Home / Authors / Baron de Montesquieu

Baron de Montesquieu

Baron de Montesquieu Quotes

Author

Baron de Montesquieu, a French Enlightenment thinker, jurist, historian, and politician, was born on January 18, 1689, and died on February 10, 1755. He is one of the most important thinkers in the history of Western political thought, known for his contributions to the theory of the separation of powers.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Law Liberty Philosophical Government States Should Ifs People Republic Nations Country War May Politics Spirit Citizens Democracy Monarchy Ought

Famous Baron de Montesquieu Quotes

“For a country, everything will be lost when the jobs of an economist and a banker become highly respected professions.”

Country Jobs Lost Profession Economist Banking Bankers

Author: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.”

Made Stills Country States Reality Government Age Democracy Conquest Monarchy

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“At our coming into the world we contract an immense debt to our country, which we can never discharge.”

World Country Debt Our Country Contracts Immense Discharge

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws

“Virtue in a republic is the love of one's country, that is the love of equality.”

Country Virtue Republic

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws

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

Country Liberty Proportion Fertility

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws

“There are countries where a man is worth nothing; there are others where he is worth less than nothing.”

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws

“Countries are well cultivated, not as they are fertile, but as they are free.”

Wells Country Freedom Fertile

Author: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”

Ifs Firsts Country Humanity Mankind Citizens Harm Accidents France Patriotism Citizenship World Citizen

Author: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.”

Country Crime Tests Regard Criminals Mood Treatment Temper Death Penalty Civilisation Crime And Criminals

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“Europe is a state with several provinces”

Country States Europe Provinces European Countries

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

About the Author

Born: January 18, 1689
Died: February 10, 1755
Known for: Author
Quotes: 226

Related Topics

Men Law Liberty Philosophical Government States Should Ifs People Republic Nations Country War May Politics Spirit Citizens Democracy Monarchy Ought

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Spirit of LawsRelated source material

Similar Authors

Marcus Tullius CiceroBrowse related quotes
Edmund BurkeBrowse related quotes
Alexander HamiltonBrowse related quotes
John LockeBrowse related quotes
Alexis de TocquevilleBrowse related quotes
Thomas JeffersonBrowse related quotes
Jean-Jacques RousseauBrowse related quotes
AristotleBrowse related quotes
Frederic BastiatBrowse related quotes
Ronald ReaganBrowse related quotes