--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There may be honor among thieves, but…" description: "\"There may be honor among thieves, but there's none in politicians.\" — Peter O'Toole" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/peter-o-toole-3173_arabia_there-may-be-honor-among-thieves-but-the_279390.jpg" --- # There may be honor among thieves, but there's none in… ![“There may be honor among thieves, but there's none in politicians.” quote by Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/peter-o-toole-3173_arabia_there-may-be-honor-among-thieves-but-the_279390.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/peter-o-toole-3173_arabia_there-may-be-honor-among-thieves-but-the_279390.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eed/peter-o-toole-3173_arabia_there-may-be-honor-among-thieves-but-the_279390.jpg) > “There may be honor among thieves, but there's none in politicians.” [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thieves may have honor, but politicians lack it. **In simple terms:** Criminals can be honorable; politicians cannot. Key Takeaway Demand integrity from public officials. Themes honor politics ethics Mood cynical thoughtful Type political ethical When to use this quote - voting decisions - political activism - leadership evaluation Key Concepts moral philosophy public trust Questions to Reflect On - What defines honor in different roles? - Can political systems foster honesty? A Different Perspective Not all politicians are corrupt; generalization may be unfair. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arabia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arabia/) [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) ## Related quotes > [The fact which the politician faces is merely that there is less honor among thieves than was supposed, and not the fact that theyare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-fact-which-the-politician-faces-is-merely-that-there-is-less/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Three groups spend other people's money: children, thieves, and politicians. All three need supervision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/three-groups-spend-other-people-s-money-children-thieves-and/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [Honor among thieves is the ancestor of all honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccarthy/honor-among-thieves-is-the-ancestor-of-all-honor/) [John McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccarthy/) > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. 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They're guilty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-know-in-saudi-arabia-you-re-innocent-until-proven-jewish-female/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [There is nothing in the desert and no man needs nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/there-is-nothing-in-the-desert-and-no-man-needs-nothing/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/) ## More by Peter O'Toole > [I'm a professional and I'll do anything - a poetry reading, television, cinema, anything that allows me to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-o-toole/i-m-a-professional-and-i-ll-do-anything-a-poetry-reading-television/) [Peter O'Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-o-toole/) > [Actors have to stay optimistic. 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All you have to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-re-defending-saudi-arabia-and-with-all-of-the-money-they-have-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Our president's latest energy initiative was to go to Saudi Arabia and beg King Abdullah to give us a little relief on gasoline prices.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/our-president-s-latest-energy-initiative-was-to-go-to-saudi-arabia/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Like so many Boomers, I saw 'Lawrence of Arabia' in 1962 when it was first released and when we were young teenagers. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/like-so-many-boomers-i-saw-lawrence-of-arabia-in-1962-when-it-was/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [The Treasury Department would use the interest from these securities to hire U.S. companies to build Saudi Arabia - new cities, new infrastructure -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/the-treasury-department-would-use-the-interest-from-these-securities/) [John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/) > [They chose me for Lawrence of Arabia because I spoke English, had black hair, black eyes and a moustache. It was all luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-sharif/they-chose-me-for-lawrence-of-arabia-because-i-spoke-english-had/) [Omar Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-sharif/) > [Avatar is a watershed movie. We'll always refer to Lawrence of Arabia in the same way. 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