The general will rules in society as the private will governs each separate individual.

The most extravagant idea that can be born in the head of a political thinker is to believe that it suffices for people to enter, weapons in hand, among a foreign people and expect to have its laws and constitution embraced. No one loves armed missionaries; the first lesson of nature and prudence is to repulse them as enemies.

Formerly, when a king died at Versailles the reign of his successor was immediately announced by the cry: "The king is dead, long live the king", in order to make it understood that despotism is immortal! Now an entire people, moved by a sublime instinct, cried: Long live the Republic! to teach the universe that tyranny died with the tyrant.

Terror is only justice: prompt, severe and inflexible; it is then an emanation of virtue; it is less a distinct principle than a natural consequence of the general principle of democracy, applied to the most pressing wants of the country.

The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant.

Again, it may be said, that to love justice and equality the people need no great effort of virtue; it is sufficient that they love themselves.

Crime butchers innocence to secure a throne, and innocence struggles with all its might against the attempts of crime.