Publius Cornelius TacitusPublius Cornelius Tacitus, (c.55-c.120 A.D.) Senator and a historian of the Roman Empire

Publius Cornelius Tacitus Quote

“We are corrupted by prosperity. And when the state is corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied.”

Publius Cornelius TacitusPublius Cornelius Tacitus
~ Publius Cornelius Tacitus


Ratings and Comments


anonymous
  • Reply
anonymous    3/21/14

We are corrupted by corruption.

All that other conflation is garbage.

Howard, Bangkok

First half of the quote is BS. The second half is pretty spot on. Corrupt states, yes I know I repeat myself, will have a lot of laws.

jim k, austin tx

Howard , Bangkok, summed it up well. The love of money is second to the lack of money as the root of all evil.

bruski, naples FL

Our Founders knew this and knew it well.

Keep 'em coming and thank you,

Cheers,

b

Walter Clark, Fullerton CA

You guys are right. This is bullshit. Maybe something was lost in translation. How about this as an improvement:
Humans are corrupted by prosperity. The more prosperous the state, the more corrupted its laws.

Mike, Norwalk

I'm with Howard, the first half is reconstituted alfalfa from the bull. Possibly the love of wealth or prosperity's perception may cause corruption, possibly more often than not ? When the state is corrupt, then the laws are most multiplied is absolutely correct, as exemplified by the United Socialists of Amerika (U.S.A.)

Ron w13, Or

This quote does have a sting ! The point is well made. With prosperity comes contempt for the poor and needy. The poor and needy you have always. Riches breed false securities, perpetuating the need for more laws to protect the wealthy. Capitalistic ways wish no hindering of their prosperity. Their false security, is made evident, by their contempt for the poor and needy. Mercy and compassion tempers wealth and the distribution of substance needed. The king is served by the field. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Prov 21:13
Fifty years after the revolution, materialism through prosperous times, had taken such a hold on the nation, they lost sight of what the fight was all about.

E Archer, NYC

A bit too altruistic for me. Not sure if 'prosperity' is the right world -- I would say we are corrupted by 'entitlement.' When there is prosperity without the hard work that comes with it, we essentially are living in a dream world. There's nothing wrong with prosperity -- should we not prosper? What corrupts the state is unchecked power.

Ron w13, Or

Entitlement, my what ever, If it were not for the fact that pulling the workers from what feeds them, was to some ones advantage, they would have left them alone !!! Kiss my common sense. Corrupting the local fauna is greed. Hoping to perfect some notion of your on imagination. Had a glass of wine Archer ? Please! These are hard times, There are only two types on the planet, care givers and patients.

Abby
  • 1
  • Reply
Abby    1/2/24

Makes sense...and we see it playing out with Biden's current blast of new laws.

Fredrick William Sillik, Anytown

More of a profit margin is  maybe what is referring as a corrupting influencer, not prosperity, because prosperity is not being guided by superficial laws, but by principle.

@

Get a Quote-a-Day!

Liberty Quotes sent to your mail box daily.