It should be remembered that the foundation of the social contract is property; and its first condition, that every one should be maintained in the peaceful possession of what belongs to him.

The first man to fence in a piece of land, saying 'This is mine," and who found people simple enough to believe him, was the real founder of civil society.

Politeness requires this thing; decorum that; ceremony has its forms, and fashion its laws, and these we must always follow, never the promptings of our own nature.

Never exceed your rights, and they will soon become unlimited.

As soon as public service ceases to be the chief business of the citizens, and they would rather serve with their money than with their persons, the State is not far from its fall.

The first of all laws is to respect the laws: the severity of penalties is only a vain resource, invented by little minds in order to substitute terror for that respect which they have no means of obtaining.

If you have but a single ruler, you lie at the discretion of a master who has no reason to love you: and if you have several, you must bear at once their tyranny and their divisions.

Nature never deceives us; it is we who deceive ourselves.

Coercion created slavery, the cowardice of the slaves perpetuated it.

Slaves lose everything in their chains, even the desire of escaping from them.