--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great man is one who can have power and…" description: "\"A great man is one who can have power and not abuse it.\" — Henry Latham Doherty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/henry-latham-doherty-40317_abuse_a-great-man-is-one-who-can-have-power-an_780191.jpg" --- # A great man is one who can have power and not abuse it. ![“A great man is one who can have power and not abuse it.” quote by Henry Latham Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/henry-latham-doherty-40317_abuse_a-great-man-is-one-who-can-have-power-an_780191.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/henry-latham-doherty-40317_abuse_a-great-man-is-one-who-can-have-power-an_780191.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/henry-latham-doherty-40317_abuse_a-great-man-is-one-who-can-have-power-an_780191.jpg) > “A great man is one who can have power and not abuse it.” [Henry Latham Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-latham-doherty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power is only virtuous when exercised responsibly and restrained. **In simple terms:** Power must be used responsibly. Key Takeaway Practice restraint when you have authority. Themes responsibility ethics leadership Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - government - corporate management - family dynamics - community leadership Key Concepts moral philosophy political theory Questions to Reflect On - How would you check your own power? - What safeguards help prevent abuse? A Different Perspective Power can corrupt even well‑intended leaders. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Man Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-power/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-abuse/) ## Related quotes > [Greatness by nature includes a power, but not a will to power. ... The great man, whether we comprehend him in the most intense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/greatness-by-nature-includes-a-power-but-not-a-will-to-power-the/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [A great man need not be virtuous, nor his opinions right, but he must have a firm mind, a distinctive luminous character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/a-great-man-need-not-be-virtuous-nor-his-opinions-right-but-he-must/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [The two maxims of any great man at court are, always to keep his countenance, and never to keep his word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-two-maxims-of-any-great-man-at-court-are-always-to-keep-his/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [In order to become a great man, one must first be a great rascal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/in-order-to-become-a-great-man-one-must-first-be-a-great-rascal/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You can never become a great man or woman until you have overcome anxiety, worry, and fear. It is impossible for an anxious person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/you-can-never-become-a-great-man-or-woman-until-you-have-overcome/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [The great man is the man who does a thing for the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/the-great-man-is-the-man-who-does-a-thing-for-the-first-time/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Nature never sends a great man into the planet, without confiding the secret to another soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-never-sends-a-great-man-into-the-planet-without-confiding-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Do you really believe that freedom of choice exists? India still has a caste system. Most of the Middle East treats women as inferiors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kilborn/do-you-really-believe-that-freedom-of-choice-exists-india-still-has-a/) [Jack Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kilborn/) > [People who exploit their power and abuse others need to be revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhika-apte/people-who-exploit-their-power-and-abuse-others-need-to-be-revealed/) [Radhika Apte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhika-apte/) > [The problem isn't the abuse of power; it's the power to abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cloud/the-problem-isn-t-the-abuse-of-power-it-s-the-power-to-abuse/) [Mike Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cloud/) > [Power without abuse loses its charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/power-without-abuse-loses-its-charm/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [In acknowledging woman-to-woman help it is important to recognize that power, within the family and elsewhere, can be used vindictively, and that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kitzinger/in-acknowledging-woman-to-woman-help-it-is-important-to-recognize/) [Sheila Kitzinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kitzinger/) > [Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue, no matter whether he be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-fontaine/anyone-entrusted-with-power-will-abuse-it-if-not-also-animated-with/) [Jean de La Fontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-fontaine/) > [It's not just the abuse of power that's the problem. It's the power to abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/it-s-not-just-the-abuse-of-power-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-power-to/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [Ukraine had quite serious impact on the many Russians. They could see that ordinary people in Ukraine which is a bordering state, very close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-kasparov/ukraine-had-quite-serious-impact-on-the-many-russians-they-could-see/) [Garry Kasparov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-kasparov/) ## More by Henry Latham Doherty > [It is the studying that you do after your school days that really counts. 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