Great men Quote by John Keegan
“The great men of power who seek to change the nations they belong to usually are pretty terrible people.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Face of Battle, John Keegan, 1976
Powerful leaders who aim to reshape their nations often become morally corrupt.
In simple terms: Power can corrupt those who try to change nations.
Key Takeaway
Beware of power's corrupting influence.
Themes
politics
leadership
ethics
history
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
analytical
historical
When to use this quote
- government reform
- social movements
- military coups
- political campaigns
Key Concepts
power dynamics
corruption
revolution
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can prevent power abuse?
- When is radical change justified?
A Different Perspective
Not all leaders are terrible; context matters.
![“Hitler ... lacked the [inclination] for anything more than the occasional sensational display of emotion, in particular the great set-piece speech which mesmerized the mob and left him drained of ... energy.” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cd3/john-keegan-14504_display_hitler-lacked-the-inclination-for-anythi_97177.jpg)
