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Power


Power

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Quotations

TacitusIf you would know who controls you, see who you may not criticise.

—  Tacitus, 55-120 AD, Roman historian

22 likes
Oscar WildeEverything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.

—  Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish writer

20 likes
Eric HofferPower corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.

—  Eric Hoffer, 1902-1983, American writer & philosopher

19 likes
Abraham LincolnNearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

—  Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, American President

17 likes
Lord ActonPower tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

—  Lord Acton, 1834-1902, English historian

14 likes
Niccolò MachiavelliOne must therefore be a fox to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten wolves.

—  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469-1527, Italian political philosopher

14 likes
Lord ActonAnd remember, where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control.

—  Lord Acton, 1834-1902, English historian

13 likes
ThucydidesJustice is an issue only between equals, otherwise those in power do what they can and the weak forgive.

—  Thucydides, 460-394 BC, Ancient Greek historian

11 likes
André MalrauxThose who believe that power is fun confuse “power” with “abuse of power”.

—  André Malraux, 1901-1976, French writer & statesman

9 likes
Margaret ThatcherBeing powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't.

—  Margaret Thatcher, 1925-2013, British Prime Minister

7 likes
Mahatma GandhiThe day the power of love overrules the love of power, the world will know peace.

—  Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948, Indian leader of independence

7 likes
Carl SaganI think people in power have a vested interest to oppose critical thinking.

—  Carl Sagan, 1934-1996, American astronomer

7 likes
Henry KissingerPower is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

—  Henry Kissinger, 1923-2023, American politician

7 likes
HoraceTo have a great man for an intimate friend seems pleasant to those who have never tried it; those who have, fear it.

—  Horace, 65-8 BC, Roman poet

6 likes
Kurt VonnegutHuman beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power.

—  Kurt Vonnegut, 1922-2007, American writer

6 likes
NapoleonPut your iron hand in a velvet glove.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

5 likes
Oscar WildeAll authority is quite degrading. It degrades those who exercise it, and degrades those over whom it is exercised.

—  Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish writer

5 likes
George OrwellPower is not a means; it is an end.

—  George Orwell, 1903-1950, British writer

5 likes
Charles Caleb ColtonNo man is wise enough, or good enough to be trusted with unlimited power.

—  Charles Caleb Colton, 1780-1832, English cleric & writer

5 likes
Jean Jacques RousseauThe strongest is never strong enough always to be master, unless he transforms strength into right, and obedience into duty.

—  Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1778, Swiss-French philosopher

5 likes
John Kenneth GalbraithPower is as power does.

—  John Kenneth Galbraith, 1908-2006, American-Canadian economist

5 likes
NapoleonIf I were to give liberty to the press, my power could not last three days.

—  Napoleon, 1769-1821, French Emperor

4 likes
Northcote ParkinsonWhen any organizational entity expands beyond 21 members, the real power will be in some smaller body.

—  Northcote Parkinson, 1909-1993, British historian

4 likes
Benjamin DisraeliReal politics are the possession and distribution of power.

—  Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, British Prime Minister

4 likes
Martin Luther KingI am not interested in power for power's sake, but I'm interested in power that is moral, that is right and that is good.

—  Martin Luther King, 1929-1968, American leader in the Civil Rights Movement

4 likes
Karl JungWhere love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other.

—  Karl Jung, 1875-1961, Swiss psychiatrist

4 likes
Harry TrumanBeing a president is like riding a tiger. A man has to keep on riding or he is swallowed.

—  Harry Truman, 1884-1972, American President [1945-1953]

4 likes
Margaret AtwoodWe still think of a powerful man as a born leader and a powerful woman as an anomaly.

—  Margaret Atwood, 1939 -, Canadian writer

4 likes
Thomas HobbesNot believing in force is the same as not believing in gravitation.

—  Thomas Hobbes, 1588-1679, English philosopher

4 likes
John KennedyIn the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding on the back of the tiger ended up inside.

—  John Kennedy, 1917-1963, American President [1961-1963]

3 likes
Dwight EisenhowerThere is one thing about being President: nobody can tell you when to sit down.

—  Dwight Eisenhower, 1890-1969, American general & President

3 likes
Pierre-Joseph ProudhonIn any given society the authority of man over man runs in inverse proportion to the intellectual development of that society.

—  Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, 1809-1865, French anarchist

3 likes
Paul ValeryPower without abuse loses its charm.

—  Paul Valery, 1871-1945, French poet

2 likes
Arthur ClarkeCNN is one of the participants in the war. I have a fantasy where Ted Turner is elected president but refuses because he doesn't want to give up power.

