Thread: Does power corrupt or is it the quest for power that corrupts

Lord Acton once cautioned that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". The questions for me, are these: Does the simple fact that one has power over others corrupt, or is it the things that people do to obtain and hold power which are the corrupting factors? Is corruption inherent and inevitable in the acquisition and maitnenance of power?

I think you're probably corrupted by whatever indefensible actions you take in your grappling for power...and then that power is corrupted absolutely when you're already broken morality is guide only by your arbitrary whims.

Originally Posted by Shadowman

I think you're probably corrupted by whatever indefensible actions you take in your grappling for power...and then that power is corrupted absolutely when you're already broken morality is guide only by your arbitrary whims.

So you are saying that it is the things we do to attain power and to keep it which corrupt us, rather than power itself being the corrupting factor. Is it possible to maintain power, and defend it against immoral use, without becoming corrupted?

That would assume that power itself is not corrupt, and I'm not so quick to defend the purity of power.

Originally Posted by johnlocke

So you are saying that it is the things we do to attain power and to keep it which corrupt us, rather than power itself being the corrupting factor. Is it possible to maintain power, and defend it against immoral use, without becoming corrupted?

Hmm...that's a tough one. There have been people in history who have achieve power but who's overriding goals seemed to be the benefit of their nation or people. Queen Elizabeth, Emperor Constantine, Peter the Great, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, etc. It's likely all of them compromised themselves in some ways in their bid for power, and undoubtedly did wretched things while in power...but perhaps they all had a stong enough moral rectitude and compassion for their people to overcome the corrupting influence of power.

Originally Posted by Shadowman

Hmm...that's a tough one. There have been people in history who have achieve power but who's overriding goals seemed to be the benefit of their nation or people. Queen Elizabeth, Emperor Constantine, Peter the Great, Abraham Lincoln, FDR, etc. It's likely all of them compromised themselves in some ways in their bid for power, and undoubtedly did wretched things while in power...but perhaps they all had a stong enough moral rectitude and compassion for their people to overcome the corrupting influence of power.

So you are saying that power does, in fact corrupt?

Originally Posted by Sparta

That would assume that power itself is not corrupt, and I'm not so quick to defend the purity of power.

Is power, in and of itself, moral or immoral?

Originally Posted by johnlocke

So you are saying that power does, in fact corrupt?

I suppose I am saying that power does corrupt. Human beings are so easily corrupted by the smallest of means, but give them power and the corruption tends to be thorough and great. The knowledge that their decisions can be made manifest by their words can be so overwhelmingly intoxicating that it's becomes a very clear road to hell.

Does the simple fact that one has power over others corrupt,

Power is corruption when one is elevated above others corruption or abuse of that power in one form or another is always the end result.

Originally Posted by johnlocke

Is power, in and of itself, moral or immoral?

I would lean toward immoral in the sense that it's unnatural to hold power over anything beyond oneself, the very notion of power implys an imposition of will.