Quotes from The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński
The best-known quotes from The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński — on power, despotism, fear and collapse. A selection from the report on the court of Haile Selassie I.
Translation note: Unless a published English translator is named, the wording on this page is an editorial translation from Polish and may differ from the authorised English-language edition.
A selection of the best-known quotes from The Emperor by Ryszard Kapuściński — his report on the court of Haile Selassie I and the machinery of despotic power. Quotes on power, fear, flattery and the fall of a system.
📖 See also: The Emperor — summary and analysis · the book’s page
Quotes on power and despotism
“The most important thing is the man, His Imperial Majesty, and everything else can be bought and sold.” — The Emperor
“The vileness of power comes from this: that a small mind is given great possibilities.” — The Emperor
“It is never warm at the summit. Icy gales blow there.” — The Emperor
“Humour is a dangerous form of opposition.” — The Emperor
Quotes on fear and suspicion
“Suspecting everyone is exhausting; you have to trust someone, because you need to rest beside someone.” — The Emperor
“There is no worse combination than weapons, stupidity and fear. You can then expect the very worst.” — The Emperor
“If you sniff hard enough, everything stinks.” — The Emperor
Quotes on revolution and collapse
“No palace ever falls down by itself.” — The Emperor
“There come moments when the smallest event, a mere trifle, some piece of nonsense, will set off a revolution and unleash a war.” — The Emperor
“If a man carrying arms steps a single pace ahead of history, he must perish.” — The Emperor
“The Emperor treated sleep as a system of government.” — The Emperor
See also
source: kapuscinski.info