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In republican governments, men are all equal equal they are also in despotic governments: in the former, because they are everything in the latter, because they are nothing.

Baron de Montesquieu

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Baron de Montesquieu
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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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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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It is clear that in a monarchy, where he who commands the exceution of the laws generally thinks himself above them, there is lessneed of virtue than in a popular government, where the person entrusted with the execution of the laws is sensible of his being subject to their direction.
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There is a very good saying that if triangles invented a god, they would make him three-sided.
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To love to read is to exchange hours of ennui for hours of delight.
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Political liberty in a citizen is that tranquillity of spirit which comes from the opinion each one has of his security, and in order for him to have this liberty the government must be such that one citizen cannot fear another citizen.
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Man is a social animal formed to please in society.
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Law in general is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth: the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases in which human reason is applied.
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Mediocrity is a hand-rail.
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I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should seem a fool, but be wise.
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Society is the union of men and not the men themselves.
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Republics come to an end by luxurious habits monarchies by poverty.
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Luxury ruins republics poverty, monarchies.
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Each particular society begins to feel its strength, whence arises a state of war between different nations.
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The incomparable stupidity of life teaches us to love our parents divine philosophy teaches us to forgive them.
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Great commanders write their actions with simplicity because they receive more glory from facts than from words.
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Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.
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Better it is to say that the government most comfortable to nature is that which best agrees with the humor and disposition of the people in whose favor it is established.
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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.
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I never listen to calumnies, because if they are untrue I run the risk of being deceived, and if they be true, of hating persons not worth thinking about.
Baron de Montesquieu