--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Power properly understood is nothing but…" description: "\"Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose... one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/martin-luther-king-jr-127_ability_power-properly-understood-is-nothing-but_1709196.jpg" --- # Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to… ![“Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose... one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites --- polar opposites --- so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial…” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/martin-luther-king-jr-127_ability_power-properly-understood-is-nothing-but_1709196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/martin-luther-king-jr-127_ability_power-properly-understood-is-nothing-but_1709196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/martin-luther-king-jr-127_ability_power-properly-understood-is-nothing-but_1709196.jpg) > “Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose... one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites --- polar opposites --- so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial of love... What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power must be guided by love; without love it becomes abusive, without power it is weak. **In simple terms:** Power needs love; love needs power. Key Takeaway Balance love and power for just action. Themes justice love power ethics Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political leadership - social movements - community organizing Key Concepts reciprocity responsibility balance Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders ensure love guides their power? - What structures prevent power from becoming abusive? A Different Perspective Power can be misused if love is absent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Against love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against-love/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love And Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-power/) [Opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opposites/) [Polar opposites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polar-opposites/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Reckless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckless/) [Resignation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resignation/) [Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental/) ## Related quotes > [Justice is love correcting that which revolts against love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/justice-is-love-correcting-that-which-revolts-against-love/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Power is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice is love correcting everything that goes against love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/power-is-love-implementing-the-demands-of-justice-justice-is-love/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whatever we do, we must keep God in the forefront. Let us be Christian in all of our actions. But I want to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-we-do-we-must-keep-god-in-the-forefront-let-us-be-christian/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Power at its best is love implementing the demand of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/power-at-its-best-is-love-implementing-the-demand-of-justice/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [A person who seeks power usually goes into other dimensional planes to find it. Then they bring that power back into this world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/a-person-who-seeks-power-usually-goes-into-other-dimensional-planes/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the system usually ends up in a really good place. So, what we view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/when-you-give-everyone-a-voice-and-give-people-power-the-system/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [Faith is such a principle of power. God works by power, but this power is usually exercised in response to our faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/faith-is-such-a-principle-of-power-god-works-by-power-but-this-power/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“Unfortunately in the conflict between power and love, power usually wins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/unfortunately-in-the-conflict-between-power-and-love-power-usually/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > ['Power' usually starts principal photography around mid September, and the first table read is always like one big family reunion. The most common comment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/power-usually-starts-principal-photography-around-mid-september-and/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [It seems to me that whereas power usually means power-over, the power of some person or group over some other person or group, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/it-seems-to-me-that-whereas-power-usually-means-power-over-the-power/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [Basically, I have found that people who have tried to start communities out of good feelings or hippie-dippie abstract concepts of love - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dar-williams/basically-i-have-found-that-people-who-have-tried-to-start/) [Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dar-williams/) > [When it comes to love as a spiritual manifestation, it is an experience of utter surrender to that which is greater than any concept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/when-it-comes-to-love-as-a-spiritual-manifestation-it-is-an/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [Ads sell more than products. They sell values, they sell images. They sell concepts of love and sexuality, of success and perhaps most important,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kilbourne/ads-sell-more-than-products-they-sell-values-they-sell-images-they/) [Jean Kilbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kilbourne/) > [We need a moral philosophy in which the concept of love, so rarely mentioned now by philosophers, can once again be made central.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/we-need-a-moral-philosophy-in-which-the-concept-of-love-so-rarely/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [The vast majority of people's concept of love is actually hate, more or less. “I need you, I must have you, I can't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-levenson/the-vast-majority-of-people-s-concept-of-love-is-actually-hate-more/) [Lester Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-levenson/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Power properly understood is nothing but the ability to achieve purpose... one of the great problems of history is that the concepts of love and power have usually been contrasted as opposites --- polar opposites --- so that love is identified with a resignation of power, and power with a denial of love... 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