Quotes about power
213 quotes from 148 people
In a battle between force and an idea, the latter always prevails.
Ludwig von Mises1881–1973Liberalism (1927), Ch. 1: The Foundations of Liberal Policy § 10. The Argument of Fascism- Ludwig von Mises1881–1973Planned Chaos (1947), reprinted as the Epilogue to Socialism (1951 ed.)
Benito Mussolini1883–1945“The Doctrine of Fascism”, June 1932. Quoted in Paul O’Brien, Mussolini in the First World War: The Journalist, the Soldier, the Fascist. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014
Napoleon1769–1821Political Aphorisms, Moral and Philosophical Thoughts (1848), p. 248- Napoleon1769–1821Memoirs of Napoleon (1829-1831)
- Napoleon1769–18213 September 1816. Quoted in Napoleon at St Helena, John Stevens Cabot Abbott, pg 375.
A king is sometimes obliged to commit crimes; but they are the crimes of his position.
Napoleon1769–1821Political Aphorisms, Moral and Philosophical Thoughts (1848)I never was truly my own master but was always ruled by circumstances.
Napoleon1769–1821Conversation with Emmanuel, comte de Las Cases (11 November 1816), Mémorial de Sainte Hélène, v. 4, p. 133.
Reinhold Niebuhr1892–1971Moral Man and Immoral Society (1932), p.3- Reinhold Niebuhr1892–1971Moral Man and Immoral Society (1932), pp. 8-9
What is happiness? The feeling that power is growing, that resistance is overcome.
Friedrich Nietzsche1844–1900The Antichrist (1895), Aphorism 2- Friedrich Nietzsche1844–1900The Antichrist (1895), Aphorism 2
- Friedrich Nietzsche1844–1900The Will to Power (1888), Book 1, sec. 55 (10 June 1887)
- POP. J. O'Rourke1947–2022Parliament of Whores (1991)
Real power means you can get what you want without having to exert violence.
Barack Obamaborn 1961In late January 2016, as quoted in “The Obama Doctrine” by Jeffrey Goldberg, in The Atlantic (April 2016)