"Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases."

Character

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Insight & Reflection

When John Adams speaks about character, it invites us to pause and reflect on our own journey. How often do we consider the subtle impacts of character in our daily lives? This thought-provoking perspective challenges conventional wisdom and encourages a deeper understanding of ourselves.

About John Adams

John Adams was a Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain. During the latter part of the Revolutionary War and in the early years of the new nation, he served the Continental Congress of the United States as a senior diplomat in Europe. Adams was the first vice president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with contemporaries, including his wife and advisor Abigail Adams and his friend and rival Thomas Jefferson.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by John Adams

"There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty."

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"The Declaration of Independence I always considered as a theatrical show. Jefferson ran away with all the stage effect of that... and all the glory of it."

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More about Character

"It is a enduring truth that the moral compass points true only when freed from the magnetism of personal gain."

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"It is not true that suffering ennobles the character happiness does that sometimes, but suffering for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive."

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