Quotes about corruption
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Georg Forster photo
Lois McMaster Bujold photo

“Such corruption feeds on its own success when it meets no correction.”

Source: World of the Five Gods series, The Hallowed Hunt (2005), Chapter 15 (p. 260)

Cui Jian photo

“I think the biggest enemy in this country is the corruption. I think everybody will - now they learn it.”

Cui Jian (1961) Chinese rock musician of Korean descent

Interview with CNN (2012)

“Democracy in itself does not define or guarantee a free society. History has told many stories of democratic societies that have degenerated into corruption, plunder, and tyranny.”

Richard Ebeling (1950) American economist

“Beware Democracy without Liberty” https://fee.org/articles/beware-democracy-without-liberty/, Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), (April 1, 2005)

Trần Đại Quang photo

“Preventing and fighting corruption and waste is an important, urgent and long-term task of extreme difficulty and complexity. To enhance the efficiency of the work, timely detection, investigation and handling of offences plays a decisive role.”

Trần Đại Quang (1956–2018) 8th President of Vietnam

"Re-elected President Tran Dai Quang gives media interview" in Nhân Dân https://en.nhandan.vn/politics/domestic/item/4492502-re-elected-president-tran-dai-quang-gives-media-interview.html (26 July 2016)

Mwanandeke Kindembo photo

“There is a dire need of the formation of our community. Besides academic education, practical education is also important. Human values can wash away the stigma of corruption.”

Bishop Indrias Rehmat is the new bishop of Faisalabad: We must rienforce education http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Bishop-Indrias-Rehmat-is-the-new-bishop-of-Faisalabad:-We-must-rienforce-education--47433.html (2019)

Jonathan Van Ness photo
Neil H. Jacoby photo

“Payments made to, or extorted by, a corrupt bureaucracy can enable a socially chaotic system to function.”

Neil H. Jacoby (1909–1979) University professor and public servant

Source: Bribery and Extortion in World Business with Peter Nehemkis and Richard Eells (1977), p. 153

Amit Ray photo
Fadzayi Mahere photo

“We were promised change – but corruption and brutality still rule in Zimbabwe.”

Fadzayi Mahere (1985) Zimbabwean lawyer and politician

19 August 2019, The Zimbabwean.</small>
Source: https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2019/08/we-were-promised-change-but-corruption-and-brutality-still-rule-in-zimbabwe/

Émile Banning photo

“A people needs air, broad horizons, an ideal which charms its imagination and makes its heart beat; reduce it to household calculations, to the politics of party interests, it will disintegrate and corrupt itself.”

Émile Banning (1836–1898) academic, civil servant

Source: All the King's Men' A search for the colonial ideas of some advisers and "accomplices" of Leopold II (1853-1892). (Hannes Vanhauwaert), Emile Banning (1836-1898): The Don Quichotte of the ‘liberal civilization’ in Congo, A romantic associate of Leopold II. http://www.ethesis.net/leopold_II/leopold_II.htm#_ftn194 CROKAERT, P. Brialmont, 23.

William Laud photo

“I know the Jesuits are very cunning at these tricks; but if you have no more hold of your printers, than that the press must lie thus open to their corruption.”

William Laud (1573–1645) Archbishop of Canterbury

Source: Letter to William Chillingworth (15 September 1637), quoted in The Works of the Most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, sometime Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Volume V—History of His Chancellorship, &c (1853), p. 184

William Laud photo

“The time was, before this miserable rent in the Church of Christ—which I think no true Christian can look upon but with a bleeding heart—that you and we were all of one belief. That belief was tainted, in tract and corruption of times, very deeply.”

William Laud (1573–1645) Archbishop of Canterbury

Source: A Relation of the Conference betweene William Lawd...and Mr. Fisher the Jesuite (1639), quoted in The Works of the Most Reverend Father in God, William Laud, sometime Lord Archbishop of Canterbury. Volume II: Conference with Fisher (1849), p. 141

Charles Stross photo

“Politics is shit; it corrupts everything it touches, and getting involved in it only leads to misery and dissatisfaction.”

Source: Saturn's Children (2008), Chapter 9, “Coin-Operated Boy” (p. 157)

Michael McFaul photo

“I speak in general. I think that Putin does not understand that criticizing power can help this power. How do we fight corruption in the United States? There are two forces - independent media and powerful opposition party.”

Michael McFaul (1963) American academic and diplomat

"Izvestia Interview with Michael McFaul" in Carnegie Endowment for World Peace https://carnegieendowment.org/2002/05/15/izvestia-interview-with-michael-mcfaul-pub-984 (15 May 2002)

“I always say that not all judges are corrupt there are some of them who labour night and day to give up their best and to make sure that judgments are based on evidence received and the applicable laws.”

Folake Solanke (1932) Nigerian lawyer

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6lqx-jLCac Folake Solanke speaks on the Corruption of Judges in Nigeria.

“If we [lawyers] are corruption-free, the whole country will be corruption-free.”

Folake Solanke (1932) Nigerian lawyer

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/03/kidnap-of-schoolgirls-stop-paying-ransom-to-criminals-solanke-tells-fg/ Folake Solanke in 2021 cautioning lawyers against corruption.

Dora Akunyili photo

“Women tend to be less corrupt and more focused. There are many more great women leaders out there who need to be given a chance.”

Dora Akunyili (1954–2014) Pharmacist and Government Official

Source: https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/private-luncheon-conversation-dr-dora-akunyili-fighting-corruption-drug-markets-and-advancing Dora at a private meeting at the Wilson Centre in 2006.

