Why Do People Abuse Power

“All power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” is a quote from Lord John Dalberg-Acton, explaining that any amount of power can corrupt the mind, but absolute power will take over. This is represented throughout history: in politics, monarchies and times like the french revolution. Many writers have used this theme in their works. One work that includes this theme is William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The play Macbeth follows Macbeth, a brave warrior as he gains power from his deeds both good and bad. By killing the Duncan, the former king, Macbeth rises to power and takes control of his country. With every bit of power that the Macbeth’s gain, they become more and more corrupt.

When used incorrectly, power can have harmful effects on the lives of many people, and can lead to atrocious decisions. The term power hungry is used to

People who have power can have negative effects on others because they can be intolerant and dangerous. Power may seem like a good thing, but I can promise you it’s not.

If you have ever read the book The Crucible, then you should know that some people abuse their power. Some people abuse their power simply because they like to be in control. A perfect example of a person that abuses their power is Abigail Williams. She used her power for evil and for vengeance, she was jealous of Elizabeth Proctor because Abigail was in love with John Proctor, Elizabeth’s husband.

Power is not inherently a bad tool, but it is when it is placed into the wrong hands. When or if it is placed in the wrong hands, it can corrupt the holder. Even if they do not have bad intentions, the power may corrupt them into using it for bad intentions. The quote stated by Machiavelli, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” is true because too much power can corrupt an individual’s thoughts and this can be proved through the book One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest written by Ken Kesey, and also the “Stanford Prison Experiment” which was conducted by Philip Zimbardo.

Power is more corruptive than powerlessness. I have come to this belief throughout my studies. The corruption of power can be seen in historically based literature, as well as psychological studies. Stanford Prison experiment exemplifies power corrupting because an experiment is the basis for scientific proof.

A lot of people have proven that power creates a big difference in a society. Individuals can come together and abuse it. Power is what makes people feel superior to others. Power has a negative effect on others because people with power control people and treat those beneath them with contempt.

This is shown in many places throughout history and recreated in fiction. Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night gives an example of abuse of power when Franek, the foreman of the depot Wiesel worked in, used his authority to bully Wiesel into giving him his gold crown by attacking his father. “This went on for two weeks. It was untenable. We had to give in. That day, Franek burst into savage laughter.” (pg 56) Franek knew that he could target Wiesel’s father without getting in trouble, so he was able to get what he wanted by the use of his power. Lord of the Flies by William Golding also shows how power corrupts people. When Jack became the chief of his own group, he and his accomplice, Roger, gained almost complete power over the boys on the island. They were able to do what they pleased, including hurting other people. “The chief snatched one of the few spears that were left and poked Sam in the ribs… The prodding became rhythmic. Sam yelled… Roger edged past the chief, only just avoiding pushing him with his shoulder. The yelling ceased, and Samneric lay looking up in quiet terror. Roger advanced upon them as one wielding a nameless authority.” (pg 182) Jack and Roger used their power over other boys to scare SamnEric into joining their “tribe”. Similarly to Franek, Jack and Roger inflict physical harm upon others to get their way, proving that those in power become abusive of their lack of

As defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, power is the “possession of control, authority, or influence over others”. Power is frankly quite powerful when held in the hands of one person. It can cause a divide amongst families, countries, or even society for that matter. What really lies behind the true meaning of power is how it affects people, either negatively or positively. This ultimately causes people to feel differently depending on what is put into place by the one who holds the authority. Power can always be corrupt in many types of ways, but it can be more harmful to some than others and therefore does not affect everyone equally.

The Effect of Abused Power In Society Sylvester Stallone once said that “The biggest and most interesting crisis in the world is the human crisis, and it never gets boring. It goes back to Shakespeare. You don't need a gimmick; it's just man against man and their intolerance of each other”. Stallone tells us that when a conflict comes up there is a crisis where man fights each other. Man has to take responsibility in order to keep the innocent safe from the wrongful.

Power is a very valuable thing, which most people seek. However, power can be used in different ways, which reflects the future outcome. If power is twisted and taken into the wrong hands, it will lead to an unfortunate outcome. In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows that no matter how pure one’s intentions, power ultimately leads to corruption.

The statement, “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely”, simply means that the more power one has – the more control one has over people – then the more corrupt it is possible for that person to become. This statement is certainly correct if the person with the power has certain proclivities towards corruption. There are many examples in the book, “Animal Farm”, by George Orwell, of power corrupting those in charge because they had these tendencies. In the story, the most powerful animals are the two pigs, Napoleon and, to a lesser degree, Snowball. During the course of the story these pigs used their power to get more power, and in the process their inclinations towards corruption triumphed. When Old Major, the boar who came

A specific example is Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, used his power to affect someone’s life negatively. That someone is Ezekiel Elliott, he was suspended from the NFL by Goodell for six games causing Elliott to go through stress and depression. This shows us that Goodell making this decision caused someone else’s life to take a negative turn. This also shows that Roger Goodell is abusing his power after suspending Elliott because he doesn’t know if he did what he was charged for. Jerry Jones, Ezekiel Elliott’s owner, made a statement saying "We've given (Goodell) a lot of power. I think we need checks and balance of ownership to be in a position to not just suggest, but approve his decisions." This proves as well shows for his using his power like that presents the fact that power can have a negative

Power is defined as “the possession of control or command over others; authority...” (Dictionary.com), and all people have power, whether they notice it or not. Though some employ their power for respectable reasons, often times power is not used in honorable ways. The matter of abuse of authority is prevalent in the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck illustrates that those who have power abuse it exceedingly often, as shown by Curley attacking countless others, including Lennie, a mentally disabled man, Curley’s wife mistreating the men of the ranch, and Curley’s wife making demeaning comments about Crooks, the African American stable buck.

During the era of his reign, Napoleon Bonaparte was a well renowned military leader and emperor of France. The quote “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” explains how the obsession of wanting complete authority over others would overtime fade away a person’s morality. Such a bold statement seems to perfectly correlate to Napoleon Bonaparte’s own history. He was a man with such power and popularity, but who soon became insensitive to the cost humans would have to pay because of his actions causing great anguish for others. The reason being as to why Napoleon is associated with this quote is because of his infamous deeds such as the imprisonment of the Pope, the execution of d’Enghien and