--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the (many) problems with…" description: "\"“One of the (many) problems with government is not that power corrupts or even that it is magnetic to corruptible people; rather, it is that we have be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg" --- # One of the (many) problems with government is not that… ![“One of the (many) problems with government is not that power corrupts or even that it is magnetic to corruptible people; rather, it is that we have been conditioned to tolerate corruption in power, and so we don't even try to hold our politicians accountable.” quote by Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg) > ““One of the (many) problems with government is not that power corrupts or even that it is magnetic to corruptible people; rather, it is that we have been conditioned to tolerate corruption in power, and so we don't even try to hold our politicians accountable.”” [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power corrupts, but societal tolerance of corruption perpetuates it; accountability is essential. **In simple terms:** Tolerance fuels corruption. Key Takeaway Demand accountability from leaders. Themes politics corruption accountability Mood critical urgent Type political inspirational When to use this quote - voting - activism - policy advocacy - media scrutiny Key Concepts ethical governance social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can enforce accountability? - How can citizens break tolerance habits? A Different Perspective Changing tolerance is hard; systemic inertia resists reform. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power corrupts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-corrupts/) ## Related quotes > [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 is pure undiluted energy which is incapable of corrupting itself. So where got we this 'that power corrupts men'? We got it wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bamikole/power-is-pure-undiluted-energy-which-is-incapable-of-corrupting/) [Paul Bamikole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bamikole/) > [Knowledge is freedom from corruption and power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/knowledge-is-freedom-from-corruption-and-power/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [I can tolerate anything but corruption and nepotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-patnaik/i-can-tolerate-anything-but-corruption-and-nepotism/) [Naveen Patnaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-patnaik/) > [I have always been brazen. That's why I can't tolerate corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa-ganguly/i-have-always-been-brazen-that-s-why-i-can-t-tolerate-corruption/) [Roopa Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa-ganguly/) > [“But I would like to make an important point before this goes any further and that is if anyone feels like arresting me for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-rosoff/but-i-would-like-to-make-an-important-point-before-this-goes-any/) [Meg Rosoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-rosoff/) > [“One of the (many) problems with government is that they are usually so preoccupied with whether or not they can do something that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/one-of-the-many-problems-with-government-is-that-they-are-usually-so/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [I think the corruption of power is very interesting, and I think the idea that power is something that... You know, when people want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrissey/i-think-the-corruption-of-power-is-very-interesting-and-i-think-the/) [David Morrissey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrissey/) > [No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/no-science-is-immune-to-the-infection-of-politics-and-the-corruption-2/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“Politics was an illusion of service that cloaked the corruption of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/politics-was-an-illusion-of-service-that-cloaked-the-corruption-of/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I have always been fascinated by the corruption of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-eszterhas/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-the-corruption-of-power/) [Joe Eszterhas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-eszterhas/) > [Every time they came to power, the Congress engaged in large scale corruption. Even when they were in power, they did nothing to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pinarayi-vijayan/every-time-they-came-to-power-the-congress-engaged-in-large-scale/) [Pinarayi Vijayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pinarayi-vijayan/) > [“Those in government are especially susceptible to the corruption of power, because government is institutionalized coercion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/those-in-government-are-especially-susceptible-to-the-corruption-of/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [“Our institutions are too big; they represent not the best but the worst characteristics of human beings. By submitting to huge hierarchies of power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/our-institutions-are-too-big-they-represent-not-the-best-but-the/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More by Michel Templet > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“To speak only one language is to do yourself a great injustice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/to-speak-only-one-language-is-to-do-yourself-a-great-injustice/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“There is no such thing as a victimless crime, and people should be allowed to do as they please with their own bodies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-victimless-crime-and-people-should-be/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Presidents are not elected anymore; they are hired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presidents-are-not-elected-anymore-they-are-hired/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We have a problem when the same people who make the law get to decide whether or not they themselves have broken the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-have-a-problem-when-the-same-people-who-make-the-law-get-to-decide/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“I find it significant that most military veterans become pacifists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/i-find-it-significant-that-most-military-veterans-become-pacifists/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“We live in a nation where education and free thought are tantamount to treason, and I have to ask, under these circumstances, is treason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/we-live-in-a-nation-where-education-and-free-thought-are-tantamount/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Patriotism is racism for the modern era.