Black Quote by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
“If women were in charge of everything, there would be women tyrants. If black people were in charge, there would be black tyrants. If Hispanics were in charge, then Hispanic tyrants.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The New York Times, “The Myth of the Tyrant Leader”, 2020
Power structures can become oppressive regardless of the group in charge; tyranny is a risk inherent in unchecked authority.
In simple terms: Any group can become tyrannical if power isn’t checked.
Key Takeaway
Implement checks and balances in any leadership system.
Themes
power
tyranny
leadership
diversity
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- government policy
- corporate governance
- community organizing
- education curricula
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
social psychology
equity
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards prevent any majority from becoming oppressive?
- How can diverse voices be heard without creating new hierarchies?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on group identity can ignore individual accountability.
![“Hitler had a lot of Jews high up in the hierarchy of the Third Reich. Color does not necessarily denote quality, content or value. [If] a black is a tyrant, he is first and foremost a tyrant, then he incidentally is black. Bush is a tyrant and if he gathers around him black tyrants, they all have…” quote by Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/14f/harry-belafonte-4893_black_hitler-had-a-lot-of-jews-high-up-in-the_1226546.jpg)
![“It wasn't [Barack] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being wheeled by her son waving a big American flag, and then seeing a guy with his baby in his arms saying, "I didn't want her to miss tonight! I wanted to be able to tell her!" And…” quote by Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/806/bill-ayers-1848_able_it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the_20409.jpg)
