Paul Valery Quotes

What the proprietorship of these papers is aiming at is power, and power without responsibility—the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages.

Every one, more or less, loves Power, yet those who most wish for it are seldom the fittest to be trusted with it.

He who has great power should use it lightly.

Next to power without honor, the most dangerous thing in the world is power without humor.

Authority poisons everybody who takes authority on himself.

Power is dangerous unless you have humility.

I have always been fascinated by the corruption of power.

Power is always a corrupting influence.

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.

To be honest, the fact that people trust you gives you a lot of power over people. Having another person's trust is more powerful than all other management techniques put together.

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 does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power.

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

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

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

Suspect power more than vice.

Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many.

The fellow that has power is the one who uses it sparingly ... I had more power when I went into office than when I went out.

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

Power is a very peculiar thing. It's like the ego. The ego's only there to keep you above water. Once we realize something good about ourselves, we have a tendency to abuse the gift.

Women deeply want men who are competent and powerful. And I don't mean power in that they can exert tyrannical control over others. That's not power. That's just corruption.

You can't trust anybody with power.

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

I hope our wisdom will grow with our power, and teach us, that the less we use our power the greater it will be.

Unlimited power corrupts the possessor.