Character Quote by Marquis de Sade
““Not many people can imagine a president of the Parlement of Aix—it is a species of beast of which people have often spoken without knowing it well: strict and unbending by profession, and pernickety, credulous, stubborn, vain, cowardly, garrulous and stupid by character; with a beaky little face, rolling his 'r's like a Punchinello, commonly as thin as a rake, lanky and skinny and stinking like a corpse...””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The 120 Days of Sodom, 1785
A satirical, exaggerated portrait of a corrupt leader, highlighting his many flaws and absurdities.
In simple terms: A corrupt leader is absurdly flawed.
Key Takeaway
Beware power without accountability.
Themes
politics
corruption
satire
leadership
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
political
literary
When to use this quote
- government
- public discourse
- leadership critique
Key Concepts
authoritarianism
character flaws
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we hold leaders accountable?
- What traits make a leader trustworthy?
A Different Perspective
Satire may oversimplify complex political realities.
![“The law which attempts a man's life [capital punishment] is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime--for a second crime is every day committed at the foot of the scaffold.” quote by Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b85/marquis-de-sade-1964_capital-punishment_the-law-which-attempts-a-man-s-life-capi_99486.jpg)
