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Famous quote of Giulio Andreotti, an old Italian politician. "Il potere logora chi non ce l'ha" ("Power wears out those who don't have it") Note: the literal
by ithkuil 10y ago
Famous quote of Giulio Andreotti, an old Italian politician.
"Il potere logora chi non ce l'ha"
("Power wears out those who don't have it")
Note: the literal translation is "to wear out", but the phrase "il potere logora" has the equivalent meaning of "the power corrupts", in the sense that it wears out the moral compass.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulio_Andreotti https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giulio_Andreotti
- Angostura 10y agoPerhaps go with 'degrades' which carries both connotations?
- ithkuil 10y agoI used the translation I found in the linked wikipedia article and also the most frequently cited form in the wild. Furthermore 'degrades' can also imply that it demeans a person, strips one's dignity, while recent history shows that Italy is a country where being corrupt does not necessarily make you lose respect and honour (i.e honour != rightfulness).
- Chandler75 10y agouhm well actually, in italian, it means that the power, with all the responsibilities that come with its exercise, is supposed to wear or erode those who must exercise it: but it is actually the opposite, it wears out those who want the power and cannot have it and maybe even those who have to suffer from it. It's an ironic quote from Andreotti.