“There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.”
- January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755
- French
- Political Philosopher, Jurist, Author of The Spirit of the Laws
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Quote
“There is no greater tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.”
Explanation
Montesquieu delivers a powerful warning about the most insidious form of oppression: tyranny that disguises itself as legality and righteousness. When injustice is committed openly, it can be opposed and condemned. But when tyranny cloaks itself in the language of law and justice, it becomes far more dangerous, because it appears legitimate and moral, making resistance more difficult and morally confusing.
This insight lies at the heart of Montesquieu’s political philosophy in The Spirit of the Laws, where he emphasizes the need for separation of powers, checks and balances, and rule of law grounded in true justice. He understood that laws themselves can be corrupted—used by rulers or institutions not to protect liberty but to concentrate power and suppress dissent. Legal forms do not guarantee justice; only just laws do.
In the modern world, this quote resonates in the face of authoritarian regimes, unjust legislation, or corrupt legal systems, where oppression is rationalized through legal procedures or appeals to public order. Montesquieu’s warning is timeless: when power uses the appearance of legality to commit injustice, the result is a tyranny that is both more convincing and more enduring. True justice requires not only laws, but the constant vigilance to ensure that those laws serve liberty, not destroy it.
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