Quotes & anectdotes from
the wise,
the foolish,
the courageous &
the drunk

Charles de Montesquieu Philosopher

  • Gender: Male
  • Citizenship: France
  • Born: Jan 18, 1689
  • Died: Feb 10, 1755

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 did more than any other author to secure the place of the word despotism in the political lexicon, and may have been partly responsible for the popularization of the terms feudalism and Byzantine Empire.

Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.

There is no nation so powerful, as the one that obeys its laws not from principals of fear or reason, but from passion.

It is not the young people that degenerate they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.

To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.

Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.

In most things success depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.

An empire founded by war has to maintain itself by war.

The sublimity of administration consists in knowing the proper degree of power that should be exerted on different occasions.

Peace is a natural effect of trade.

An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations.

Men should be bewailed at their birth, and not at their death.

The less men think, the more they talk.

We should weep for men at their birth, not at their death.

I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.