Absolute power Quote by Eric Hoffer
“There are similarities between absolute power and absolute faith: a demand for absolute obedience, a readiness to attempt the impossible, a bias for simple solutionsto cut the knot rather than unravel it, the viewing of compromise as surrender. Both absolute power and absolute faith are instruments of dehumanization. Hence, absolute faith corrupts as absolutely as absolute power.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The True Believer, 1951
Absolute power and absolute faith both demand total obedience, favor impossible feats, and simplify problems, leading to dehumanization and mutual corruption.
In simple terms: Both demand total obedience and simplify problems, causing harm.
Key Takeaway
Beware of extremes that suppress humanity.
Themes
power
faith
obedience
dehumanization
corruption
Mood
cautious
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political leadership
- religious movements
- organizational culture
- personal belief systems
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
dogmatism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you recognize when belief or authority becomes absolute?
- What safeguards can preserve humanity in power structures?
A Different Perspective
Such extremes can stifle critical thinking and foster abuse.
![“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)
