Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
1. Introduction.
2. Examples in history:
China, Cuba, Soviet Union, French Revolution
3. Examples of today:
Uganda, Sudan and some other countries of Africa.
4. Reasons to power corrupt
5. Conclusion.
Historian Lord Acton warned that power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. This particular statement applies to Individuals. Institutions, and governments, and is as applicable today as it was when he said it In 1887. The word power is often times defined as the possession of control or command over others.
Power is that to which leadership necessarily defaults in the absence of being able to contain and process meaning with others and when oneself Often times when individuals receive power they tend to act an their own selfish needs, and forget about those individuals that they are supposed to help.
In thinking about the quote mentioned earlier, we believe absolute power corrupts absolutely because of all he exampes In history and our modem world. This can be seen in communist countries, African states, and In Soufth American states All communist countries have been affected by corruption in one way or another. Famous examples Include the Soviet Union, Cuba and China. In Africa, corruption and absolute rule is widespread. In places such as Uganda and Sudan
Absolute power and corruption are common In countries with communist governments, to China, there was Mao Zedong who led a revolution to create a better life for the peasants and strengthen China, but instead Killed thousands of Chinese, destroyed much of his peoples culture, and damaged the economy. Mao’s desire for control over people, and his acquisition of it hurt China for years to come.
Likewise in Cuba, Fidel Castro is the communist leader. Castro was bom into the working-class, and was angered by the lack of social justice and all the corruption in the government. He led a revolution, which he won, and set himself up as dictator.
Now Castro restricts freedom of speech and cracks down on any who oppose his rule in order to stay in power. Ultimately, Fidel Castro became the very thing he despised after gaining power. Similarly, in the Soviet Union, Stalin rose to power and killed and deported millions. Stalin was already an immoral person, but used his power as a means to express his corruption. Before Stalin gained power, he didn't have the control over people that is necessary to harm them, so Stalin’s power made him even more corrupt.
Before the French Revolution, one of the greatest rulers of France was Napoleon Bonaparte. He rose to power in the early 1800's, overthrowing the weak French government and proclaiming himself Emperor for life. Napoleon took away many of the people's rights after his rise to power.
Napoleon also manipulated European countries against each other in forceful diplomacy, and fought many wars, simply for more at the expense of his people. Napoleon's absolute power made him eager for conquest and control over all Europe.
In Africa, absolute power governments are found in many countries. In Uganda, Eedi Amin, born into an African tribe, worked his way up through the British-controlled government and Finally lead a revolution.
He then proclaimed himself dictator. Eedi Amin committed many atrocities. He sponsored death squads to kill his enemies, he ordered the deportation of all Asians and whites. In the same way, the Sudan government, which had absolute power killed thousands, committed many human rights violations and persecuted people based on their race or religion. Sudan was struck by civil war and atrocities for decades. Absolute power gives the government the ability to do anything they want for their people, and in this case,what the government does is not for the better.
So why does power corrupt? It corrupts because it gives license to unconsciousness and neglect. It corrupts because it licenses individuals to unilaterally, unreflectively and thus arbitrarily impose their will on others. It licenses individuals to impose their will without having properly engaged and processed through the reality at hand.
Power inflates the ego, and through it, the ego is erroneously led to believe it has the power to make people, ideas and even reality itself disappear without due process. In the big picture, nothing is further from the truth. As stated before, power corrupts because it gives license to unconsciousness in doing this. It not only destroys the growth opportunity of the victim of such imposition, but no less the growth opportunity of the victimizer. Failure to engage another in consciousness, not only does the other individual harm, but it also does serious harm to oneself. For, in both cases, the precious opportunity to extend consciousness by way of self-organizing nature is altogether lost, corrupted.
In conclusion, I truly believe absolute power corrupts absolutely because of all the open examples in history, and in our modern world.
Post a Comment