There is as yet no liberty if the power of judging be not separated from legislative power and the executrix

In constitutional states, liberty is compensation for heavy taxes; in dictatorships, the subsititue is light taxes.

When the [law making] and [law enforcement] powers are united in the same person... there can be no liberty.

Power should be a check on power.

Human laws made to direct the will ought to give precepts, and not counsels.

The history of commerce is that of the communication of the people.

No tyranny is more cruel than the one practised in the shadow of the laws and under color of justice - when, so to speak, one proceeds to drown the unfortunate on the very plank by which they had saved themselves. And since a tyrant never lacks instruments for his tyranny, Tiberius always found judges ready to condemn as many people as he might suspect.