Topic: Does power really corrupt? - page 3. (Read 1185 times)

Yes I agree with you, people tend to be very humble when they have  nothing but when they have power and money you see the true colour in them, so I agree with you. That is why you don't need to judge people that they are good when they have nothing.  You can only know the real person when they have access to power and money.  Power and money gives people authority to do whatever they like to do.

Not necessarily. Blessed are the people living under the command of a wise impartial sovereign having supreme authority in his domain. One who is strong and wise. But finding such as divine being as an Absolute Monarch/Emperor/Dictator is a rare historical event.

Power corrupts but it depends on the person mindset is, if an individual is ben given much power to do what he or she wants, you will notice that different things will start happening at the same, the power will be misused against the people that entrusted such power to the person, political misuse of power has been the world current problem, the politician now see power as the ability to control people with which ever means irrespective of the effect on the people the are ruling it doesn't matter, the world is face with leader that has turn their face against the electorate for selfish reasons, African has suffered so much in the hands of their leaders and calls for urgent attention from the international community though every country has their personal problems but but Africans problems is nothing to write home about, African president decides everything that happens no one has the right to tell them anything, if you try to do it, you will be caused of financial misappropriation in other to tarnish your image. 

According to one time president of Nigeria and he said , "power is sweet". Meaning he was using absolute power over the people and in a democratic setting, the president must not use absolute power over the people and instead he would use devolution of power. And where there is a country there must be a power and that power must come from politics which must me given to him by "the physical power, economy power, experts power, referent power and the coercive power". All those powers are control by the political power although the economic power is much more powerful than the political power but the economic power is also obey some of the instructions from the political power. Economic power and the political power are working together for the benefits of themselves. And with that power is really absolutely corrupt.

And why power is corrupt is that when the leaders have given the opportunity to rule they over use the power to do things which is not good for the citizens. They bring policies that would only benefits the leaders and not for the for masses. They would used it to do and undo. They use force to acquire things that belongs to the people. And this can come a very good example in Nigeria. Those who own the crude oil in the Niger Delta are more poorer than those who are far the oil producing communities. The Northern people who control the State government control the crude oil which very far from them but they used the corrupt power to acquire the wealth. The real democracy is not found in any of the African countries.

I partially agree with you, there has been honest people and leaders who were raised with a certain way and even after acquiring much power within their respective societies, they did not behave in a wrong way and did not allow themselves to be corrupted, they never forgot the duty they had for the people of their nation. The first and most representative example when comes to my mind is Abraham Lincoln.

On the other hand, history has also offered some examples to us of people who allowed themselves to be embedded and corrupted by the power it has placed onto them, for example, there were several Roman Emperors who abused their position to commit atrocities against citizens of the empire. Have you ever read about the roman emperor Caligula? It is really worth your time to take a look at it of you ever have time and wish to learn of what absolute power can do to the morals and the attitude of a man.

I don't think that power really corrupt people, it is the people who shows their true color after getting the power.
People could say that money or power changed people and yes it does, it changed how they hide their true personality when they have or don't have power.
I am not saying that are like this there are some who would stay the same even if they gain power or money.

Power is something that can control man if man is not careful,  it gives boldness and confidence to do whatever thing whether call it political power, financial power. For people who are already have power they need to be conscious of themselves because power is what some people get drunk of it when they have  it, they abuse it to oppress people.  The essence of power is not to oppress people but to help people who are voiceless,  people who needs help.

Yes power corrupts all forms of power not just political power when someone arrogate power to him/her self pride comes in and then the urge to acquire more creeps in and then corruption comes in

it’s more of controlling than forcing they blackmail people who are less powerful than they are they bribe or pay them with money usually acquired through illegal means sometimes even worse they threaten them with life and death

Excess power can corrupt our mindset that is why we need to make sure that we do the right thing so that we can stay humble at most.
There are many people that were humble and loyal before their masters but immediately they get power, they will start feeling like they have arrived and no one has the right to challenge them. There are many things we need to understand about power or else we might miss the track. We should always be conscious on how to do things because power can change the way we think and do things.

