Does Power Corrupt?
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Lord Acton 1887
“Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it” William Pitt 1770
One of the unfortunate byproducts of any society of humans is that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
In my media career I have had both the fortune and misfortune of dealing on an intimate basis with the powerful of many kinds - politicians, celebrities, popstars, movie stars, sporting heroes. I have seen firsthand the power (either perceived or real) corrupting over and over again.
It is rare to find an organisation which has not been effected by the powerful ones who seek to “settle old scores”, crush innovative non-conformists with a wet blanket of conservatism, take personal credit for the toil of others, unfairly practise nepotism, impede the advancement of outstanding young people and bully more junior staff, send nay-sayers to “Coventry” (or “Back of Beyond” as we say in Australia) or other equally cruel, selfish, non-edifying acts of destructive indulgence.
The less powerful victims, their families and colleagues suffer. So too ultimately does the organisation. A lack of true accountability or undeserved position goes hand-in-hand with this type of megalomania. If it’s not kept in check the almost inevitable corruption follows. It’s part of the nature of fallen man I suppose.
Of course, as members of the Christian community we are immune from this insidiousness right??? In a perfect world where everyone was perfectly in sync with their Creator, surrended to and guided by the Holy Spirit there would be no pathetic powerplays, self-seeking egos or foolish pride getting in the way. But unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world.
Our hierachical structure sometimes elevates people to positions of power that are beyond the level that an individual can adequately handle things, without letting themselves get in the way. Don’t get me wrong; some of our leaders are brilliant, inspiring, spirit-filled visionaries. They lead “from the front”, with a prophetic drive but with their feet firmly on the ground. Unfortunately there are others who fall short.
Jesus put the religious leaders well and truly “in their place”, I trust he’ll continue to do so, but we also need to do our part. We need to have an attitude of zero tolerance to any abuse of power by leaders.
Let’s pray earnestly for our leaders and support them in such a way that they don’t need the corruptive practices of the flesh to somehow edify their work.
Writer: Bruce Redman is Editor of theRubicon. He is an Australian film and television professional, radio broadcaster and university lecturer in journalism and communication. Bruce and his wife Anne headed up a team to plant an SA mission in Fortitude Valley, in inner-city Brisbane. He is a lifelong, fourth generation Salvo with a mission heart. Personal Blogspot: http://neosalvosunite.wordpress.com/
18 Comments to Does Power Corrupt?
Leave a comment
Categories
- 1000 Post Celebration
- Areopagus
- Belief
- Blogroll
- COMING SOON
- Concise Oxford
- Creation
- Creative Arts
- Double~take
- Easter
- Ecclesia
- Education
- Ephemera
- FAD
- Featured
- From Russia with Blogs
- Gen whY?
- History
- JustThinking
- Lives lived
- Match factory
- Match Factory Events
- Ordination
- Personae
- Politics
- Power
- Ragamuffin
- Ramblings
- Redux - The Best of
- Resources
- Resurrected writers
- Reviews
- Rubicon Books
- Rubiconography
- Shades of grey
- Shades of grey
- Supper Club
- theRubi-Blog
- Think
- Thinkaloud
- Thought
- Uncategorized
- Urbanities
- Vox populi
Sound and Fury
- 1929 (in 1,929 words) 1 Josh Garrington
- 5 ways to improve SA Worship 13 Ken Smith, Peter, Ken D.
- Officer Morale - What's wrong? 7 Roy Stephens, Stuart, Mark Braye
- The (Shooting?), Silver Star 6 John, Eleanor Burne-Jones, Eleanor Burne-Jones
- What might have been 5 Eleanor Burne-Jones, Terry Camsey, Graeme Randall
If only we could easily define & identify what is an abuse of power …
Maureen
Does power corrupt?
Is snow cold? Is rain wet? Is the Pope Catholic?
Am I being too harsh?
Thanks for this piece, Bruce.
Mark
Seems to me that when we smell the abuse of power, we know it. Unfortunately, by putting lots of power in the hands of one person (think commander level, whether territorial, divisional or corps) TSA structure makes it very easy to abuse power.
JoAnn
Nice article, Bruce. What a coincidence that it comes out during the aftermath of the review of the ‘Handbook of Doctrine’ debacle in Australia when a whole magazine was withdrawn because one person didn’t like the review.
Too much power. Too little grace.
Jack
I’ve often wondered how TSA can advocate effectively for “justice” in the world, while it does little to ensure a just and fair treatment of its own soldiers and officers. It is kind of bizarre when you think about it.