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/patriotism-is-racism-for-the-modern-era/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Obama's plan for "change": Let's do everything Bush did, only with more suck! Because it just didn't suck badly enough the first time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/obama-s-plan-for-change-let-s-do-everything-bush-did-only-with-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Always remember, if you have been diagnosed with PTSD, it is not a sign of weakness; rather, it is proof of your strength, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/always-remember-if-you-have-been-diagnosed-with-ptsd-it-is-not-a-sign/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Why am I a socialist? Simple: Because I believe in freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/why-am-i-a-socialist-simple-because-i-believe-in-freedom/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“On 11 September 2001, a bunch of Saudis killed almost 3000 US civilians, which led to the construction of a monument in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/on-11-september-2001-a-bunch-of-saudis-killed-almost-3000-us/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Is it morally acceptable to murder one hundred innocent people in the process of catching a serial killer who has murdered ten people? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/is-it-morally-acceptable-to-murder-one-hundred-innocent-people-in-the/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Barack Obama is an even worse president than George W. Bush, because an evil bastard who knows what he's doing is far more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/barack-obama-is-an-even-worse-president-than-george-w-bush-because-an/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Presenting a rational argument to a person who has forsaken the use of reason is like asking a vegetarian to eat a cheeseburger.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/presenting-a-rational-argument-to-a-person-who-has-forsaken-the-use/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) [Explore all 57 Michel Templet quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) ## More Corruption quotes > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. We're concerned about government corruption, government handing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/right-now-we-re-concerned-about-budget-right-now-we-re-concerned/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [“Don't let cycles of violent crimes, uncontrollable, rising cases of bloody impunity, evil puppets in a crippled judiciary, marionettes in a corrupted legislative system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-hopes/don-t-let-cycles-of-violent-crimes-uncontrollable-rising-cases-of/) [Angelica Hopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-hopes/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [As you fight corruption, it fights back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yemi-osinbajo/as-you-fight-corruption-it-fights-back/) [Yemi Osinbajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yemi-osinbajo/) > [Selfishness is one of the principal fruits of the corruption of human nature; and it is obvious that selfishness disposes us to over-rate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wilberforce/selfishness-is-one-of-the-principal-fruits-of-the-corruption-of-human/) [William Wilberforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wilberforce/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [“Oh where is the noble face of modesty, or the strength of virtue, now that blasphemy is in power and men have put justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/oh-where-is-the-noble-face-of-modesty-or-the-strength-of-virtue-now/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The victory of Hamas is not only based on the corruption of the Palestinian Authority. Hamas has a vision and a program, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ismail-haniyeh/the-victory-of-hamas-is-not-only-based-on-the-corruption-of-the/) [Ismail Haniyeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ismail-haniyeh/) > [It looked incredibly credible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-horlick/it-looked-incredibly-credible/) Nicola Horlick > [All power corrupts but some must govern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/all-power-corrupts-but-some-must-govern/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) [Browse all 2,253 Corruption quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One of the (many) problems with government is not that power corrupts or even that it is magnetic to corruptible people; rather, it is that we have been conditioned to tolerate corruption in power, and so we don't even try to hold our politicians accountable.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michel Templet" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/one-of-the-many-problems-with-government-is-not-that-power-corrupts/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Corruption" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/one-of-the-many-problems-with-government-is-not-that-power-corrupts/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec7/michel-templet-11969_corruption_one-of-the-many-problems-with-government_2139967.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the (many) problems with government is not that power corrupts or even that it is magnetic to…” — Michel Templet", "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": "Michel Templet", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“One of the (many) problems with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/one-of-the-many-problems-with-government-is-not-that-power-corrupts/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/one-of-the-many-problems-with-government-is-not-that-power-corrupts/#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 } } ] } ```