Everyone in power in the country I live in is corrupt, forcing those who are not corrupt to be. The ruling political figures of our country are so powerful that for more than a century people have suffered under a single rule. Their power is so corrupt that they are elected without opposition and come to power. Their rule is rampant corruption, lack of transparency and characterized by the persecution of dissent. The media is often censored and critical voices are silenced. The judiciary is also not independent and often works in the interests of the ruling party. Citizens have no courage to agitate and protest to demand change, accountability from their political leaders.

I love this; this statement is simple and mighty. Power always comes with energy that brings out the true selves of those who possess it.

This is for the many but not for all. There are people that even you give them power, they won't change and won't abuse but these guys are rare nowadays.

Most of these powers are in the politics and whoever are in the position will definitely enjoy the power or privilege that they'll get.

That's why politics suck and all of the people that are elected that don't deserve on it because they are just power hungry officials.s

Does power really corrupt?  The answer is No, power does not corrupt a person it only helps in showcasing and visuallng the real character of that person. Some may say as well say that "Money corrupts" but for me personally I don't believe that.
I believe every body has this corrupt behavior which they just require power to operate in. We should know corruption starts from the mind and one's the mind gets corrupt then everything he does lyes into corruption, some may tend to hide it for a while but definitely after getting what he/she wants then you see the real version of that person.

Another is power is a good thing and everyone wants power whereelse many things are involved before getting into power, who doesn't have the mind to compete for power by playing the cards well always end up loosing.

No matter how cool, godly, or respectful a human being can be, when power is given to him or her, it intoxicates them in a way you never can imagine. Take for instance a prefect position given to a college student. How he behaves with such a small position given to him to rule over others. You will see a bully and commanding spirit in him as young as he is.

It is no longer a new thing that power intoxicates almost everyone irrespective of age, beliefs, or background. Power has made people exercise and abuse it over others and in the same manner, have internal and external enemies for themselves as they tussle for power making them forget why they are called to serve the people not to fight or act badly over their subjects

Power corrupts people extreme power corrupts the extreme. Because of the close relationship between power and corruption we are usually desperate for power. One of the many motives for gaining power is corruption because of this close relationship between power and corruption has become our walking culture in our daily life when the employer cannot pay enough to meet the needs employees or officials can get involved in corruption basic needs are directly related to money.

The saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, is very correct, because the desire to control others is part of human nature. Everybody is humble until you put them in power or they rise to position of power, this is when that part of human nature that tends to control others will begin to manifest. And as absolute power is atained, the desire to control will become absolute, anybody that stands in the way becomes an enemy that should be crushed. It'll take great efforts and high discipline to do away with this natural desire to control.

One of the reasons why you'll agree that it's human nature to control others is where you have a powerful leader that controls his subjects, his subordinates will have the desire to usurp him and take over power to continue  the control of others. Even the critics of the regime, when given the opportunity to be in power might be worse off than their predecessor. So it takes exceptional integrity to be in power and not abuse it.

In every 100 power will corrupt 99. You will not know until you are given the power.

Yeah. If someone is already corrupted, there is no way that person will be a good person, whether in office or as a traditional ruler, because he has poisoned his mind with bad character and can’t be faithful to people around them.


Not everyone is corrupted from the beginning, but there are people who are corrupted due to the work they do there when someone comes to meet you and buys a job. What I mean is that when someone pays for a job that you give, and that is how they usually do it, you too if you go there. Toh may follow the train and do the same. However, money changes people. Some people have intentions of doing good to people, but when they get to some certain position in life, they change because of money. They don’t want to help the poor, which I can also call corrupt. If someone is not helping people, he rules till they pay money before he does something for them. Definitely, that person is corrupt, and most of this happens due to a change in environment.

Imagine having superpowers, for instance, I only wonder how I will feel and what I will be able to accomplish since power, whether it be in politics or even in an office, can be abused and result in a lot of enemies if it is not used carefully. Powerful people nowadays want to be revered simply because they are wealthy. you even need to see how people surround their self with them just because of favor. and I will end it with what you said that power is for God.