“When a government lasts a long while, it deteriorates by insensible degrees. Republics end through luxury, monarchies through poverty.”

There should be weeping at a man’s birth, not at his death.

When the body of the people is possessed of the supreme power, it is called a democracy.

Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one’s wit at the expense of one’s better nature.

I have read descriptions of Paradise that would make any sensible person stop wanting to go there.

It is requisite the government be so constituted as one man need not be afraid of another.

Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it; he goes on till he is pulled up by some limits. Who would say it! virtue even has need of limits.

Democracy is corrupted not only when the spirit of equality is corrupted, but likewise when they fall into a spirit of extreme equality.

Slowness is frequently the cause of much greater slowness.

I suffer from the disease of writing books and being ashamed of them when they are finished.

There is something in animals beside the power of motion. They are not machines; they feel.

Wonderful maxim: not to talk of things any more after they are done.

An injustice to one is a threat made to all

The law of nations is naturally founded on this principle, that different nations ought in time of peace to do one another all the good they can, and in time of war as little injury as possible, without prejudicing their real interests.

Republics end through luxury; monarchies through poverty.

A really intelligent man feels what other men only know.

The less luxury there is in a republic, the more it is perfect.

The struggle goes on. The victory is in the struggle, for me. And I accepted that a long time ago.

The ruling class is smarter than you, and they’re more creative. And if you forget that lesson, you go down the drain.

Without an organisation that can work together, sometimes over a very long period.

I think I earned the players’ respect, and that’s the ultimate in life, isn’t it?

We’ve just kept the ship running y’know what I mean? You change engineers from time to time and as long as everybody coming aboard knows what direction the ship is, everything’s alright.

I had wanted to make The Idiot long before Rashomon. Since I was little I’ve liked Russian literature, but I find that I like Dostoevsky the best and had long thought that this book would make a wonderful film.

I’m not one for being too profound, but I will say this. If you wanna have a good time.

I didn’t care if they liked me or disliked me, as long as I had their respect.