—  Arthur Clarke, 1917-2008, British Sci-Fi writer

2 likes
John SteinbeckPower does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.

—  John Steinbeck, 1902-1968, American writer, Nobel 1962

Bertrand RussellThe fundamental concept in social science is Power, in the same sense in which Energy is the fundamental concept in physics.

—  Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970, British philosopher

John SteinbeckWe have usurped many of the powers we once ascribed to God.

—  John Steinbeck, 1902-1968, American writer, Nobel 1962

Aldοus HuxleySo long as men worship the Caesars and Napoleons, Caesars and Napoleons will duly rise and make them miserable.

—  Aldοus Huxley, 1894-1963, English writer

Rudyard KiplingFour things greater than all things are, —Women and Horses and Power and War.

—  Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936, English writer, Nobel 1907

André MalrauxPower must be defined by the possibility of abusing it.

—  André Malraux, 1901-1976, French writer & statesman

William Hazlitt The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.

—  William Hazlitt , 1778-1830, English essayist & critic

Noam ChomskyThe most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.

—  Noam Chomsky, 1928-, American linguist, philosopher, social activist

Henry de MontherlantThere is no power. There is the abuse of power, nothing else.

—  Henry de Montherlant, 1895-1972, French writer

Hermann HesseThe man of power is ruined by power, the man of money by money, the submissive man by subservience, the pleasure seeker by pleasure.

—  Hermann Hesse, 1877-1962, German writer, Nobel 1946

Henri JeansonWhen you abuse your power, you are a coward.

—  Henri Jeanson, 1900-1970, French critic & columnist

Henry KissingerIn Washington...the appearance of power is therefore almost as important as the reality of it. In fact, the appearance is frequently its essential reality.

—  Henry Kissinger, 1923-2023, American politician

André FrossardIn France, we always have a government of people who know what they want: they want to stay in power.

—  André Frossard, 1915-1995, French politician & essayist

Henry MillerThe goal of life is not to possess power but to radiate it.

—  Henry Miller, 1891-1980, American writer

Dale CarnegieWhen we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health, and our happiness.

—  Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American self-help writer

Frank HerbertSmall souls who seek power over others first destroy the faith those others might have in themselves.

—  Frank Herbert, 1920-1986, American sci-fi writer

Susan SontagRules of taste enforce structures of power.

—  Susan Sontag, 1933-2004, American writer, critic, activist

Joseph ConradTo be a great autocrat you must be a great barbarian.

—  Joseph Conrad, 1857-1924, British-Polish writer

StendhalPower, after love, is the first source of happiness.

—  Stendhal, 1783-1842, French writer

Quotes in Verse

Rudyard KiplingCities and Thrones and Powers
Stand in Time's eye,
Almost as long as flowers,
Which daily die.

—  Rudyard Kipling, 1865-1936, English writer, Nobel 1907

Funny Quotes

George CarlinI have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it.

—  George Carlin, 1936-2008, American comedian

15 likes
Ashleigh BrilliantAll I want is a warm bed and a kind word and unlimited power.

—  Ashleigh Brilliant, 1933-, British cartoonist & epigrammatist

Ancient Greek

Bias of PrieneWhen a good man steps down from power, he shouldn’t have become more rich, but more honored.

Δει τον αγαθόν άνδρα παυόμενον της αρχής μη πλουσιώτερον, αλλά μάλλον ενδοξότερον γεγονέναι.

—  Bias of Priene, 625-540 BC, one of the 7 sages of Ancient Greece

16 likes
AesopHe who is close to Zeus is close to thunder.

Ο εγγύς Διός, εγγύς κεραυνού.

—  Aesop, 620-560 BC, Ancient Greek fabulist

9 likes
Bias of PrienePower shows the man.

Αρχή άνδρα δείκνυσι.

—  Bias of Priene, 625-540 BC, one of the 7 sages of Ancient Greece

9 likes
EuripidesFoolish strength is very often damaging.

Ρώμη αμαθής πολλάκις τίκτει βλάβην.

—  Euripides, 480-406 BC, Ancient Greek tragedian ‐ Temenidae

5 likes
Chilon of Sparta When you are in a position of power, be well-mannered, if you would have the respect, not the fear, of those around you.

Ισχυρόν όντα πράον είναι, όπως οι πλησίον αιδώνται μάλλον ή φοβώνται.

—  Chilon of Sparta, 6th cent. BC, one of the 7 sages of Ancient Greece

4 likes
SolonThe state is destroyed by its great men.

Ανδρών δ᾿ εκ μεγάλων πόλις όλλυται.

—  Solon, 630-560 BC, Ancient Greek lawmaker & philosopher

3 likes



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