James Madison 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.

The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse.

Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.

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

Abuse of power comes as no surprise

Power is always a corrupting influence.

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

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

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

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

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

Suspect power more than vice.

Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.

The possession of power does not necessarily imply its unrighteous or oppressive use, although it generally awakes suspicion.

Politicians as a class are dangerous, that people who are seeking power over us are not, by definition, our friends.

You can't trust anybody with power.

Unlimited power corrupts the possessor.

I have always been fascinated by the corruption of power.

I am more and more convinced that man is a dangerous creature, and that power whether vested in many or few is ever grasping, and like the grave, cries, 'Give, give.'

It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power.

There is no more contemptible poison than power over one's fellow men.

The essence of government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse

… the tools of despotism and corruption

Absolute power should never be trusted to man. It has perverted the wisest heads, and corrupted the best hearts in the world. I should be afraid to commit my property, liberty and life to a body of angels for one whole year.

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