Does power really corrupt?

[Bontexkenzy]

Power is said to be the ability to control the action of other people around you.when can change the decision of other people using force or negotiations you are are said to powerful.some types of power include,

Physical power (the rock)
Political power (Joe Biden)
Economic power ( Alinko Dangote)
Expert power (Lionel Messi)
Referent power(Nelson Mandela)
Coercive power(Saddam Hussein) etc

Political power is said to be the ability to control people in a country without problem.but too much political power bring about dictators.

There is a popular saying that power corrupt, but absolute power corrupt absolutely.

[Cnut237]

The question is complicated somewhat by the fact that often those who seek power, particularly absolute power, are those who would use it selfishly for their own ends anyway. If someone wants to become an authoritarian dictator, succeeds in becoming one, and then starts to act in a corrupt fashion, we can't really suggest that it was attaining the power that made them behave that way... they were already that sort of person.

[Poker Player]

The question is complicated somewhat by the fact that often those who seek power, particularly absolute power, are those who would use it selfishly for their own ends anyway. If someone wants to become an authoritarian dictator, succeeds in becoming one, and then starts to act in a corrupt fashion, we can't really suggest that it was attaining the power that made them behave that way... they were already that sort of person.

I'm not clear on that, and as you say it's a complicated question. On the one hand I think you are at least partly right, but I also think about the saying: "opportunity makes a thief" which, I think is also at least partly true and I think it is along the same lines of the sentence mentioned above:

There is a popular saying that power corrupt, but absolute power corrupt absolutely.

So it's not all black or white.

[Cnut237]

On the one hand I think you are at least partly right, but I also think about the saying: "opportunity makes a thief" which, I think is also at least partly true

Yes, certainly, it's both, you're right. We are to an extent shaped by our experiences. For example someone who has risen to a position of absolute power might see everyone else as inferior to him*, including those people whom, prior to his reaching that position, he viewed as colleagues and equals. It's both nature and nurture, it's not 'either/or', it's 'and'.



*it always seems to be a 'him'.

[sapnu]

Power is said to be the ability to control the action of other people around you.when can change the decision of other people using force or negotiations you are are said to powerful.some types of power include,

Physical power (the rock)
Political power (Joe Biden)
Economic power ( Alinko Dangote)
Expert power (Lionel Messi)
Referent power(Nelson Mandela)
Coercive power(Saddam Hussein) etc

Political power is said to be the ability to control people in a country without problem.but too much political power bring about dictators.

There is a popular saying that power corrupt, but absolute power corrupt absolutely.

Power poisons the man who has it specially when it is too much. The government has most of the power over a country regardless of what type of government they have. As they get the chance to rule over and manipulate people's mind, it becomes a dessert for them that they always look for. No matter how good of a person a certain individual is, tempation sill come forth towards him and he will soon abuse his power. In any field actually, may it be the politics, sports, science and others, once the power given is already too much, the chances that corruption and greed will always be very high.

[Natsuu]

*it always seems to be a 'him'.

Well, the gap between male politicians to female politicians up to this date is still huge, so the existence of corruption will be more noticeable to male species. In the future where the number of female to male politcians is almost equal or equal, only then we can have a data that will prove if gender is a related for this "CORRUPTION"

[verita1]

It is clear that power leads to corruption, perhaps only a small margin of people with power, especially those in government, are not corrupt.
We need to change the system as corruption is an evil for society that has transcended in time. It is timely for technology to take over for example like the use of AI and blockchain.

Let's take a look at Singapore is one of the least corrupt countries one of the main reasons is that its government team receives high salaries so as not to be bribed.
But not all countries are in a position to pay high salaries to government officials.

[BADecker]

Power doesn't really corrupt. It simply increases the corruption that is already in all people.

[famososMuertos]

Power requires giving up certain moral privileges that not everyone is willing to give up, there is the great difference when you have power for the benefit of the collective and not the individual, a very thin line by the way that allows some with great moral convictions to give in to obtain a power for your own benefit.

All the powers that you mention and that do not necessarily require individual examples, because you can have all of them in a single individual, e.g. You can exercise physical power through third parties, in any case fortunately although the gray area of ​​those who have power in some areas of life allow an imbalance at times, the power that seeks to do good makes the balance.

So individuals, regardless of the field where they work, what really matters is that they exercise their power within the correct moral environment, in that sense to determine if individuals are corrupt because they have certain privileges, physical, economic, political, talented, etc. that they misuse that power for their own benefit regardless of the collective, it cannot be determined so coldly nor can it be generalized, then the result of actions based on the use of that power is what determines whether there is corruption or not, that simple.

