Essay on power corrupts

Submitted By wellingtoncollege
Words: 547
Pages: 3
Open Document
Powers’ Corruption Essay

The statement ‘Power Corrupts’, is plain and bold. However, the more power given to a certain authority, the more chance of such power corrupting. The leader that wields such power will conjure up their own ambitions, and not take others into account, stating that the leader will corrupt the power. The process of power corrupting is shown through the novella ‘Animal Farm’. It depicts that greed is not fixed, nor that the power corrupts the person. As the power develops, the more the leader focuses on egocentric needs. It is the person that expresses the power.

Greed is not fixed nor limited when an individual had access to absolute power. It may have not have been in the conduct of such a being to let ambitions of greed loose, but in reality, such an item does occur. ‘Animal Farm’, suggests powers corruption in the further steps of the Character, Napoleon. The boar, Napoleon, rises to the role of the farms leader early in the book, and seems efficient as taking equality into account. However, it was clear to think, in a certain situation, that the one in charge is completely dominant over others. Napoleons mind was poisoned with greed, corrupting his power while taking advantage of it. He frees himself with unlimited rations and comforts, but enslaves the animals with labour and food limits. Such greed develops as consequences are nought and careless needs are accomplished without reaching the voice of the people. Corrupting power is first staged in the acknowledgement of reachable power. When one is dominant, it is a matter of time when such power is corrupted

If absolute power is given, it will be corrupted. However, it is not the power that corrupts the wielder; it is the wielder that corrupts the power. In ‘Animal Farm’, Napoleon has near-absolute power at the beginning and uses it in an appropriate manor for beneficial reasons. Yet, at the end, such power is corrupted. It shows individuals abuse the authority that was associated with their former positions, taking certain thrives with their ambitions to create personal gain. Simply using the advantage of power
Show More

Related Documents: Essay on power corrupts

Power Corrupts

University Leadership Power and Influence Dennis Kosinski ABS415 Instructor: Theodore Framan Power Corrupts This assignment addresses the issue of power in leadership. It analysis the statement from Lord Action a British historian in the nineteenth century, he made the statement that “power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Daft, 2008). Through history many leaders as they have increased their positions of power, have tended to abuse their power. When one has authority…

Words 874 - Pages 4

Power Corrupt In Macbeth

Is Power Corruptive? A few years ago, I was a part of a volleyball team. Our team wasn’t really known for our huge amount of wins, but rather our amount of losses. That was when our head coach decided to get a new coach. Maybe this new coach would be beneficial to the team. Maybe we could actually win a game! But we didn’t receive what he hoped for. The power she had over the team would eventually lead some of the players on my team to make a hard decision. Power is the ability to influence your…

Words 837 - Pages 4

Examples Of Power Corrupts In Macbeth

had a major impact back then and still to this day 600 years later. Macbeth had a major theme that affected the whole play which was power corrupts. This theme was shown and developed throughout the play from the beginning until the end. In William Shakespeare's famous play Macbeth the theme of power corrupts was shown to demonstrate how Macbeth was only chasing power. When Macbeth is discussing his plot to kill Duncan to Lady Macbeth so he could be king, he states “Thou sure and firm-set earth,…

Words 721 - Pages 3

Power Corrupts In Animal Farm

is that power corrupts those who possess it. In the book, the animals overthrow their human master, Mr. Jones, and decide that they would create an equal society for all animals. Three pigs named Napoleon, Squealer, and Snowball decide to take the lead to help guide the animals into an equal society, but power corrupts Napoleon and Squealer, and they kick Snowball out of the farm. The theme is shown by Napoleon killing those he think are threats to his power, obsessing with staying in power, and deceiving…

Words 624 - Pages 3

Animal Farm Power Corrupts Character

Does power really go to a person’s head? When a person has too much power we see a shift in character (Smithsonian Magazine). Too much power corrupts peoples character. George Orwell brings this out in his character Napoleon. I agree with this because power made Napoleon selfish, manipulative, and tyrant like. In the text Napoleon is really stingy and selfish. He eats the apples and milk from the other animals (Orwell 30). Before that he took the puppies for himself (Orwell 30). This proves how…

Words 349 - Pages 2

Does Absolute Power Corrupt Absolutly? Essay

Faith Long Mr. Bradley English 10 8 December 2010 Does Absolute Power Corrupt Absolutely? Lord Acton believes in the quote “Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.” What Lord Acton meant when he wrote this quote is when a leader is given full control over a group, whether it’s a small town or a whole country, the leader will almost always abuse his or her power in one way or another. Usually these ways consist of threatening their people, even if they’re passive threats, such as when the leader…

Words 1114 - Pages 5

How Does Andrew Jackson Corrupt Power

Andrew Jackson: Corrupt Power There are 196 established countries in the world today, each of these countries have their own government systems. There are 6 general types of government systems with each one being ruled a different way. One of the types is called a Republic and is ruled by the people by electing representatives as their voice. One country that has this system of government is the United States of America, which is broken into 3 branches of government. The American people vote in…

Words 863 - Pages 4

How Does Power Corrupt In Antigone

Corruption of morals occurs when power is misused or in the wrong hands. For example, in the play “Antigone” Creon has the ability to decide whether or not he will kill Antigone. Deciding this was not hard for Creon, although Antigone’s “wrongful” act was burying her brother Polyneices. Earlier in the play, Creon had placed an edict stating that no one shall bury or mourn Polyneices and he is to be left in a field to rot. Creon’s morals were unjust, not only is Antigone, his family but he chose to…

Words 232 - Pages 1

School: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Power Corrupts Essay

traditions is like forcing them to forget how to ride a bike Is ignorance bliss, or do knowledge and learning provide true happiness? Books that I read in 10th grade: Oedipus the King- Trying to ignore your fate can lead you right into it Power corrupts and mentally blinds the brain from the right judgment Night: Family is the greatest strength one can have Being able to part from the crowd and sticking to yourself can give…

Words 372 - Pages 2

Examples Of Power In Animal Farm By George Orwell

As said by Sir John Dalberg-Acton, “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. From a historical standpoint, it appears that many powerful leaders are, or become, corrupt. In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the plot begins with Old Major predicting a free animal farm where all animals are equal but, ironically, as the plot goes on, the newfound power corrupts the pigs and creates a society where one class dominates all the others. In the beginning, the pigs were good and just leaders…

Words 1507 - Pages 7