Weekly Question: Question: Does Power Corrupt? How or How Not? Why or Why Not? Do you think Alexander was corrupted? And who influenced whom the most: Did Persia become more Greek or did Alexander becoming more Persian?
For anyone to be corrupt, they must first have power in which they can be corrupt in using. In fact, if no one had power, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to be corrupt. In 1887, Lord Acton said in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton that, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This explains how when someone has everything and no one to say no, the absolute power will overwhelm and corrupt them. Alexander was a great leader who had absolute power. If what Lord Acton said is true, then Alexander, great or not, should be corrupt. The truth is that power does corrupt, and not even Alexander the Great could be spared from that natural process of human nature.
Power is having control over another person, thing, or situation. It is a person’s ability to change things based on their acts or decisions. Power in itself is dangerous if not used correctly. When the power somebody has is used incorrectly or goes against what society believes to be ethical, society describes this person as corrupt. In modern day times, friends will tease one another in some situations saying that power has gone to a friend’s head when they are put in charge of something of importance. Some times this happens when a coach makes a teammate the captain on a sports team or a teacher puts someone in charge of job or task no one else is. This is an example of a person receiving what seems only like a bit of power, but even in these situations of minimum power, as part of human nature, we can find ourselves getting carried away or wrapped up in the idea of being in control. Power corrupts every day in people’s natural lives. It is a part of human nature that simply cannot be done away with.
Alexander the Great was a great ruler. He conquered the entire known world during his life at an extremely young age and was even considered a God. He created a myth about himself, and he left behind him a story of amazing accounts and breathtaking experiences. This all though, comes at a price. Alexander set out to avenge Persian wrongs, but as he did so his power corrupted him. In history, Alexander changed, not in his greatness, but in his attitude. It is important to remember that not all corruption takes away from your greatness. In fact, very few, if any, great people have been completely free of corruption. People are human, and as humans we are vulnerable to corruption from power.
Alexander the Great was corrupted as any great ruler was or is. As he began to become corrupted, people in his army said he began to turn Persian, but others say Alexander turned Persia more Greek. One possibility is that human nature took over again in this situation as well. As humans, people are curious, always exploring and looking for the new great thing. Alexander naturally probably tried what was new to him and experienced the Persian culture. On the other hand, Persia probably became more Greek as there ways entered into Persia. It is very possible they affected each other.
Power corrupts everyone as part of human nature. The important part is if society lets that corruption define the person or if we take it with what you could call “a spoon full of sugar” and look at it as only part of the whole picture. Alexander the Great was corrupt, but he was the greatest ruler of that time. In the depth of his essence, he was good and he did good things. Not all corruption is good, but it can be. In the end, power corrupts, but what humanity lets that corruption do is most important.
Nice thesis, but sparseness of any specific references to historical events makes the whole paper suffer. You really must support your statements with direct evidence from the sources and documentation of the historical era itself.
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