Country Quote by Peter Maurer
“It's one thing if a politician in a small country says a little bit of torturing is good to do. There is a qualitative difference... when it's a candidate to run a superpower.”
About This Quote
The quote warns that moral standards shift when power scales, implying that actions deemed acceptable for minor actors become dangerous when wielded by major leaders.
In simple terms: Power magnifies ethical stakes.
Key Takeaway
Scale changes moral calculus.
Themes
ethics
political power
moral relativism
responsibility
leadership
Mood
cautionary
critical
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- debating foreign policy
- evaluating candidate platforms
- discussing war crimes
Key Concepts
authority
human rights
political legitimacy
Practical Applications
- policy analysis
- ethical training for officials
Questions to Reflect On
- How does increased power affect ethical decision‑making?
- Can small‑scale actions be justified if they differ from large‑scale consequences?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that context, not scale, determines moral judgment, but the quote emphasizes that larger impact demands stricter scrutiny.
![“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)