Oby Ezekwesili photo

“Anyone who wants to tackle corruption must be willing to go all the way. There are no shortcuts.”

Oby Ezekwesili (1963) Nigerian accountant, politician, human rights activist, convener of bring back our girls (Chibok girls) and pres…

Source: https://voices.transparency.org/10-quotes-about-corruption-and-transparency-vol-2-802020c68574 Talks on Corruption and Transparency International.

Oby Ezekwesili photo

“To reduce opportunities for corruption, you do things like structural changes in the economy.”

Oby Ezekwesili (1963) Nigerian accountant, politician, human rights activist, convener of bring back our girls (Chibok girls) and pres…

Source: https://independent.ng/2019debate-30-powerful-quotes-from-oby-ezekwesili-reactions-to-questions/ Oby Ezekwesili's reply to question during 2019 presidential debate.

Ebrahim Raisi photo

“Judiciary ready to help the new government in corruption fight.”

Ebrahim Raisi (1960) Iranian president

Source: 5 August 2021, Speech after oath taking ceremony in Tehran https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/463741/Raisi-officially-takes-oath-of-office-as-Iran-s-president

“I do not want to speculate on whether certain individuals will be called or not, because corruption is not about speculations or expectations. It is more on facts.”

Mohamad Shukri Abdull (1960) about Mohamad Shukri Abdull

Source: Mohd Shukri Abdull (2019) cited in " Whoever is involved in RM90m claim will be called - MACC https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/463574" on Malaysia Kini, 11 February 2019.

Kyle Rittenhouse photo

“I want to be a lawyer. I want to go to law school.
Towards the end of [the] trial I’m like, ‘I want to go against corrupt piece of shit prosecutors like Thomas Binger and put them in their place and make sure they never practice law again.”

Kyle Rittenhouse (2003) former suspect in the killing of two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin

Source: 7 December 2021 video interview https://rumble.com/vqd1hv-kyle-rittenhouse-reveals-he-plans-to-become-a-lawyer.html with Elijah Schaffer and Sydney Watson of Blaze TV reported by Gino Spocchi of The Independent https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/kyle-rittenhouse-blasts-piece-trial-183634529.html

Ben Aaronovitch photo
John McAfee photo

“I am not implying that our entire Government is corrupt. I am saying that it is corrupt to the point that no-one is untouched by it.”

John McAfee (1945) American computer programmer and businessman

Source: on Twitter, 10 Jun 2019

Xiomara Castro photo

“We are going to build a new era. Out with the death squads. Out with corruption. Out with drug trafficking and organized crime. No more poverty and misery. To victory! The people will always be united. Together, we are going to transform this country...”

Xiomara Castro (1959) First Lady of Honduras

speaking November 28, 2021
Quoted in “A Moment of Hope”: Xiomara Castro’s Likely Win in Honduran Election Ends Years of Right-Wing Rule After Coup https://www.democracynow.org/2021/11/30/xiomara_castro_first_woman_president_honduras, Democracy Now!, November 30, 2021

Alfred Austin photo

“Towns can be trusted to corrupt themselves.”

Alfred Austin (1835–1913) British writer and poet

Source: Fortunatus the Pessimist (1892), Abaddon in Act I, sc. iii; p. 22.

John Thomas Flynn photo
John Thomas Flynn photo

“Fascism is a leftist product—a corrupt and diseased offshoot of leftist agitation.”

John Thomas Flynn (1882–1964) American journalist

Source: As We Go Marching (1944), p. 68

Ali Gomaa photo

“Terrorism cannot be born of religion. Terrorism is the product of corrupt minds, hardened hearts, and arrogant egos, and corruption, destruction, and arrogance are unknown to the heart attached to the divine.”

Ali Gomaa (1951) Egyptian imam

"Terrorism Has No Religion" http://theamericanmuslim.org/tam.php/features/articles/terrorism-has-no-religion/0019906, The American Muslim (TAM).

A. C. Grayling photo

“Power’s tendency to corrupt is a function of the work it does in liberating man’s worse characteristics.”

A. C. Grayling (1949) English philosopher

Source: Life, Sex, and Ideas: The Good Life Without God (2002), Chapter 25, “Power” (p. 105)

Maximilien Robespierre photo

“Poverty corrupts the People’s behaviour and degrades its soul; it predisposes it to crime.”

Maximilien Robespierre (1758–1794) French revolutionary lawyer and politician

Robespierre: A Revolutionary life, p.43
Misc Quotes

J.C. Ryle photo

“However corrupt our hearts, and however wicked our past lives, there is hope for us in the Gospel.”

J.C. Ryle (1816–1900) Anglican bishop

Vol. I, Luke V: 12–16, p. 137
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: St. Luke (1858–1859)

Viktor Yanukovych photo

“I may say without exaggeration that this is a revolutionary approach; it is very painful, because this system of permission was the underpinning of the great bureaucratic system on all levels. And that democratic system, a corrupt one, it has been built for years and decades.”

Viktor Yanukovych (1950) Ukrainian politician who was the President of Ukraine

Source: [2011-06-21, В Страсбурге Янукович перепутал демократию с бюрократией, https://focus.ua/politics/190373, 2022-06-12, ФОКУС, ru]

Kim Stanley Robinson photo

“You must be very scrupulous not to gather power in to the center just because you can do it. Power corrupts, that’s the basic law of politics. Maybe the only law.”

Kim Stanley Robinson (1952) American science fiction writer

Source: Blue Mars (1996), Chapter 3, “A New Constitution” (p. 156)

Max Barry photo
Francois Rabelais photo