Without the idea of progress life is a corrupting marsh.
Corrupt Quotes
“Corruption continues with us beyond the grave,” She said, “and then plays merry hell with all ideas.” Daphne
Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt… Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves.
Touch but a cobweb in Westminster Hall, and the old spider of the law is out upon you with all his vermin at his heels.
There was never anything by the wit of man so well devised, or so sure established, which in continuance of time hath not been corrupted.
Corruption’s not for modern date; It hath been tried in ev’ry state.
We are born in innocence… Corruption comes later. The first fear is a corruption, the first reaching for a something that defies us. The first nuance of difference, the first need to feel better than the different one, more loved, stronger, richer, more blessed – these are corruptions.
The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered.
Our country is now taking so steady a course as to show by what road it will pass to destruction, to wit: by consolidation (of power) first, and then corruption, its necessary consequence.
In all institutions from which the cold wind of open criticism is excluded, an innocent corruption begins to grow like a mushroom – for example, in senates and learned societies.