[Xinarae*]

People are corrupted by the force of power everything has its source we think that there is a close relationship between the rise of corruption and political malpractice in this country. So there is no reason to think that jihad against corruption will bring special success if it cannot reduce corruption from the political arena people can now openly see the game of money in elections the nexus of corruption is clearly made here everyone is helpless to corruption.

[semobo]

Powerful people has the ability to bring changes into the life of others, very few did that in a good way while all others are bringing changes into their life and destroy the welfare of other people. All those people you gave referenced are started from scratch so its not about power its all about the dedication towards our goal everyday.

[aysg76]

See the main point of concern is that powers come with abilities to use and handle them and if they are dedicated to the rightful owner and don't get into wrong hands then it's all good.

The Rock has gained physical powers with his hard work and gym dedication and he is making use of it by portraying him as action hero in movies and selling products like tequila and underarm music system and making billions but we cannot say him corrupt.

Someone needs to have those powers and you can also have them in any way you discover them but it all comes with responsibility if you take a deep look at it and corruption can ofcourse ruin it in destructive way.Suppose you have political or military powers in your hand as Biden and most powerful economy under your control but your personal benefitting decisions and your corrupt nature could make conditions worst for yourself and your country also.Why under developed or developing countries lag behind major nations in every aspect? Because the powerful people residing there are taking undue advantage of their powers and exercising full control over people's life.Your perception changes everything and if you ever have power that can effect others make best use of it not only for your personal benefits.

[Cnut237]

*it always seems to be a 'him'.

Well, the gap between male politicians to female politicians up to this date is still huge, so the existence of corruption will be more noticeable to male species. In the future where the number of female to male politcians is almost equal or equal, only then we can have a data that will prove if gender is a related for this "CORRUPTION"

I should probably expand on my footnote. I'll start by saying that study after study has shown that innate differences between the male and female brain are either negligible or non-existent.

Obviously it has always been a 'him' because society has always unfairly placed men above women. We are making steps towards equality, but there is still a long way to go. However there is also the fact of societal gender roles. Aggression, ambition, and leadership, the sorts of characteristics that lead someone to want to become powerful, are traditionally expected male characteristics. A woman who is aggressive and ambitious is often seen (or portrayed) as straying beyond her prescribed role, likewise a man who is kind and nurturing.

What I am saying is that if for example we applied positive discrimination such that 50% of politicians are male and 50% female, then I think it would still be overwhelmingly men who become the corrupt autocrats... because of ingrained gender expectation. So it is not enough to apply equality simply in percentage terms, there is still the underlying issue to address: what society expects. I think we are making progress on this as well, but it's not generally as visible.

And personally I believe that someone — regardless of gender — who exhibits the more traditionally female characteristics might make the best leader.

[Masplanc]

Power can only currupt in an atmosphere or state whereby laws fragile. Where nobody is above laws power can't be currupt or abused

[Slow death]

The problem is not in power, before people became powerful they were already corrupt only the positions that somehow give them power facilitates even more the corruption that these people already had before they had this power, look at the example of African leaders , African leaders are corrupt even before they have any power, power only makes corruption easier for African leaders. I've seen this so many times that I should even write a book with infinite pages.

[inoes]

Humans have the nature of wanting to have, feeling dissatisfied, and a place where mistakes lie.  When power moves from one center of power to another autonomous power center and when it is held by greedy humans it will cause damage.
 The Power of Good and corrupt fighting each other.  man chooses which power he wants to win.  Is it the power of good or the power of corrupt.

[Ebede]

When we talk about political power, it carries different things like corruption, sincerity, advantages, disadvantages, Power changes human mentality and it causes quick decision, so everybody can know how to handle he or her own when it comes to their table, basically human being is greedy when it comes in terms of ability to control people and especially monetary aspect of it.

[figliar0]

Power can only currupt in an atmosphere or state whereby laws fragile. Where nobody is above laws power can't be currupt or abused

But laws are created by individuals. Creator of law is always about that law. Isn't it?

[tabas]

Remember the best quote that came from spiderman about power and responsibility. Too much power corrupts, that's true and without a sense of being responsible it destroys those that contain it.

[Shamm]

  I think not all of them corrupted the power they had. But somehow there's some also corrupt because of they are blind of the things and they never think their people grievances and wanted. All people wanted a good rule model who run the Politics that's have a good vision and mission for their country. We all know it's hard to find a noble man or woman to run the Politics but a good thing to do as an individual is never vote buying to avoid regret in the end.