Abuse Quote by Julian Assange
“The greater the power, the more need there is for transparency, because if the power is abused, the result can be so enormous. On the other hand, those people who do not have power, we mustn't reduce their power even more by making them yet more transparent.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Transparency and Power, Julian Assange, 2015
More power demands greater transparency to prevent abuse, yet excessive transparency can further marginalize those already powerless.
In simple terms: Power needs oversight; too much openness can harm the weak.
Key Takeaway
Balance openness with protection for vulnerable groups.
Themes
power
transparency
ethics
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- government oversight
- corporate governance
- media reporting
- activist campaigns
Key Concepts
accountability
privacy
social justice
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards protect the powerless when exposing power?
- How to ensure transparency without causing harm?
A Different Perspective
Transparency can be weaponized against the disenfranchised.
![“There's more than 1700 emails out of the thirty three thousand Hillary Clinton emails that we've published, just about Libya. It's not that Libya has cheap oil. She perceived the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi and the overthrow of the Libyan state - something that she would use in her run-up to the…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1a/julian-assange-1566_clinton_there-s-more-than-1700-emails-out-of-the_2174.jpg)
![“The U.N. [the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention] has looked into this whole situation. They spent eighteen months in formal, adversarial litigation. [So it's] me and the U.N. verses Sweden and the U.K. Who's right? The U.N. made a conclusion that I am being arbitrarily detained…” quote by Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/400/julian-assange-1566_abuse_the-u-n-the-united-nations-working-group_207543.jpg)
