Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
Throughout history the argument of power falling hand in hand with corruption has been brought to our attention in devastating scenes of destruction, turmoil and moments which will never be forgotten. But do these moments conclude that power eventually leads to corruption? Are there events over the past 100 years or more which argue this fact? In this essay I will discuss my own opinion on this topic looking at crucial figure heads in history, Hitler, Gandhi and more recent activities within politics. I will also explore the opinions of noted writers on this subject focusing on “Animal Farm” by George Orwell among other things which highlight my debate.
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” is a famous statement from historian and moralist John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton. Power is simply defined as “the ability to make choices or influence outcomes, which is also power held by a person or group of people in a society”. Nowhere in the definition of power does corruption come into question. So where has this idea come from? Who or what events have arisen which make us associate corruption with power? I will firstly look at the thoughts of George Orwell in his book “Animal Farm”
Animal Farm was published in 1945. The book is in keeping with Orwell’s experiences with the NKVD during the Spanish Civil War and is concerned with events leading up to and during the Joseph Stalin era. Animal Farm resembles the Russian revolution but it is also resemblant of all political revolutions where the idea of justice and equality and being tested.
To discuss Animal Farm, would mean getting into the story in great detail which I think is unnecessary and irrelevant to the topic of this essay. I will try my best to highlight the issues which Animal Farm relates to in regard to power and corruption.
The book is a chronicle in which animals play the roles of the
Throughout history the argument of power falling hand in hand with corruption has been brought to our attention in devastating scenes of destruction, turmoil and moments which will never be forgotten. But do these moments conclude that power eventually leads to corruption? Are there events over the past 100 years or more which argue this fact? In this essay I will discuss my own opinion on this topic looking at crucial figure heads in history, Hitler, Gandhi and more recent activities within politics. I will also explore the opinions of noted writers on this subject focusing on “Animal Farm” by George Orwell among other things which highlight my debate.
“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” is a famous statement from historian and moralist John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton. Power is simply defined as “the ability to make choices or influence outcomes, which is also power held by a person or group of people in a society”. Nowhere in the definition of power does corruption come into question. So where has this idea come from? Who or what events have arisen which make us associate corruption with power? I will firstly look at the thoughts of George Orwell in his book “Animal Farm”
Animal Farm was published in 1945. The book is in keeping with Orwell’s experiences with the NKVD during the Spanish Civil War and is concerned with events leading up to and during the Joseph Stalin era. Animal Farm resembles the Russian revolution but it is also resemblant of all political revolutions where the idea of justice and equality and being tested.
To discuss Animal Farm, would mean getting into the story in great detail which I think is unnecessary and irrelevant to the topic of this essay. I will try my best to highlight the issues which Animal Farm relates to in regard to power and corruption.
The book is a chronicle in which animals play the roles of the