102 Quotes by Montesquieu

There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetuated under the shield of law and in the name of justice.

If we only wanted to be happy, it would be easy; but we want to be happier than other people, and that is almost always difficult, since we think them happier than they are.

The deterioration of a government begins almost always by the decay of its principles.

Power ought to serve as a check to power.

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.

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.

The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.

An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.

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