I have never known any distress that an hour's reading did not relieve.
Baron De MontesquieuRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the dangers of tyranny disguised as justice, emphasizing how laws can be manipulated to oppress others.
Baron De Montesquieu warns against the insidious nature of tyranny that operates under the pretense of justice. He illustrates a grim reality where the law is weaponized to suppress the vulnerable, portraying a scenario where those who are meant to offer protection instead become the architects of oppression. This reflection on the misuse of judicial power underscores the need for vigilance in the face of authority that may exploit the very systems designed to uphold justice.
Themes
TyrannyJusticeLawOppressionMontesquieu
In practice
Example use cases
Encouraging discussions on the limitations of legal systems in a philosophy class.
More from Baron De Montesquieu
All quotes →Law in general is human reason, inasmuch as it governs all the inhabitants of the earth: the political and civil laws of each nation ought to be only the particular cases in which human reason is applied.
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To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.
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Love of the republic in a democracy, is a love of the democracy; love of the democracy is that of equality. Love of the democracy is likewise that of frugality.
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It is not the young people that degenerate; they are not spoiled till those of mature age are already sunk into corruption.
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If you would be holy, instruct your children, because all the good acts they perform will be imputed to you.
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