I like how you brought in the question of “fallenness” - I think this is key to the discussion. We can’t leave it all up to the integrity of individual office-holders, because they are fallen human beings, just like the rest of us. Or, maybe another way to put it is to say that we should put checks and balances in place to AID those in senior positions to carry out their responsibilities in a just manner. To NOT do this is, in effect, to lead them into temptation.
James P.
The more I consider our quasi-military structure the more it concerns me that as a movement we have been seduced by the power dimensions inherent in hierarchy.
As has been stated in some other comments abuse of power within this system is very easy. How does servanthood, humility and placing others before ourselves sit well within a hierarchy? Of course we can all think of good examples of how it can work well… but perhaps too many other examples of the opposite.
As an officer I daily pray that indeed there will be someone or something to hold me in check and allow me to stay true to the example of Christ:
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing… he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!”
Phil 2:6-8
Gregory M
This is a question that has vexed me for a long time and will doubtless ocntinue to do so for a long time. If we look at Jesus we see someone who consistently resisted the temptation to use power for his own ends. Yet the church falls into the trap again and again, whether by becoming the state religion of the Roman empire or in whichever guise Christendom has been seen over the centuries.
And I have seen too often the same thing in Army structures, where loyalty to the party line is considered more important than love and care for people who dance out of line (for very good reasons). It is a church-wide problem - when structures are more important than compassion and hierarchies more important than a person in need, then there is something wrong.
How do we change this within the Army? How can I as an officer be Christlike in the way I mimister? Who will point out my blindspots? I really do hope and pray someone will! And that we find a way to challenge structures that reinforce power rather than service.
Sarah
Today in one of our national newspapers, there is a review of Christopher Hitchens latest publication, his autobiography entitled “Hitch-22″. Though Hitchens is a rabid atheist and generally an ungracious and unpleasant man, I have followed his writings for years, have been to hear him speak, have several of his books and even sort-of dedicated one of my books to him.
In the review, Hitchens is compared to Orwell (on whom he wrote a book). The following extract is self-explanatory. I thought it might make for a useful cotribution to the discussion on abuse of power and, as Jack has pointed out in his comments, the new Handbook of Doctrine debate.
One memorable anecdote that jumps out of Hitch-22 is a Trotskyist expedition to Cuba in 1968, during which Hitchens and co. are lectured to by filmmaker Santiago Alvarez. During the Q&A, Hitchens asked Alvarez how an artist could work under communist censorship — to which the filmmaker replied that free speech was unfettered … except, of course, for anyone who wanted to criticize Fidel Castro. Hitchens then mortified the true believers with the follow-up observation that “if the most salient figure in the state and society was immune from critical comment, then all the rest was detail.”
Geoff
Transparency is one answer.
How do we offer a possible safeguard for those people in the system with too much power? Accountability.
There cannot be a invisible barrier of decision making authority without any consequence of behaviour. There needs to be transparency for decisions made and reasons why.
This will propel holiness in leadership.
Danielle
Yes, my response was transparency too. In this particular season of our life in the Army, some transparancy by those in authority would have been so much more helpful and much less hurtful.
The thing I find is that with something as ‘big’ as The Salvation Army institution, decisions are very likely to become very impersonal and so the compassion and understanding ‘leak out’. I do remember Brengle saying something about the possibility of love leaking out…
All through my officership I’ve sought to be transparent, much to the chagrin of those who’d rather I stay quiet, and whilst its a way to go, it takes a bit of guts. And it means being vulnerable too.
I need to confess that I do believe that Jesus and the early church built in some ’safety measures’ in that they functioned as a body where even the likes of Peter and Paul had to ‘give account’ before the church. If you’re going to have a heirarchy, it needs to be an open one, where the decisions aren’t just made ‘because someone decides’ but in a proven and measured way.
Just a thought.
Andrew Clark
(Soon-to-be-ex-Captain)
Danielle’s point about accountability is key, I think. The very nature of a hierarchy means the dynamic of accountability flows only one way - from the top downward.
True accountability is a two-way street, but our structure as a hierarchy and the culture we have developed around this structure mitigates against this.
For example, our soldiers and officers covenants are one-way accountability mechanisims - the signee makes commitments to the organization (ostensibly to God via the organization) but none are made back to the signee by the organization. God’s covenants in the Scriptures were generally two-way systems: “If you do this - then I will…”
Our system of rapid leadership turnover at the middle and upper management levels can short-circuit accountability as well. Leaders at Divisional, Territorial, International levels rarely have to live with the consequences of the policy decisions they make as they are moved on after two or three years. We planted 614 Regent Park (our present appointment) 9 years and we are now on our 7th Divisional Commander, case in point.
