Politics are a smooth file, which cuts gradually, and attains its end by slow progression.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEUAlthough born in a prosperous realm, we did not believe that its boundaries should limit our knowledge, and that the lore of the East should alone enlighten us.
More Baron de Montesquieu Quotes
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The Christian religion is a stranger to mere despotic power. The mildness so frequently recommended in the Gospel is incompatible with the despotic rage.
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The laws do not take upon them to punish any other than overt acts.
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Men in excess of happiness or misery are equally inclined to severity. Witness conquerors and monks! It is mediocrity alone, and a mixture of prosperous and adverse fortune that inspire us with lenity and pity.
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The English are busy folk; they have no time in which to be polite.
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I suffer from the disease of writing books and being ashamed of them when they are finished.
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If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier that other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are. you are comparing your lot with an ideal which is of course better and therefore you feel worse
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Political liberty is to be found only in moderate governments.
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Republics come to an end by luxurious habits; monarchies by poverty.
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It is difficult for the united states to be all of equal power and extent.
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This punishment of death is the remedy, as it were, of a sick society.
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The state is the association of men, and not men themselves; the citizen may perish, and the man remain.
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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.
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We ought to be very cautious and circumspect in the prosecution of magic and heresy. The attempt to put down these two crimes may be extremely perilous to liberty.
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There is no one, says another, whom fortune does not visit once in his life; but when she does not find him ready to receive her, she walks in at the door, and flies out at the window.
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When the body of the people is possessed of the supreme power, it is called a democracy.
BARON DE MONTESQUIEU