power corrupts
Control breeds abuse
Power corrupts is a proverb warning that authority tends to make people behave immorally.
The full form is "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," from a letter by the historian Lord Acton.
The saying suggests that unchecked influence over others inevitably degrades character: He started out idealistic, but power corrupts.
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- absoluteTotal, without qualification
- dictatorRuler with total control
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- abuseCruel or violent treatment
throne · empire · ambition · downfall · fall from grace · hubris · megalomania · despot · manipulation · arrogance · entitlement · ruthless · temptation · betrayal · paranoia · control · unchecked · dominion
- proverbsproverbs, sayings, maxims, adages, aphorisms
- Famous Sayingsbetter late than never, ignorance is bliss, haste makes waste, carpe diem, seize the day
- powerauthority, potency, energy, hydropower, horsepower
accountability and restraint
power corruptsseparation of powers
Constitutional distribution of authority
power, corrupt, powers, powered, powering, powerful, powerless, powerfully, powerlessness