Montesquieu (1689–1755,) fully Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, was a French philosopher and jurist. The first of the great French men of letters connected with the Enlightenment, his major work, The Spirit of Laws, was a leading contribution to political theory.
Born at the Château de la Brede, near Bordeaux, Montesquieu became the counselor of the Parlement of Bordeaux 1714 and its president 1716. He performed the duties of his office faithfully until his poor eyesight hindered him. He first gained renown with the publication of his Lettres Persanes (1721; Persian Letters,) a satire of French society from the viewpoint of two Persian travelers visiting Paris.
Montesquieu’s standing rests chiefly on L’Esprit des lois (1748; The Spirit of Laws, 1750,) a comparative study of political systems in which he championed the separation of judicial, legislative, and executive powers as being most conducive to individual liberty, holding up the English state as a model. He contended that an individual’s liberty needed protection from the arm of power, checking that by another power. Where judicial, executive, and legislative powers were concentrated in the hands of one figure, there could be no individual liberty. His political philosophies were highly influential in Europe in the late 18th century, as they were in the drafting of the American Constitution.
Montesquieu’s other works include Lysimaque (1748) and Arsace et Isménie (1930; (The True History of) Arsace and Isménie,) a romance, and an essay on taste (“Gout”) in the Encyclopédie (1751–80.) A member of the Académie Française from 1728, he died completely blind.
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In the state of nature…all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Equality
Those who have few affairs to attend to are great speakers.—The less men think the more they talk.
—Montesquieu
When the savages wish to have fruit they cut down the tree and gather it.—That is exactly a despotic government.
—Montesquieu
No kingdom has shed more blood than the kingdom of Christ.
—Montesquieu
If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Happiness, Comparisons, Reality, Opportunities
As virtue is necessary in a republic, and honor in a monarchy, fear is what is required in a despotism.—As for virtue, it is not at all necessary, and honor would be dangerous there.
—Montesquieu
Lunch kills half of Paris, supper the other half.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Food, Eating
Author: A fool who, not content with having bored those who have lived with him, insists on tormenting generations to come.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Writing, Authors & Writing
Imperfect enjoyment is attended with regret; a surfeit of pleasure with disgust. There is a certain nick of time, a certain medium to be observed, with which few people are acquainted.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Enjoyment
Slavery is contrary to the fundamental law of all societies.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Slavery
Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Time, Success, Endurance, Perseverance, Time Management, Resolve
Law should be like death, which spares no one.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Law
I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Reading
Talent is a gift which God has given us secretly, and which we reveal without perceiving it
—Montesquieu
Topics: Talent
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.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Apathy, Welfare
Virtue I love, without austerity; pleasure, without effeminacy; and life, without fearing its end.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Virtue
I’ve never know any trouble than an hour’s reading didn’t assuage.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Reading, Books
I have ever held it a maxim, never to do through another what it was possible for me to do myself.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Self-reliance
Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Law, Lawyers
Passions makes us feel, but never see clearly.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Passion
To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Greatness
What orators lack in depth, they make up to you in length.
—Montesquieu
If triangles made a god, they would give him three sides.
—Montesquieu
Topics: God
Mediocrity is a hand-rail.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Confidence
The severity of the laws prevents their execution.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Law, Lawyers
Let pleasure be ever so innocent the excess is always criminal.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Excess
In the infancy of societies, the chiefs of the state shape its institutions; later the institutions shape the chiefs of state
—Montesquieu
Topics: Government
Republics come to an end by luxurious habits; monarchies by poverty.
—Montesquieu
Too austere a philosophy makes few wise men; too rigorous politics, few good subjects; too hard a religion, few persons whose devotion is of long continuance.
—Montesquieu
Nature is just toward men. It recompenses them for their sufferings; it renders them laborious, because to the greatest toils it attaches the greatest rewards.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Labor
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