Home / Quotes / Quote by Baron de Montesquieu

Quote by Baron de Montesquieu

“It is unreasonable ... to oblige a man not to attempt the defense of his own life.”

Quote by Baron de Montesquieu

Author

Baron de Montesquieu

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. more

You May Also Like

“A fondness for reading changes the inevitable dull hours of our life into exquisite hours of delight.”

Reading Hours Our Lives Delight Inevitable Dull Exquisite Fondness

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“When God endowed human beings with brains, He did not intend to guarantee them.”

Humans Human Beings Brain Guarantees

Author: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.”

Ifs Thinking Persons Running Hate Risk Being True Deceived Untrue Calumny Being Deceived

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“A love of the republic in a democracy is a love of the democracy, as the latter is that of equality. A love of the democracy is likewise that of frugality. Since every individual ought here to enjoy the same happiness, and the same advantages, they should consequently taste the same pleasures and form the same hopes, which cannot be expected but from a general frugality.”

Should Form Individual Enjoy Pleasure Democracy Ought Taste Advantage Expected Latter Republic Frugality

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws

“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

“Honor is unknown in despotic states.”

States Honor Despotism

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“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.”

Government Wish Cutting Tree Fruit Bottom Savages Despotism Louisiana

Author: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.”

States Law Crime Example Morality Violation

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“The pagan religion, which prohibited only some of the grosser crimes, and which stopped the hand but meddled not with the heart, might have crimes that were inexplicable.”

Heart Hands Might Crime Pagan Inexplicable

Author:Baron de Montesquieu

“Human laws made to direct the will ought to give precepts, and not counsels.”

Giving Humans Made Law Ought Direct

Book:The Spirit of Laws

Source: The Spirit of Laws