Posted: Jan 23, 2014 1:23 pm
igorfrankensteen wrote:I am still convinced that the reason why the quote is so well known, isn't because it is obviously true. "Wise sayings" and other oft repeated phrases are very much like pop music: their popularity has more to do with how kicky they sound, or how much fun they are to say, than with how factually accurate they are.
The "absolute power corrupts absolutely" phrase has "pop" appeal because of the clever reversal of word orders in it, which also makes it easy to remember (another key element to songs becoming popular); and because the message it delivers, however inaccurate, is pleasing to the majority of people...because the majority are NOT absolutely powerful.
The timing of it's message is important as well. Had it been written back when those who had the power to spread ideas were still sold on the wonder of majesty, and on the notion that humankind required a firm hand at all times (in the form of a god, or a god-related king), it quite probably would have been forgotten. Who knows, it may have been said many times back then, but no one took note of it.
The fact as well that many absolutely powerful people DO commit horrible acts of corruption lends more weight and appeal to the idea. The fact that in order to achieve anything close to absolute power over others, a person usually has to already BE corrupt in many ways, needs to be taken into account.
What I'm getting at, is that trying to use this old phrase is used as a starting point to figure out WHY absolute power corrupts absolutely is a mistaken mission. So is trying to prove that absolute power is inherently "bad". Because this old phrase cannot be proved true. It's just fun, and occasionally useful to manipulate others with.
I'd tend to agree with the central point you're making. It really is a particularly clever phrase, structurally speaking. It's just beautifully balanced.
Something more nuanced like, "Possession of power creates the opportunity to abuse it. The greater the power, the more frequent the opportunity. Absent any countervailing institutional pressures, concentrations of power will tend to produce concentrations of corruption, merely by dint of statistics. Unless of course ..." just isn't going to have that impact. It's just not as catchy. Doesn't make a good soundbite.