What produces the general good is always terrible or seems bizarre when begun too soon. The Revolution must stop when it has perfected public happiness and liberty through the laws. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just More Quotes by Louis Antoine de Saint-Just More Quotes From Louis Antoine de Saint-Just Most arts have produced miracles, while the art of government has produced nothing but monsters. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just miracle government art The vessel of Revolution can arrive at port only on a sea reddened by torrents of blood. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just revolution sea blood If all people are free, all are equal. If they are equal, they are just. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just equal ifs people It is impossible to reign innocently. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just reign power impossible A nation regenerates itself only upon heaps of corpses. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just corpses nations It has always seemed to me that the social order was implicit in the very nature of things, and required nothing more from the human spirit than care in arranging the various elements; that a people could be governed without being made thralls or libertines or victims thereby; that man was born for peace and liberty, and became miserable and cruel only through the action of insidious and oppressive laws. And I believe therefore that if man be given laws which harmonize with the dictates of nature and of his heart he will cease to be unhappy and corrupt. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just heart men believe To dare: that is the whole secret of revolutions. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just dare revolution secret One does not make revolutions by halves. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just revolution half doe Fame is an empty noise. Let us put our ears to the centuries that have gone: we no longer hear anything; those who, at another time, shall walk among our urns, shall hear no more. The good - that is what we must pursue, whatever the price, preferring the title of a dead hero to that of a living coward. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just titles coward hero Keep cool and you command everybody. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just command anger self I have not found a single good man in government; I have found good only in the people. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just good-man men people I do not belong to any faction, I will fight them all. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just factions fighting In every Revolution a dictator is needed to save the state by force, or censors to save it by virtue. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just dictator virtue revolution Monarchy is an outrage which even the blind of an entire people cannot justify... all men hold from nature the secret mission to destroy wherever it my be found. No man can reign innocently. The folly is too evident. Every king is a rebel and a usurper. Do kings themselves treat otherwise those who seek to usurp their authority? Louis Antoine de Saint-Just kings men people Dare! - this word contains all the politics of our revolution. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just dare revolution The legislator commands the future; to be feeble will avail him nothing: it is for him to will what is good and to perpetuate it; to make man what he desires to be: for the laws, working upon the social body, which is inert in itself, can produce either virtue or crime, civilized customs or savagery. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just law desire men When a people, having become free, establish wise laws, their revolution is complete. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just wise law people In the circumstances in which the Republic finds itself, the constitution cannot be inaugurated; it would destroy itself. The provisional government of France is revolutionary until there is peace. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just republic france government One cannot reign innocently: the insanity of doing so is evident. Every king is a rebel and a usurper. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just rebel kings insanity It is time that we labored for the happiness of the people. Legislators who are to bring light and order into the world must pursue their course with inexorable tread, fearless and unswerving as the sun. Louis Antoine de Saint-Just light order people
