Niccolo Machiavelli 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 what men seek and any group that gets it will abuse it.

All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree.

There are two things that interest me - and they're both power, ultimately. One is not having it and one is abusing it.

Telling a man to go to hell and making him go are two different propositions.

This is not our choice but this is the law of the politics. You always reciprocate. Positively, negatively, but this is something which you cannot change. It was not invented by us. It is the law of international relations.

The mistakes (of leaders) are amplified by the numbers who follow them without question. Charismatic leaders tend to build up followings, power structures and these power structures tend to be taken over by people who are corruptible. I don't think that the old saw about 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely' is accurate: I think power attracts the corruptible.

I have plumbed the depth of human cowardice and I realized that there is only one way to be right, and that is to be in power.

Government remains the paramount area of folly because it is there that men seek power over others - only to lose it over themselves.

Whoever is the cause of another becoming powerful, is ruined himself; for that power is produced by him either through craft or force; and both of these are suspected by the one who has been raised to power.

You can't trust anybody with power.

A politician's goal is always to manipulate public debate. I think there are some politicians with higher goals. But all of them get corrupted by power.

I didn't have evil intentions, but I guess I did have power.

Power without abuse loses its charm.

Power is not something that can be assumed or discarded at will like underwear.

If you think of paying court to the men in power, your eternal ruin is assured.

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

Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.

A man who makes trouble for others is also making trouble for himself.

We're taught Lord Acton's axiom: all power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I believed that when I started these books, but I don't believe it's always true any more. Power doesn't always corrupt. Power can cleanse. What I believe is always true about power is that power always reveals.

I have always been fascinated by the corruption of power.

It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.

It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.

Most people who get into power in the western world start with great intentions, but slowly they all become entrapped and hung by their own petard.

Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.