This quote makes a strong argument that it's not simply having authority that leads to wrongdoing, but the underlying fear of losing that power or the fear of others that makes people act unjustly. It shifts the blame from power itself to the insecurity associated with it.
Quote by Aung San Suu Kyi: “It is not power that corrupts, but fear.”
It is not power that corrupts, but fear.
Insight
Historical Context
Suu Kyi was analyzing the dynamics of authoritarian rule in Myanmar, suggesting that the military regime's oppressive actions stemmed from a deep-seated fear of its own people and of losing control, rather than power for its own sake.
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Burmese politician and former State Counsellor of Myanmar who led the National League for Democracy and spent years under house arrest for her pro-democracy activism. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Her later years were marked by international controversy over her response to the Rohingya crisis.
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