Absolute power Quote by Garrison Keillor
“If you can't trust a Methodist with absolute power to arrest people and not have to say why, then whom can you trust?”
About This Quote
Source Radio Show: A Prairie Home Companion, 1995
Questions trust in authority without transparency, suggesting only those who reveal motives are trustworthy.
In simple terms: Trust requires openness; secret power is untrustworthy.
Key Takeaway
Demand accountability from those in power.
Themes
trust
authority
transparency
political power
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- government oversight
- judicial processes
- public inquiries
- media investigations
Key Concepts
ethical governance
civil liberties
accountability
Questions to Reflect On
- Who should be held accountable when power is exercised?
- How can transparency be balanced with security?
A Different Perspective
May overlook practical needs for confidential operations.
![“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)
