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Every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

Baron de Montesquieu

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Baron de Montesquieu
Abuse
Evil
Power
Every
Men
Impelled

More quotes by Baron de Montesquieu

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What unhappy beings men are! They constantly waver between false hopes and silly fears, and instead of relying on reason they create monsters to frighten themselves with, and phantoms which lead them astray.
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There is still another inconvenieney in conquests made by democracies their government is ever odious to the conquered states. It is apparently monarchical, but in reality it is more oppressive than monarchy, as the experience of all ages and countries evinces.
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A good writer does not write as people write, but as he writes.
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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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Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people.
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What cowardice it is to be dismayed by the happiness of others and devastated by there good fortune.
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It is necessary from the very nature of things that power should be a check to power.
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Honor is unknown in despotic states.
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There should be weeping at a man's birth, not at his death.
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I should like to abolish funerals the time to mourn a person is at his birth, not his death.
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Mediocrity is a hand-rail.
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Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.
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In the matter of dress one should always keep below one's ability.
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I shall be obliged to wander to the right and to the left, that I may investigate and discover the truth.
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The love of study is in us the only lasting passion. All the others quit us in proportion as this miserable machine which holds them approaches its ruins.
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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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That anyone who possesses power has a tendency to abuse it is an eternal truth. They tend to go as far as the barriers will allow.
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A rational army would run away.
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Life was given to me as a favor, so I may abandon it when it is one no longer.
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Nature is just to all mankind, and repays them for their industry. She renders them industrious by annexing rewards in proportion to their labor.
Baron de Montesquieu