“Liberty is the right of doing whatever the laws permit.”
- January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755
- French
- Political Philosopher, Jurist, Author of The Spirit of the Laws
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Quote
“Liberty is the right of doing whatever the laws permit.”
Explanation
Montesquieu defines liberty not as the freedom to do anything one pleases, but as the ability to act within the bounds of law. This view reflects a key Enlightenment principle: true liberty is not anarchy or lawlessness, but the protection of individual rights through just and rational laws. When people act freely within legal limits, society remains both ordered and free.
In The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu emphasizes that laws must be designed to preserve liberty, not to suppress it. This means that laws themselves must be reasonable, fair, and consistent with the nature and values of the people they govern. If laws are oppressive or arbitrary, then following them is not liberty but coercion. But when laws reflect justice and reason, they create the space in which freedom can flourish without infringing on others’ rights.
In modern democracies, this principle remains foundational. Freedom of speech, movement, religion, and assembly are all defined and protected by law. Montesquieu’s insight reminds us that liberty depends on the quality of the laws—and on our shared commitment to uphold them. Without law, liberty cannot be secured; without liberty, law becomes tyranny.
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