--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a strong moralistic strain in…" description: "\"There is a strong moralistic strain in the civil rights movement that would remind us that power corrupts, forgetting that the absence of power also co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/bayard-rustin-13318_absence_there-is-a-strong-moralistic-strain-in-t_2461242.jpg" --- # There is a strong moralistic strain in the civil rights… ![“There is a strong moralistic strain in the civil rights movement that would remind us that power corrupts, forgetting that the absence of power also corrupts.” quote by Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/bayard-rustin-13318_absence_there-is-a-strong-moralistic-strain-in-t_2461242.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/bayard-rustin-13318_absence_there-is-a-strong-moralistic-strain-in-t_2461242.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/bayard-rustin-13318_absence_there-is-a-strong-moralistic-strain-in-t_2461242.jpg) > “There is a strong moralistic strain in the civil rights movement that would remind us that power corrupts, forgetting that the absence of power also corrupts.” [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power dynamics corrupt both those who have it and those who lack it; moralizing can blind us to this dual risk. **In simple terms:** Both power and its absence can lead to corruption; moralism may obscure this. Key Takeaway Recognize and address corruption in all power states. Themes ethics politics power morality Mood cautious thoughtful analytical Type political philosophical activist When to use this quote - government leadership - grassroots movements - policy making Key Concepts social theory political philosophy activism Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance power with accountability? - What safeguards prevent corruption without power? A Different Perspective Moralistic tones can oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-movement/) ## Related quotes > [Most students graduate from high school knowing nine words about the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and "I Have a Dream."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/most-students-graduate-from-high-school-knowing-nine-words-about-the/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) > [In the 1960s, the civil rights movement was about getting to know your culture, your history. 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When I was 18,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-took-an-interest-in-the-civil-rights-movement-i-listened-to-martin/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [LISTEN: If you ever wondered what you would do if you were alive in the Civil Rights Movement, NOW IS THE TIME to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/listen-if-you-ever-wondered-what-you-would-do-if-you-were-alive-in/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [I don't think the riots derailed the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-don-t-think-the-riots-derailed-the-civil-rights-movement/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [The mainstream sort of presentation of the civil rights movement was not something that I directly inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-mainstream-sort-of-presentation-of-the-civil-rights-movement-was/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Generally, the arguments for same-sex marriage go along these lines: 'I have a civil right.' 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