Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it.

William Pitt, Earl of Chatham

More information about this quote

Topic

Nature of power Absolute power Power

Speaker

William Pitt, Earl of Chatham

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1770 1770s 18th century

Occupation

National leader Politician

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Pitt, William. Speech in the House of Lords on John Wilkes. 9 Jan. 1770, Palace of Westminster, Westminster, London, England, UK.

Illustrated Quote

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A quote by William Pitt, Earl of Chatham about nature of power: “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who…”
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A quote by William Pitt, Earl of Chatham about nature of power: “Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 1770s

Every individual necessarily labours to render the annual revenue of the society as great as he can. He generally, indeed, neither intends to promote the public interest, nor knows how much he is promoting it... he intends only his own security... and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.

Adam Smith

The Wealth of Nations

Buy The Wealth of Nations Books 4-5 at Amazon Buy The Wealth of Nations Books 4-5 at Amazon
Read The Wealth of Nations at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Invisible hand Self-interest Unintended consequences

Author

Adam Smith
Source
The Wealth of Nations
Genre
Economic literature
Language
English
Time
1776 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. Vol. 2, London: W. Strahan and T. Cadell 1776, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Current Citation

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations, edited by Edwin Cannan. The Modern Library, 2000, bk. 4, ch. 2.

Another quote about Power

Power is the great aphrodisiac.

Henry Kissinger

Read this quote at the New York Times
More information about this quote
Topic
Attraction Power

Author

Henry Kissinger
Source
The New York Times
Medium
Newspaper
Language
English
Time
1971 1970s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Kissinger, Henry. Quoted in "Foreign Policy: Kissinger at Hub." Written by Hedrick Smith. The New York Times, 19 Jan. 1971.

Another quote from the following genre Political speech

The ballot is stronger than the bullet.

Abraham Lincoln

Read Lincoln's Lost Speech at Project Gutenberg
More information about this quote
Topic
Voting Political theory
Speaker
Abraham Lincoln
Source
Lost Speech
Medium
Speech
Genre
Political speech
Language
English
Time
1856 1850s 19th century
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Lost Speech." Anti-Nebraska Bloomington Convention, First Republican State Convention of Illinois. 29 May 1856, Major's Hall, Bloomington, IL, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Speech at Bloomington, Illinois, May 29, 1856." Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1832-1858, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher. Library of America, 1989.