What are politics beyond the art of lying a propos?—Contant D'Orville.
“Reasons of State” is a phrase invented to serve as excuse for tyrants.—Commentaire sur le traité des Délits.
The best government is that where there are the fewest useless men.—Dial. 4.
Man is born free. The best government is that which most preserves to each mortal this gift of nature.—Histoire de Russie.
To be free, to have only equals, is the true life, the natural life of man; all other is an unworthy artifice, a poor comedy, where one plays the rôle of master, the other of slave, this one a parasite, and that other a pander.—Dial. 24.
Why is liberty so rare? Because it is the best possession.—Dict. Phil. (“Venise”).
Those who say that all men are equal, say truth if they mean that men have an equal right to liberty, to the property of their own goods, and the protection of the laws. They are much deceived if they think that men should be equal in their employments, since they are not so by their faculties.—Essai sur les Mœurs, i.
Despotism is the punishment of the bad conduct of men. If a community is mastered by one man or by several, it is plainly because it has not the courage and ability necessary for self-government.—Idées Republic-aines, 1765.
I do not give myself up to my fellow-citizens without reserve. I do not give them the power to kill or to rob me by plurality of votes. I submit to help them, and to be aided, to do justice, and to receive it. No other agreement.—Notes on Rousseau's “Social Contract”