Corrupt men are always liars. Lies are their instruments, their pleasure, their solace. In time they come to believe their lies, or rather to half-be…

- Robert Payne

Historically the first philosopher to enquire deeply into the nature of corruption in society was Ibn Khaldun (1322-1406), whose wandering life was l…

- Robert Payne

It is no more rational to have lawyers in positions of power than it would be to have garbage collectors in positions of power. And in human terms ga…

- Robert Payne

The small Hitlers are around us every day.

- Robert Payne

Corruption appears to be a universal phenomenon that lays its own imperious claims on the world, and therefore it is the duty of all nations to prepa…

- Robert Payne

A nation's wealth is too serious a matter to be left to the wealthy. The riches of a nation belong to all, to be shared among all for the general wel…

- Robert Payne

Fragmentation occurs when a civilization is in decline.

- Robert Payne

Naked power has its limitations, since power is a generator of corruption and corruption in its turn tends to dilute the effectiveness of power.

- Robert Payne

The corrupt man is nearly always rootless, deeply aware of his rootlessness.

- Robert Payne