WIST Quotations
2026-04-20T22:35:06Z
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A quotation from Montesquieu

It has eternally been observed that any man who has power is led to abuse it; he continues until he finds limits.

[C’est une expérience éternelle, que tout homme qui a du pouvoir est porté à en abuser; il va jusqu’à ce qu’il trouve des limites.]

Charles-Lewis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755) French political philosopher
Spirit of Laws [The Spirit of the Laws; De l’esprit des lois], Book 11, ch. 4 (11.4) (1748) [tr. Cohler/Miller/Stone (1989)]

More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/montesquieu/83499/