Authority Quote by Mikhail Bakunin
““If there is an undeniable fact, attested to a thousand times by experience, it is the corrupting effect produced by authority on those who manipulate it It is absolutely impossible for a man who wields power to remain a moral man…””
About This Quote
Source Essay: God and the State, 1882
Authority corrupts those who wield it, making moral purity impossible.
In simple terms: Power erodes morality.
Key Takeaway
Beware the corrupting influence of authority.
Themes
politics
ethics
power dynamics
Mood
critical
serious
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- government
- corporate leadership
- law enforcement
Key Concepts
anarchism
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can power be held accountable?
- What structures prevent moral decay?
A Different Perspective
Not all authority is inherently corrupt.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)