It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power… — Aung San Suu Kyi | Printable Wall Art

“It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it.”

Words by Aung San Suu Kyi (1945-) — Burmese pro-democracy leader and Nobel laureate.

About this quote

This quote re-evaluates the famous idea that power corrupts, pointing instead to anxiety as the true culprit. It suggests that leaders compromise their morals not simply because they hold authority, but because they dread losing it. The anxiety of defeat drives people to protect their status at any cost, showing that moral decay stems from insecurity rather than strength.

The line comes from Aung San Suu Kyi's famous essay Freedom from Fear, written in 1990 while she was under house arrest in Burma. It was later published in her 1991 collection of the same title.

People often hang this in a home office or study as a reminder to lead with integrity and calm composure.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
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Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.