--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nothing corrupts a politician quite as…" description: "\"Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship. Good politicians don't bribe; they make us like them.\" — Matthew Parris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg" --- # Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship… ![“Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship. Good politicians don't bribe; they make us like them.” quote by Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg) > “Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship. Good politicians don't bribe; they make us like them.” [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship can corrupt politicians; good ones inspire without bribery. **In simple terms:** Friendship can bias politicians; integrity inspires. Key Takeaway Prioritize integrity over personal ties. Themes politics ethics relationships Mood cautionary thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - campaigns - legislative work - public service - networking Key Concepts corruption trust leadership Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure friendships don’t bias decisions? - What role does trust play in leadership? A Different Perspective Personal bonds can still be positive if transparent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribe/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Good politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-politicians/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) ## Related quotes > [A good politician is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-good-politician-is-quite-as-unthinkable-as-an-honest-burglar/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [All the politics in the world are nothing else but a kind of analysis of the quantity of probability in casual events, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-arbuthnot/all-the-politics-in-the-world-are-nothing-else-but-a-kind-of-analysis/) [John Arbuthnot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-arbuthnot/) > [I suppose it's part of being a good politician to be able to spot the most important men in any group without outside assistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-ford/i-suppose-it-s-part-of-being-a-good-politician-to-be-able-to-spot-the/) [Leslie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-ford/) > [Politics is different, because the mission is always to get the necessary votes. A good politician goes through everything in terms of mission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-different-because-the-mission-is-always-to-get-the/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [Friendship is a good mixture of yin and yang. On the yang - you have loyalty, trust and love. On yang, you have envy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverb/friendship-is-a-good-mixture-of-yin-and-yang-on-the-yang-you-have/) Chinese Proverb > [If any girl do friendship with you after seem your only good things not your bad thingh than she ceares you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-any-girl-do-friendship-with-you-after-seem-your-only-good-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You love young ones and babes, I know this. The young will always befriend and admire you...all the young ones of the earth belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/you-love-young-ones-and-babes-i-know-this-the-young-will-always/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [If I like you but you fuck up our friendship, you're out for good. No way we can be cool again. Sad but true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-like-you-but-you-fuck-up-our-friendship-you-re-out-for-good-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are committed to the development of friendship and good neighbourly relations with Pakistan. I believe that Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto shares this commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajiv-gandhi/we-are-committed-to-the-development-of-friendship-and-good/) [Rajiv Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajiv-gandhi/) > [... the friendship of worthless people has a bad effect (because they take part, unstable as they are, in worthless pursuits, and actually become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-friendship-of-worthless-people-has-a-bad-effect-because-they-take/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Friendship can bee good or bad, but trusting each other can turns a bad friendship into good one trust me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-can-bee-good-or-bad-but-trusting-each-other-can-turns-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The secret to friendship is being a good listner..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-secret-to-friendship-is-being-a-good-listner/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Why wasn’t friendship as good as a relationship? Why wasn’t it even better?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/why-wasn-t-friendship-as-good-as-a-relationship-why-wasn-t-it-even/) [Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/) > [If you're forced to choose between a relationship and a friendship, choose the friendship. In a good relationship you wouldn't have to choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/if-you-re-forced-to-choose-between-a-relationship-and-a-friendship/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) ## More by Matthew Parris > [Being an MP feeds your vanity and starves your self- respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/being-an-mp-feeds-your-vanity-and-starves-your-self-respect/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/removing-christian-evangelism-from-the-african-equation-may-leave-the/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [Bring on the fruitcakes, we want a fruitcake for an unlovable seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/bring-on-the-fruitcakes-we-want-a-fruitcake-for-an-unlovable-seat/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [Now a confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/now-a-confirmed-atheist-i-ve-become-convinced-of-the-enormous/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [When you join the Parachute Regiment they send you on training and initiation exercises. One of the tasks is to accept and care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/when-you-join-the-parachute-regiment-they-send-you-on-training-and/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/as-an-atheist-i-truly-believe-africa-needs-god/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) > [All three of our major religions in Britain ~ Christianity, Islam and Judaism - have a hateful idea at the very core. That idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/all-three-of-our-major-religions-in-britain-christianity-islam-and/) [Matthew Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) [Explore all 8 Matthew Parris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/) ## More Bribe quotes > [You can't lose with the Stuff I use!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reverend-ike/you-can-t-lose-with-the-stuff-i-use/) [Reverend Ike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reverend-ike/) > [Lobbying' is the activity of attempting to influence legislation by privately influencing the legislators. It is the result and creation of a mixed economy-of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/lobbying-is-the-activity-of-attempting-to-influence-legislation-by/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [To give money to a sufferer is only a come-off. It is only a postponement of the real payment, a bribe paid for silence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/to-give-money-to-a-sufferer-is-only-a-come-off-it-is-only-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I think if people give you their time and they haven't got any money then they deserve to get something. Not so that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-broomfield/i-think-if-people-give-you-their-time-and-they-haven-t-got-any-money/) [Nick Broomfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-broomfield/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The community has no bribe that will tempt a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-community-has-no-bribe-that-will-tempt-a-wise-man/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/how-is-a-magician-to-exist-without-books-let-someone-explain-that-to/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [The best thing you can do for the planet is to stay home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-snyder/the-best-thing-you-can-do-for-the-planet-is-to-stay-home/) [Gary Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-snyder/) > [What I’m talking about is more than recompense for past injustices—more than a handout, a payoff, hush money, or a reluctant bribe. What I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/what-i-m-talking-about-is-more-than-recompense-for-past-injustices/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Bribe is such an ugly word. I prefer extortion. The X makes it sound cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bender-the-cartoon-character/bribe-is-such-an-ugly-word-i-prefer-extortion-the-x-makes-it-sound/) [Bender (The Cartoon Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bender-the-cartoon-character/) > [“Bribe cartographers to remove us from the atlas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melancton-hawks/bribe-cartographers-to-remove-us-from-the-atlas/) Melancton Hawks > [There's a property in Panama where Trump has collected somewhere around $30 million just from selling his name to this property - it's somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/there-s-a-property-in-panama-where-trump-has-collected-somewhere/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [There are not many companies in China that dare to say in public, 'We don't offer bribes', or companies that operate only by market…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wang-jianlin/there-are-not-many-companies-in-china-that-dare-to-say-in-public-we/) [Wang Jianlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wang-jianlin/) > [The median family of four ... paid $4,722 in federal taxes last year. That's enough to pay for a new curtain for the secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bock/the-median-family-of-four-paid-4-722-in-federal-taxes-last-year-that/) Alan Bock [Browse all 185 Bribe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bribe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship. Good politicians don't bribe; they make us like them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matthew Parris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-much-as-friendship-good/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bribe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-much-as-friendship-good/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d0/matthew-parris-46574_bribe_nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-m_917118.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Nothing corrupts a politician quite as much as friendship. Good politicians don't bribe; they make us like…” — Matthew Parris", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Matthew Parris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-parris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Nothing corrupts a politician quite as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-much-as-friendship-good/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-parris/nothing-corrupts-a-politician-quite-as-much-as-friendship-good/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```