--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power corrupts, but lack of power…" description: "\"Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.\" — Adlai Stevenson I" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_corruption_power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupt_657742.png" --- # Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely. ![“Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.” quote by Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_corruption_power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupt_657742.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_corruption_power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupt_657742.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/adlai-stevenson-i-27724_corruption_power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupt_657742.png) > “Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.” [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power can corrupt anyone, but having no power can also lead to moral decay. **In simple terms:** Both power and its absence can corrupt. Key Takeaway Beware corruption in any position. Themes power morality responsibility Mood cautious reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - leadership - government - personal ambition - activism Key Concepts political theory ethical decay Questions to Reflect On - How does powerlessness lead to unethical behavior? - What safeguards prevent corruption? A Different Perspective Absolute power is not the only source of corruption. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) [Power Corrupts Absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Absolute power corrupts absolutely .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Power corrupts.Absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [“I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-know-better-than-anyone-else-that-there-are-no-heroes-coming-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [If absolute power corrupts absolutely, where does that leave God??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-deacon/if-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-where-does-that-leave-god/) George Deacon > [“Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and no power is more absolute than parenthood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-and-no-power-is-more-absolute-than/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [We have all been told that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I have long thought this is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-weinstein/we-have-all-been-told-that-power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power/) [Bret Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-weinstein/) > [Absolute power corrupts absolutely; and if you surrender your personal responsibility to a government which promises to take care of you, they will only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-nemerov/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-and-if-you-surrender-your-personal/) [Howard Nemerov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-nemerov/) > [It has been said that absolute power corrupts absolutely, but many it not be truer to say that to be absolutely powerful a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-rattigan/it-has-been-said-that-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-but-many-it/) [Terence Rattigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-rattigan/) > [“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Thus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boaz/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-thus/) [David Boaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boaz/) > [Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/power-tends-to-corrupt-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not power itself, but the legitimation of the lust for power, which corrupts absolutely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-is-not-power-itself-but-the-legitimation-of-the-lust-for-power/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Power corrupts, and PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinton-cerf/power-corrupts-and-powerpoint-corrupts-absolutely/) [Vinton Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinton-cerf/) > [“You see, we often get noncreative leaders, people most interested in preserving their own positions. They flock around centers of power. Such centers attract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/you-see-we-often-get-noncreative-leaders-people-most-interested-in/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Power corrupts; Absolute power corrupts absolutely; God is all-powerful. Draw your own conclusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-god-is-all-powerful/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Adlai Stevenson I > [An independent is the guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/an-independent-is-the-guy-who-wants-to-take-the-politics-out-of/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The sound of tireless voices is the price we pay for the right to hear the music of our own opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/the-sound-of-tireless-voices-is-the-price-we-pay-for-the-right-to/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Men may be born free; they cannot be born wise; and it is the duty of the university to make the free wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/men-may-be-born-free-they-cannot-be-born-wise-and-it-is-the-duty-of/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Here, in the dread tribunal of last resort, valor contended against valor. Here brave men struggled and died for the right as God gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/here-in-the-dread-tribunal-of-last-resort-valor-contended-against/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Our strength lies, not alone in our proving grounds and our stockpiles, but in our ideals, our goals, and their universal appeal to all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/our-strength-lies-not-alone-in-our-proving-grounds-and-our-stockpiles/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [Some of us worship in churches, some in synagogues, some on golf courses...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/some-of-us-worship-in-churches-some-in-synagogues-some-on-golf-courses/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A man doesn't save a century, or a civilization, but a militant party wedded to a principle can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-man-doesn-t-save-a-century-or-a-civilization-but-a-militant-party/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [A wise man does not try to hurry history. Many wars have been avoided by patience, and many have been precipitated by reckless haste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/a-wise-man-does-not-try-to-hurry-history-many-wars-have-been-avoided/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [I have been told that one of the reasons the astronomers of the world cooperate is the fact that there is no one nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/i-have-been-told-that-one-of-the-reasons-the-astronomers-of-the-world/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [The tragedy of our day is the climate of fear in which we live, and fear breeds repression. 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The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [As you fight corruption, it fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/as-you-fight-corruption-it-fights-back/) [Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. 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