Montesquieu Quotes

Talent is a gift that God gives us in secret, and that we reveal without knowing it.

Freedom is the right to do what the laws allow. If a citizen had the right to do what they prohibit, it would no longer be freedom, as anyone else would have the same right.

The breakdown of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded.

When societies are born, the leaders of a State are the ones who give it its special character. Later, this special character is what shapes the heads of state.

When one seeks so much the way to become feared, one always finds first the way to become hated.

People who have little to do are usually very talkative: the more one thinks and acts, the less one speaks.

In public law, the most severe act of justice is war, because it can result in the destruction of society.

Bad examples are more harmful than crimes.

Customs make the laws, women make the customs; therefore, women make the laws.

If it were enough for us to be happy, things would be very easy; but we want to be happier than others, and this is almost always impossible, because we believe that others are much happier than they actually are.

Most of the time, success depends on knowing how long it will take to achieve it.

Luxury is always in proportion to the disparity of fortunes.