Power and responsibility

With great power comes great responsibility. – Ben Parker, Spiderman’s Uncle

Opinion – Usually when I write these posts I wake up with the thoughts fully formed.  This usually happens on a Monday morning.  So yesterday when I woke up with nothing to write about I was concerned.  But this morning it happened.  Like and email that instantaneously appears in your inbox, this post popped into my head. 

The collapse of News of the World has sparked a sensational wildfire of accusations and resignations throughout the UK.  The crisis has become so severe that Prime Minister David Cameron is returning early from a trip to South Africa to ‘deal with the scandal’ (Reuters, 2011).  When power is concentrated in the hands of the few, whether in media, politics, or business, corruption will surely manifest.  

For ages powerful people have hand picked those who work for them.  They create an inner circle in order to keep them close and under tight control.  But in an interconnected world this perceived ability to control is fleeting.  The public values transparent processes because in our minds it is fairer.  But I have been around long enough to know that even these ‘transparent’ processes are often used as a way to legitimize the handpicked few.  

We need men and women in business and politics who will step up and wield power wisely and individuals and groups who will accept the responsibility that comes with power.  But as the saying goes, ‘power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.’  In an age of globalization and conglomeration we have seen the devastating effects of absolute and concentrated power.  If a minority holds the key there will always be the temptation to lock up the majority – but they’ll be so cunning in the way that they do so that the majority will think that the minority is doing them a favor.  

No one, and no country, is immune from this type of behavior.  It was reported this morning that Earthquake Recovering Minister Gerry Brownlee handpicked a committee to review decisions made by CERA, the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (RadioLIVE, 2011).  Labour has called for a review of the selection process, which I think is wise.  There may be nothing to it, but in times of crisis we have to be particularly vigilant.  In our need to seek out security in uncertainty we will turn to anyone who looks or sounds like they have our best interest in mind.  When we bestow such power on individuals and organizations we must ensure that they wield that power responsibly.