Baron de Montesquieu
A French judge and political philosopher whose 'The Spirit of the Laws' advocated for the separation of powers within government to prevent tyranny, profoundly influencing the U.S. Constitution.
Quotes by Baron de Montesquieu
Slavery is a bad thing, but the laws that establish it are worse.
The climate of a place affects the character of its inhabitants.
Happiness is the end of government.
The people are the source of all power.
Laws should be adapted to the nature of the people.
The laws of the Indies are very good, but the Indians are very bad.
One can be a philosopher and still love one's country.
The study of history is the best way to understand politics.
Despotism is a republic without laws.
The judiciary power ought to be distinct from the legislative.
In a word, there should be an intermediate power between the king and the people.
The life of the law is not logic: it is experience.
To enter into a serious discourse of the mysteries of the Christian religion with those who have no faith is to cast pearls before swine.
The reason why so few marriages are happy is because young ladies spend their time in making nets, not in making cages.
If I were a doctor, I would prescribe a dose of laughter for every patient.
The purpose of the law is to prevent injustice.
Man is born in a family, and that is the first society.
The laws receive their force and authority from the consent of the nation.
In the infancy of societies, the chiefs of the state shape its institutions; later, the institutions shape the chiefs.