Montesquieu Quotes

But constant experience shows us that every man invested with power is apt to abuse it, and to carry his authority as far as it will go.

Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best.

Power is always a corrupting influence.

People who are in a position of power like to throw their weight around, and that becomes abuse.

Abuse of power comes as no surprise

You can't trust anybody with power.

I have always been fascinated by the corruption of power.

Power is what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it.

The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.

Occupants of public offices love power and are prone to abuse it.

Power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will be ever liable to abuse.

Power is always dangerous. It attracts the worst and corrupts the best..

Unlimited power corrupts the possessor.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.

I believe the root of all evil is abuse of power.

What I fear most is power with impunity. I fear abuse of power, and the power to abuse.

Since the origin of the world there has never been a king—even if you were to select the very best—who did not in some measure abuse his authority…

Powerlessness also corrupts.

Suspect power more than vice.

Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.

… the tools of despotism and corruption

Corruption is just another form of tyranny.

Power without abuse loses its charm.

A strength to harm is perilous in the hand of an ambitious head.

Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.