Possibly the whole appropriateness and usefulness of the hierarchal model should be questioned and reevaluated.
Geoff
Does Power Corrupt? It sure does take our current recession what was that built on. Unfortunately it doesn’t matter what company it is from a Motor Company to The Salvation Army there is potential for corruption in all different forms.
The issue is what checks do we need to be able to spot it and correct it before it pulls the company into disrepute.
My wife’s parents were the Field Secretaries for New Zealand and my wife’s mothers journal for that period says that they were never home but visiting every corps in the country. That position has gone but what has replaced it and who visits corps today? The same goes for Territories, who keeps the TC on his/her toes?
I worked for a Motor Company and we had regular visits from a person who was responsible for our region. There again we noticed if we had one who was interested in the company or not. Its an age old problem we can’t do without humans.
I’m currently reading General Bramwell Booth’s book “Talking with Officers” and he talks about the same thing. How do we get consistency well there has to expectations, they have to be monitored. The CO must set the same of the corps locals, the DC must do the same for officers, the TC must do the same for DC’s and so on up the chain of command. Any weak link in the chain and problems will happen, there has to be expectations and they have to be monitored by getting out and meeting with the people.
One of the worst things that can happen if people rely on reports only they are heading for a heavy fall, I’ve seen it happen. Don’t fear it but embrace it your life will be the better for it.
Roy
Accountability to who ? Pastors, Bishops, leaders are to be responsible to God first of all. Unfortunately responsibility to the “shareholders” (i.e. the congregation, fellow believers, etc) is different in the Army and top leadership often have very little accountability.
Too much Army and not enough salvation.
The system is flawed and needs revamping. It needs to be more Biblical. The more a Christian organization flees from the Biblical standard the more you will see people leaving. Sound familiar ?
Bob
One of the problems with power pyramids is that such a large percentage of the people are on the bottom. It mitigates the incentive for soldiership when a soldier has no say concerning how their tithe is spent or who is entrusted with their spiritual care.
“Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.” Sydney Harris
Jared
Thanks for this very timely word. There are some very very weird power plays going on at the moment in the SA world. Some are incredibly destructive, most are ego-driven and bizarre in such an esteemed organization.
Very sad indeed.
Peter B
Peter,
I agree with your statement. I got so sick and tired of power-plays. I had 25 years of it. Some were very destructive.
I want no part of that. I agree with the mission, I just have a big problem with regulation and opinions of leadership that attempt to supersede the Word. Much more humility and grace are needed in leadership.
Bob D.
Geoff,
I believe your insight into the directions of accountability are the key here… and yes I did back up the idea of more than one.
Leadership without accountability truly creates far too fertile of an environment for missteps or worse… self-motivated choices… and the related consequences.
I want to state, I’ve heard often the comment that what seems to be impacting our TSA is also impacting tons of other churches / organizations… meaning it’s the same everywhere. I really agree… and yet say “so what?” to this logic. We are here in THIS organization… with OUR family issues… that really DO need to be addressed in a timely manner.
That stated…
Only through the biblical investment of bi-directional accountability will we have an attempt to address this issue (corruption = self oriented living) within our walls.
From first hand experience to watching close friends go through painful encounters at the hands of those that give lip service to the ideals of “others oriented living”… yet clearly the fruit of their actions show a very “self oriented” track record… it seems that a single direction only… that being top down… accountability system is doomed to failure.
How might we institute this “bi-directional accountability” then? … you might be asking yourself about now.
I believe it will be through accountable dialog… someone recording the conversation (video, audio, transcripts, etc.) and allowing those with both a demonstrated spiritual / social maturity to begin the foundations for this… and then opening this further to voices like those that are here… who have nothing to gain personally and yet eternity in the balance for thousands of lives that are impacted by the family that is TSA today.
From our family overseas… it sounds as though this is a very Western Culture issue… however ANYWHERE it is present it seems that clear action (something that can be measured and thus held accountable) is the only option.
I so appreciate the hearts represented in this dialog.
Your fellow traveler,
Errin
UPDATED SOLUTION:
We could use a recording like this for accountability:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwghabw4N80
While it makes you smile… it DOES make you think that accountability matters in more places than ever before.
Errin