“It is always the adventurers who do great things, not the sovereigns of great empires.”
- January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755
- French
- Political Philosopher, Jurist, Author of The Spirit of the Laws
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Quote
“It is always the adventurers who do great things, not the sovereigns of great empires.”
Explanation
Montesquieu celebrates the daring and innovation of individuals who act boldly outside established systems of power. By contrasting adventurers with sovereigns, he implies that true greatness often comes from those who take risks, defy convention, and create change through vision and initiative, rather than from rulers who merely manage inherited authority. Sovereigns may preserve power, but adventurers transform history.
This view aligns with Enlightenment values that praised individual merit, curiosity, and ambition over hereditary privilege. Montesquieu recognized that while monarchs might command armies and build palaces, it was often explorers, thinkers, inventors, and revolutionaries—those unbound by tradition—who reshaped the world. Their achievements arise not from the size of the empires they serve, but from the courage and imagination they bring to uncertain paths.
In the modern world, this quote continues to resonate. Entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, and activists often drive progress more than political elites. Montesquieu’s message is clear: greatness is not defined by position, but by action. It is the adventurers—those willing to step into the unknown—who move the world forward.
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