What are the primary perils of and salutary remedies for political power?

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What are the primary perils of and salutary remedies for political power?

Political power has been an issue plaguing man since the beginning of politics itself. How to gain it, how to hold it, how to properly use it, how to exploit it. Throughout time power has been exercised by those that hold it over those that do not. As with anything, problems are sure to arise. These problems call for solutions if peace is to be restored. The primary perils of political power are a strong desire to keep it, a devotion to anything other than justice, an unwillingness to stand for the right thing, and ruling in a merciless manner. The remedies of political power can be (but are not limited to) confidence that laws are just, a willingness to negotiate, the sharing of power, and staying strong in what is just and right.

The first problem (or peril) of power is that those who posses it do not in any way wish to give it up. King stated that “Lamentably, it is an historic fact that privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.” (King 68) This often causes a lack of willingness to negotiate with others. Mandela says of the white in South Africa “Whites had the highest standards in the world-and aimed to keep it that way.” (Mandela 367) There would be no negotiating on the part of the whites. They simply refused to assume the risk of losing what they held. “Creon will not listen to Antigone, nor does he listen to anyone else but his own inner demons.” (Mandela 456) By not listening to another, Creon threw negotiation by the wayside, which not only aided the corruption of his power, but ultimately lead to his demise. Even when negotiations are made, they must be acted upon, not simply spoken. The fact that King a...

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... the devotion to agendas other than justice, the rejection of standing up for the right thing and no mercy are problems King and Mandela address. To remedy4hese perils, the two men suggest that those in power be sure that their laws are just, be willing to negotiate and share their power, and have the spirit to stand strong for what is just and right. Though a single problem can weigh down political power, no one solution can solve it. It must be a combination of these and/or many more in order to solve the true perils of political power. The truth is, when something it so highly desired, so highly revered such as political power, corruption lurks behind every corner. It is up to those in charge (as well as those that influence them to be sure that this power is not corrupted, not abused. This is the preservation of politics; this is the preservation of justice.

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