Absolute power Quote by Alexis de Tocqueville
“If it be admitted that a man, possessing absolute power, may misuse that power by wronging his adversaries, why should a majority not be liable to the same reproach? Men are not apt to change their character by agglomeration; nor does their patience in the presence of obstacles increase with the consciousness of their strength. And for these reasons I can never willingly invest any number of my fellow creatures with that unlimited authority which I should refuse to any one of them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Democracy in America, Volume I, 1835
Absolute power corrupts, and majority rule can be equally corrupt if unchecked; concentration of authority invites abuse regardless of who holds it.
In simple terms: Power corrupts, even in groups.
Key Takeaway
Guard against concentrated authority.
Themes
politics
ethics
power
democracy
justice
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
warning
When to use this quote
- government reform
- civil society activism
- institutional checks
- public accountability
Key Concepts
social contract
tyranny of the majority
political philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies prevent majority tyranny?
- What safeguards protect against concentrated power?
A Different Perspective
Power can be diffused but still abused if institutions are weak.
![“As Israel made the wants of his national existence the law of the world, as under the dominance of these wants he deified even his political vindictiveness; so the Christian made the requirements of human feeling the absolute powers and laws of the world. [T]hat is, indeed, only of man considered…” quote by Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dd1/ludwig-feuerbach-3406_abrahamism_as-israel-made-the-wants-of-his-national_31284.jpg)
