There are people who thirst for blood like tigers. Any man…
““There are people who thirst for blood like tigers. Any man who has once tasted this unlimited power over the blood, over the body and spirit of a human creature like himself, a creature created in the same image and subject to the same law of Christ; any man who has tasted this power, this boundless opportunity to humiliate most bitterly another being made in the image of God — becomes the servant instead of the master of his own emotions. Tyranny is a habit. It can and does eventually develop into a disease. I believe that the best of men may grow coarse, degrade to the level of a beast by sheer force of habit. Blood and power intoxicate one, they develop callousness and lust. The greatest perversions grow finally acceptable and even delicious to mind and heart. The man and the citizen perish in the tyrant for ever and the return to human dignity, remorse and spiritual rebirth becomes scarcely possible to him. Besides, the example and mere possibility of arbitrary power are contagious; they are indeed a great temptation. A society which regards such things calmly is already corrupt at the roots.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Power corrupts, turning masters into slaves to their own emotions, and spreads moral decay throughout society.
In simple terms: Power corrupts and enslaves.
Key Takeaway
Beware the lure of unchecked authority.
Themes
power
corruption
morality
human nature
Mood
cautionary
philosophical
Type
literary
political
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- corporate governance
- law enforcement
- personal ambition
- social movements
Key Concepts
tyranny
hubris
dehumanization
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can prevent power from corrupting?
- How does society resist the spread of tyrannical habits?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all power leads to corruption, ignoring benevolent leadership.