Catherine the Great Quotes

Resist the temptation to exploit power for personal or group interests.

Beware of all men who would turn the tasks and the necessities of the nation to their own private profit or use them for the building up of private power.

For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of sight.

Whenever there are some who have more opportunities than others, this feeds corruption.

The corruption of people is to behave in an inhuman way.

Wherever there is interest and power to do wrong, wrong will generally be done.

Have I given any symptoms of an avaricious disposition? Have I obtained any grants from the crown since I have been placed at the head of the treasury? Has my conduct been different from that which others in the same station would have followed?

Corporate bodies are more corrupt and profligate than individuals, because they have more power to do mischief, and are less amenable to disgrace or punishment. They feel neither shame, remorse, gratitude, nor goodwill.

Getting an advantage at the expense of somebody else—that really is what graft is.

The Court is corrupt: The fields are overgrown with weeds; the granaries are empty. Yet there are those dressed in fineries, With swords at their sides: Filled with food and drink, Possessed of too much wealth. This is called "Taking the lead in robbery.

Democracies can no longer tolerate bribery, fraud and dishonesty, especially as such practices disproportionately hurt the poor.

Everybody's always going to have some self-interest. When it passes a certain point, that's when it become corruption.

Small men, seeking great wealth or power, have too often and too long turned even the highest levels of public service into mere personal opportunity.

There are three things in the world that deserve no mercy, hypocrisy, fraud, and tyranny.

As Members of Congress, we should not be using public office for private gain.

Men of authority have employed all the destructive agents around them to promote their own personal interests at the sacrifice of every just, honorable, and lawful consideration.

Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the current enforcer.

The walls are raised against honest men in civic life.

When we have a Deputy Prime Minister who tells people not to drive cars but has two Jags himself, and where the Minister who tells people not to have two homes turns out to have nine himself no wonder the public believe politicians are hypocrites.

And you shall take no bribe; for the bribe blinds the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous:

As long as dishonorable success outranks honest effort—as long as society bows and cringes before the great thieves, there will be little ones enough to fill the jails.

Meese was a sleaze.

To plunder, to lie, to show your ass, are the three essentials for climbing high.

The first sign of corruption in a society ... is that the ends justify the means.

If you do not know how to lie, cheat and steal, turn your attention to politics and learn.