Charles de Secondat
Charles de Secondat
Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, generally referred to as simply Montesquieu, was a French lawyer, man of letters, and political philosopher who lived during the Age of Enlightenment. He is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation of powers, which is implemented in many constitutions throughout the world. He is also known for doing more than any other author to secure the place of the word despotism in the political lexicon...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth18 January 1689
CountryFrance
People here argue about religion interminably, but it appears that they are competing at the same time to see who can be the least devout.
A man should be mourned at his birth, not at his death.
There is only one thing that can form a bond between men, and that is gratitude... we cannot give someone else greater power over us than we have ourselves.
Power ought to serve as a check to power.
The success of most things depends upon knowing how long it will take to succeed.
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.
God is related to the universe, as Creator and Preserver; the laws by which He created all things are those by which He preserves them.
The state of slavery is in its own nature bad.
If I knew of something that could serve my nation but would ruin another, I would not propose it to my prince, for I am first a man and only then a Frenchman... because I am necessarily a man, and only accidentally am I French.
They who assert that a blind fatality produced the various effects we behold in this world talk very absurdly; for can anything be more unreasonable than to pretend that a blind fatality could be productive of intelligent beings?
Raillery is a mode of speaking in favor of one's wit at the expense of one's better nature.
Life was given to me as a favor, so I may abandon it when it is one no longer.
Do you think that God will punish them for not practicing a religion which he did not reveal to them?
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.