Country Quote by Mikhail Khodorkovsky
“There are people who are at fault for one or another problem. These people are very avaricious and self-serving. They're not doing it just to do it; they're doing it for the money. That money, they keep here. When you say, "We're going to find these people, these guilty people, the ones who are not only breaking laws but are also hurting their own fellow country people," and you say, "We're going to punish them, specifically, that's a step in the right direction."”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview on Corruption, 2011
Corrupt individuals prioritize profit over law and public welfare, justifying punishment as progress.
In simple terms: Corrupt people act for money, harming society.
Key Takeaway
Punish corruption to protect society.
Themes
corruption
justice
ethics
Mood
critical
serious
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- political reform
- anti‑corruption campaigns
- legal prosecutions
Key Concepts
self-interest
greed
lawbreaking
Questions to Reflect On
- How can systemic change reduce greed?
- What safeguards prevent abuse of power?
A Different Perspective
Punishment alone may not change underlying incentives.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
