever since the invention of gunpowder.. I continually tremble lest men should, in the end, uncover some secret which would provide a short way of abolishing mankind, of annihilating peoples and nations in their entirety. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

Love of the republic in a democracy, is a love of the democracy; love of the democracy is that of equality. Love of the democracy is likewise that of frugality. — Baron de Montesquieu

Laws, in their most general signification, are the necessary relations arising from the nature of things. In this sense all beings have their laws: the Deity His laws, the material world its laws, the intelligences superior to man their laws, the beasts their laws, man his laws. — Baron de Montesquieu

Mediocrity is a hand-rail. — Baron de Montesquieu

Brutes are deprived of the high advantages which we have; but they have some which we have not. They have not our hopes, but theyare without our fears; they are subject like us to death, but without knowing it; even most of them are more attentive than we to self-preservation, and do not make so bad a use of their passions. — Baron de Montesquieu

As men are affected in all ages by the same passions, the occasions which bring about great changes are different, but the causes are always the same. — Baron de Montesquieu

It is always the adventurous who accomplish great things. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

I suffer from the disease of writing books and being ashamed of them when they are finished. — Baron de Montesquieu

I never listen to calumnies, because if they are untrue I run the risk of being deceived, and if they be true, of hating persons not worth thinking about. — Baron de Montesquieu

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. — Baron de Montesquieu

The power of divorce can be given only to those who feel the inconveniences of marriage, and who are sensible of the moment when it is for their interest to make them cease. — Baron de Montesquieu

As soon as man enters into a state of society he loses the sense of his weakness; equality ceases, and then commences the state of war. — Baron de Montesquieu

If triangles had a god, he would have three sides. — Baron de Montesquieu

Sometimes a man who deserves to be looked upon because he is a fool is despised only because he is a lawyer. — Baron de Montesquieu

A rational army would run away. — Baron de Montesquieu

What cowardice it is to be dismayed by the happiness of others and devastated by there good fortune. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

As virtue is necessary in a republic, and honor in a monarchy, fear is what is required in a despotism. As for virtue, it is not at all necessary, and honor would be dangerous there. — Baron de Montesquieu

Liberty is the right of doing whatever the laws permit. — Baron de Montesquieu

Republics are brought to their ends by luxury; monarchies by poverty. — Baron de Montesquieu

The spirit of commerce is frugality, economy, moderation, labor, ponderance, tranquillity, order, and rule. So long as this spirit subsides, the riches it produces have no bad effect. The mischief is when excessive wealth destroys the spirit of commerce, then it is that the conveniences of inequality... are felt. — Baron de Montesquieu

Christianity stamped its character on jurisprudence; for empire has ever a connection with the priesthood. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

Nature is just to all mankind, and repays them for their industry. She renders them industrious by annexing rewards in proportion to their labor. — Baron de Montesquieu

Each citizen contributes to the revenues of the State a portion of his property in order that his tenure of the rest may be secure. — Baron de Montesquieu

Republics come to an end by luxurious habits; monarchies by poverty. — Baron de Montesquieu

At our coming into the world we contract an immense debt to our country, which we can never discharge. — Baron de Montesquieu

Very good laws may be ill timed. — Baron de Montesquieu

The less luxury there is in a republic, the more it is perfect. — Baron de Montesquieu

Life was given to me as a favor, so I may abandon it when it is one no longer. — Baron de Montesquieu

The wickedness of mankind makes it necessary for the law to suppose them better than they really are. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

Power should be a check on power. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

When God endowed human beings with brains, He did not intend to guarantee them. — Baron de Montesquieu

There are bad examples which are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law. — Baron de Montesquieu

I have read descriptions of Paradise that would make any sensible person stop wanting to go there. — Baron de Montesquieu

There is still another inconvenieney in conquests made by democracies; their government is ever odious to the conquered states. It is apparently monarchical, but in reality it is more oppressive than monarchy, as the experience of all ages and countries evinces. — Baron de Montesquieu

Trade is the best cure for prejudice. — Baron de Montesquieu

In the birth of societies it is the chiefs of states who give it its special character; and afterward it is this special character that forms the chiefs of state. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

An injustice committed against anyone is a threat to everyone. — Baron de Montesquieu

Each particular society begins to feel its strength, whence arises a state of war between different nations. — Baron de Montesquieu

In every government there are three sorts of power: the legislative; the executive in respect to things dependent on the law of nations; and the executive in regard to matters that depend on the civil law. — Baron de Montesquieu

Certain kinds of foolishness are such that a greater foolishness would be better. — Baron de Montesquieu

The love of study is in us the only lasting passion. All the others quit us in proportion as this miserable machine which holds them approaches its ruins. — Baron de Montesquieu

Virtue has needs of limits. — Baron de Montesquieu

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

The mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of the civilisation of any country. — Baron de Montesquieu

The prejudices of superstition are superior to all others, and have the strongest influence on the human mind. — Baron de Montesquieu

Study has been for me the sovereign remedy against all the disappointments of life. I have never known any trouble that an hour's reading would not dissipate. — Baron de Montesquieu

...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

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

Wherever I find envy I take a pleasure in provoking it: I always praise before an envious man those who make him grow pale. — Baron de Montesquieu

A nation may lose its liberties in a day and not miss them in a century. — Baron de Montesquieu

The law of nations is naturally founded on this principle, that different nations ought in time of peace to do one another all the good they can, and in time of war as little injury as possible, without prejudicing their real interests. — Baron de Montesquieu

Law should be like death, which spares no one. — Baron de Montesquieu

There have never been so many civil wars as in the Kingdom of Christ. — Baron de Montesquieu

The English are busy folk; they have no time in which to be polite. — Baron de Montesquieu

Politics are a smooth file, which cuts gradually, and attains its end by slow progression. — Baron de Montesquieu

It is difficult for the united states to be all of equal power and extent. — Baron de Montesquieu

Life Lessons by Baron de Montesquieu

1. Baron de Montesquieu's work emphasizes the importance of the separation of powers in a government, which allows for a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch of government holds too much power.
2. He also argued for the need for a system of laws to protect individual rights and freedoms, and to ensure that government power is limited.
3. Finally, he argued that government should be based on the principles of reason and justice, and that rulers should be held accountable for their actions.