"Men, who are rogues individually, are in the mass very honorable people"
- Charles de Secondat
About this Quote
This quote is from Charles de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, a French theorist that is best known for his deal with political concept, including "The Spirit of the Laws."
In this quote, Montesquieu suggests that while individual men might show doubtful or immoral actions, when they are considered collectively, as part of a bigger group, they tend to be a lot more virtuous and ethical.
Montesquieu was interested in the connection between power as well as society, as well as explored this motif in his writings. He argued that in order to avoid misuses of power, it was very important to develop a system of checks as well as equilibriums that would disperse power throughout various branches of government.
Overall, Montesquieu's quote recommends that while people might be flawed, society overall has the possible to be just as well as fair. It additionally highlights the relevance of thinking about the bigger social context when assessing the habits of individuals.