Does power lead to corruption? The answer I come to is yes, but only if we are not mindful in how we use it or why we have it in the first place.

Thanks for the positive outlook at the end of your piece.

I remember someone once said that when the purpose of a thing is not known, abuse is inevitable. I'll like to add a sense of responsibility to that.

Like you mentioned earlier, power comes with responsibility. When people occupy positions with power, they are expected to achieve certain goals. I believe the problem arises when there's no proper delineation between one's life and the lives of others.

Many people see power as a privilege while others see it as an opportunity. Those who feel privileged are always hesitant in using them. They are also conscious of the times when it seems they are getting undue privilege not because of who they are but because of their power. People like that easily get turned off when they see people grovel before them for favours.

On the flip side, there are the opportunistic guys. Once they achieve power, they try to glean as much as they can while at the same time try to perpetuate themselves in power. This even happens in relationships where one partner enjoys being the alpha at the expense of the other's development.

However, I doubt if most people fit neatly into any of these two categories. I believe humans are blend of vices and virtues. We are mostly somewhere in the middle depending on the society we find ourselves in and our personal ethics.

A religious man might not find it wrong to help his fellow believers using the power vested in him for the entire society. An atheist with power (like myself) is more likely to use public power to ensure religion doesn't affect public life in any way.

I guess we're back to where we started: Power only leads to corruption 'only if we are not mindful in how we use it or why we have it in the first place. '