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The Social Contract quotes

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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“Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“Liberty may be gained, but can never be recovered.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“It is solely on the basis of this common interest that every society should be governed.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“In a well-governed State, there are few punishments, not because there are many pardons, but because criminals are rare; it is when a State is in decay that the multitude of crimes is a guarantee of impunity.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“Every man has a right to risk his own life in order to preserve it.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“In a word, it is the best and most natural arrangement that the wisest should govern the many, when it is assured that they will govern for its profit, and not for their own.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The body politic, as well as the human body, begins to die as soon as it is born, and carries in itself the causes of its destruction.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The whole difference is that, in the family, the love of the father for his children repays him for the care he takes of them, while, in the State, the pleasure of commanding takes the place of the love which the chief cannot have for the peoples...” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The strongest is never strong enough to be always the master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“It is precisely because the force of circumstances tends continually to destroy equality that the force of legislation should always tend to its maintenance.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“Were there a people of gods, their government would be democratic. So perfect a government is not for men.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“All that destroys social unity is worthless; all institutions that set man in contradiction to himself are worthless.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“censorship may be useful for the preservation of morality, but can never be so for its restoration.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“At the other extremity of the circle, unanimity recurs; this is the case when the citizens, having fallen into servitude, have lost both liberty and will.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“Men always love what is good or what they find good; it is in judging what is good that they go wrong.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“If the Sovereign desires to govern, or the magistrate to give laws, or if the subjects refuse to obey, disorder takes the place of regularity, force and will no longer act together, and the State is dissolved and falls into despotism or anarchy.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The word finance is a slavish word, unknown in the city-state.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The passage from the state of nature to the civil state produces a very remarkable change in man, by substituting justice for instinct in his conduct, and giving his actions the morality they had formerly lacked.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“To renounce liberty is to renounce being a man, to surrender the rights of humanity and even its duties.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“laws are always of use to those who possess and harmful to those who have nothing” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State 'What does it matter to me?' the State may be given up for lost.”
“To decide that the son of a slave is born a slave is to decide that he is not born a man.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The death-penalty inflicted upon criminals may be looked on in much the same light: it is in order that we may not fall victims to an assassin that we consent to die if we ourselves turn assassins.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“There will always be a great difference between subduing a multitude and ruling a society.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“He who judges of morality judges of honour; and he who judges of honour finds his law in opinion.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“The great soul of the legislator is the only miracle that can prove his mission.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
“Machiavelli . . . He professed to teach kings; but it was the people he really taught.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract

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morality freedom government slavery state crime democracy death humanity society duty punishment chains equality risk interest liberty obedience strength love

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes