Bribery Quotes

“What's the n-never-fail universal apology?"

"'I was badly misinformed, I deeply regret the error, go fuck yourself with this bag of money.”
― Scott Lynch, The Republic of Thieves

“Before a Cat will condescend
To treat you as a trusted friend,
Some little token of esteem
Is needed, like a dish of cream;
And you might now and then supply
Some caviare, or Strassburg Pie,
Some potted grouse, or salmon paste —
He's sure to have his personal taste.
(I know a Cat, who makes a habit
Of eating nothing else but rabbit,
And when he's finished, licks his paws
So's not to waste the onion sauce.)
A Cat's entitled to expect
These evidences of respect.
And so in time you reach your aim,
And finally call him by his name.”
― T.S. Eliot, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

“You don't necessarily need atomic bombs to destroy a nation. Politicians who value their pockets than the life of citizens always do that every day.”
― Israelmore Ayivor, Leaders' Ladder

“How is a magician to exist without books? Let someone explain that to me. It is like asking a politician to achieve high office without the benefit of bribes or patronage.”
― Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

“To the goats, all people are equal, except for those who have treats.”
― Karin Tidbeck, Sing

“Leaders say "no" to corruption. Anyone playing a role in governance, and is not ready to do this is not a leader.”
― Israelmore Ayivor, Leaders' Ladder

“Expanding the competitions’ “dirty bike” or ‘dirty ball” corruption reveals a mirror of society. If politicians deviate from their honest cause into bribery, if art turns into a battle of greed or consumerism, and truth becomes post-truth, the integrity erodes desperately, values are sacrificed at the altar of vainglory, and the moral compass is in a complete mess.
(“The dirty bike")”
― Erik Pevernagie

“But in Africa bureaucrats are usually too proud to accept a bribe, something I admire when I'm not the one being arrested.”
― Tahir Shah, In Search of King Solomon's Mines

“The US has a severe democracy deficit. Indeed, former President Jimmy Carter opined in July of 2015"..."that America is no longer a democracy, but rather, 'an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or being elected president. And the same thing applies to governors, and US Senators and congress members.”
― Dan Kovalik, The Plot to Scapegoat Russia: How the CIA and the Deep State Have Conspired to Vilify Russia

“bribery: (n.) invisible grease that makes politics go round and round.”
― Sol Luckman, The Angel's Dictionary

“Accuracy of economics can be improved if economists consider the contribution of corruption to inflation.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“At this point I realised what it meant to be a man in India. It meant knowing what one could do and knowing what one could only get done. It meant being able to hold onto two patterns simultaneously. One was methodical, hierarchical, regulated and the outcome depended on fate, chance, kings and desperate men. The other was intuitive, illicit and guaranteed. The trick was to know when to shift between the patterns, to peel the file off a table and give it to a peon, to speak easily of one's cousin the minister or archbishop. I did not think I would ever know what these shifts entailed, and that meant, in essence, that I was never going to grow up.”
― Jerry Pinto, Em and The Big Hoom

“In Nigeria, if you live long enough, you will see your heroes turn to villains. Nobody is totally sane till the end; almost everyone can be bought at the right price.”
― Olawale Daniel

“I have often noticed that a bribe has that effect. It changes a relation. The man who offers a bribe gives away a little of his own importance; the bribe, once accepted, he becomes the inferior, like a man who has paid for a woman.”
― Graham Greene

“The best time to fight corruption was ages ago, the next best time is now.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“To curb corruption one must be courageous to confront and complain against the corrupt.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“Bribing was a subtle and even gracious art. It was considered in better taste to bribe indirectly. For example, one could offer a generous donation to a 'charitable' cause, chaired by the official's wife; or sell him a piece of property at a fraction of its actual value; or buy something from him (e.g. a painting) for a sum far in excess of its value.”
― Richard Pipes, Russia Under the Old Regime

“To do good, you are forced to bribe and to be good, you are forced to donate”
― P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar

“If Finn Toller had in his nervous organisation anything resembling what in popular parlance is called a "complex," such a "complex" consisted in the idea—almost, although not quite, a complete illusion—that people were continually wanting to bribe him to commit some murder.”
― John Cowper Powys, A Glastonbury Romance

“The best jobs in town are reserved for the politician’s distant cousins.”
― Michael Bassey Johnson, Before You Doubt Yourself: Pep Talks and other Crucial Discussions

“You are a corrupt mind if what you say publicly doesn't matches with what you say privately.”
― Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words

“When someone pays you to vote for them. They are actually buying you out of power. Once they win the elections. You won't have power to do or to say anything, because you would have traded your voice, rights and power , by that time they gave you money. They can do and say as they please . You can't object. They bought that power and bought it from you. So they own you.”
― De philosopher DJ Kyos

“As the red dragon flies over the pacific, cradles of yuan shall soften the fall of many when they seek shelter under the umbrella of friendship.”
― Anthony T. Hincks

“But instead the jury acquitted Aquillius... thanks to the money Aquillius spread among the jurors - essentially using bribe money to bribe his way out of accusations of bribery.”
― Mike Duncan, The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

“They might pay you to vote for them, but having a wrong government in place. You pay it with your life.”
― De philosopher DJ Kyos

“Cash buys compliance.”
― Steven Magee

“Галицька «виборча ковбаса» (Wahlwurst), якою чиновники та поміщики підкуповували селян, навіть увійшла до загальноімперського політичного жаргону. <...> У суспільному житті галицьких українців у цей час з’являється новий персонаж — хрунь. Так називали тих русинів, які свідомо чи легковажно голосували не за власних кандидатів, а за польських, куплялися за «горілку й ковбасу» чи на обіцянки грошової винагороди.”
― Іван Гоменюк, Мурашник. Нотатки на манжетах історії Галичини, Буковини та Закарпаття

“In Nigeria, if you live long enough, you will see your heroes turn into villains. Nobody is totally sane till the end; almost everyone can be bought at the right price.”
― Olawale Daniel

“Every constitution, then, every law naturally expires at the end of 19 years...If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force and not of right...

The people cannot assemble themselves; their representation is unequal and vicious. Various checks are opposed to every legislative proposition. Factions get possession of public councils. Bribery corrupts them. Personal interests lead them astray from the general interests of their constituents; and other impediments arise so as to prove to every practical man that a law of limited duration is much more manageable than one that needs repeal...”
― Thomas Jefferson, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

“These white newspapers, especially in the South, are beginning to write some pretty strong editorials against us and we've only been running two weeks. You know how easy it is to stir up the fanatical element. Before we know it they're liable to get a law passed against us."

“Not if I c’n git to th’ legislature first,” interrupted Johnson. “Yuh know, Ah knows how tuh handle these white folks. If yuh ‘Say it with Bucks’ you c’n git anything yuh want.”
― George S. Schuyler, Black No More