Laws, in their most general signification, are the necessary relations arising from the nature of things. In this sense all beings have their laws: the Deity His laws, the material world its laws, the intelligences superior to man their laws, the beasts their laws, man his laws.
Baron de MontesquieuThe tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.
Baron de MontesquieuWhen virtue is banished, ambition invades the minds of those who are disposed to receive it and avarice possesses the whole community.
Baron de MontesquieuThe reason the Romans built their great paved highways was because they had such inconvenient footwear.
Baron de MontesquieuThe spirit of commerce is frugality, economy, moderation, labor, ponderance, tranquillity, order, and rule. So long as this spirit subsides, the riches it produces have no bad effect. The mischief is when excessive wealth destroys the spirit of commerce, then it is that the conveniences of inequality... are felt.
Baron de Montesquieu