--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All power corrupts but some must govern." description: "\"All power corrupts but some must govern.\" — John le Carre" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/john-le-carre-651_corruption_all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern_20762.jpg" --- # All power corrupts but some must govern. ![“All power corrupts but some must govern.” quote by John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/john-le-carre-651_corruption_all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern_20762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/john-le-carre-651_corruption_all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern_20762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/097/john-le-carre-651_corruption_all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern_20762.jpg) > “All power corrupts but some must govern.” [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power tends to erode moral integrity, yet governance is unavoidable, requiring vigilance. **In simple terms:** Power corrupts; governance needed. Key Takeaway Authority demands ethical oversight. Themes politics ethics leadership responsibility Mood cautious reflective Type maxim observation When to use this quote - political office - corporate leadership - public administration Key Concepts corruption governance moral compromise Practical Applications - policy design - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders stay accountable? - What safeguards prevent abuse? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupts/) [Corrupts Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corrupts-govern-396359/) [Govern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/govern/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) ## Related quotes > [What is true is that the idea of power corrupts. Power corrupts most rapidly those who believe in it, and it is they who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-bateson/what-is-true-is-that-the-idea-of-power-corrupts-power-corrupts-most/) [Gregory Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-bateson/) > [If power corrupts, weakness in the seat of power, with its constant necessity of deals and bribes and compromising arrangements,corrupts even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/if-power-corrupts-weakness-in-the-seat-of-power-with-its-constant/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-and-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [Power corrupts.Absolute power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/all-governments-suffer-a-recurring-problem-power-attracts/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [“power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutley”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/power-corrupts-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutley/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [ Absolute truisms rot brains absolutely.\[...\]'Power corrupts' is useless as a tool for understanding the past, and gives us nothing as a guide to action. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/absolute-truisms-rot-brains-absolutely-power-corrupts-is-useless-as-a/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [“I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-know-better-than-anyone-else-that-there-are-no-heroes-coming-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/power-corrupts-the-few-while-weakness-corrupts-the-many/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Power corrupts, but lack of power corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adlai-stevenson-i/power-corrupts-but-lack-of-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Adlai Stevenson I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adlai-stevenson-i/) > [In the United States, though power corrupts, the expectation of power paralyzes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/in-the-united-states-though-power-corrupts-the-expectation-of-power/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [If all power corrupts, then a doctor, who literally holds life and death in his hands, must be at particular risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/if-all-power-corrupts-then-a-doctor-who-literally-holds-life-and/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Power corrupts, and obsolete power corrupts obsoletely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/power-corrupts-and-obsolete-power-corrupts-obsoletely/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [Absolute power corrupts absolutely .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“They’ve worked the absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely truth since the beginning of time. They foment destruction and chaos. It puts them in their happy place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-bangs/they-ve-worked-the-absolute-power-corrupts-absolutely-truth-since-the/) [Nina Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-bangs/) ## More by John le Carre > [The creation of George Smiley, the retired spy recalled to hunt for just such a high-ranking mole in 'Tinker, Tailor,' was extremely personal. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/the-creation-of-george-smiley-the-retired-spy-recalled-to-hunt-for/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [During the Cold War, we lived in coded times when it wasn't easy and there were shades of grey and ambiguity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/during-the-cold-war-we-lived-in-coded-times-when-it-wasn-t-easy-and/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [“You're history, Donohue. You think countries run the fucking world! Go back to fucking Sunday school. It's 'God save our multinational' they're singing these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/you-re-history-donohue-you-think-countries-run-the-fucking-world-go/) [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [When you're my age and you see a story, you better go for it pretty quickly. 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