In the state of nature… all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.

—Charles de Montesquieu

More quotations from Charles de Montesquieu

The love of democracy is that of equality.

—Charles de Montesquieu

More quotations tagged with “equality”

The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law.

Unless man is committed to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labors in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of equality.

—Adam Clayton Powell Jr.

All men are equal before fish.

—Herbert Hoover

Forty for you, sixty for me. And equal partners we will be.

equality fairness

We who are liberal and progressive know that the poor are our equals in every sense except that of being equal to us.

—Lionel Trilling

poverty equality liberal progressives

History

11 Jul 2015 Added
26 Oct 2026 Wording changed

Previous wording

In the state of nature...all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.