Logo - Feel The Words

Great Evil Quotes

Power, corruption and consequence

These great evil quotes weigh how power and ambition curdle into corruption, echoing timeless questions of Morality in public life.

Another great evil arising from this desire to be thought rich; or rather, from the desire not to be thought poor, is the destructive thing which has been honored by the name of 'speculation'; but which ought to be called...

Quotes by William Cobbett

I never gave it that much thought to pursue acting or anything, but I would definitely be a Bond girl if they asked me. For sure - I would make a great evil Bond girl!

Quotes by Lara Stone

The most cogent reason for restricting the interference of government is the great evil of adding unnecessarily to its power.

Quotes by John Stuart Mill

I will not attempt to show that it would be a great evil to increase the patronage of the Executive. It is already enormously great, as every man of every party must acknowledge, if he would candidly express his sentiments.

Quotes by John C. Calhoun

Consequence Quotes

I think shareholders are the great evil of this modern world.

Quotes by Chris Martin

The great evil of American slavery was involuntary servitude or forced labor. I really believe that the true evil of American slavery was the narrative of racial difference that we created to justify it.

Quotes by Bryan Stevenson

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these great evil quotes focus on?
Most of these quotes examine great evil in the context of government power and unchecked ambition, warning that unnecessary growth in authority carries real risk. They frame restraint as a safeguard against corruption rather than describing any specific regime.
Are these quotes about real historical events?
Some reference general historical debates over executive power and patronage, describing these as long-standing concerns rather than commentary on one leader or party. The tone stays factual and cautionary throughout.
Is there a lighter quote among these?
Yes - one comes from an actor joking about wanting to play a villainous role in a film franchise, showing the phrase can also describe playful fiction, not just serious wrongdoing.
How does greed connect to great evil in these quotes?
One quote ties the fear of being seen as poor to speculative excess, suggesting that the desire to appear wealthy can quietly feed corrupt behavior.
What broader themes pair well with this topic?
Readers who enjoy this page often explore Consequence quotes, since both collections examine how actions and unchecked power eventually catch up with people.

Read on for reflections on the ongoing Struggle between restraint and unchecked authority, and the darker consequences that follow.