What’s the Word: Power, corruption go hand in hand
Since we’ve all just suffered through another election, with all the requisite commercials, endless media coverage, signs and posters along our streets and roads and local campaigning politicians going from door to door waking us from a sound sleep to ask for our vote, I thought it might be interesting to check out some “political” words.
Of course, like my old boss used to say, everything is political.
Let’s begin with the word: politic. This is sort of the base word I suppose. It’s kind of a strange word, in that it has several forms with radically different meanings. The dictionary says it comes from the Greek word polites, which means citizen. Makes sense. Politics definitely has a major effect on all us lowly citizens, but even though we have the vote, we don’t seem to have near as much effect on politics as politics has on us. Doesn’t seem quite fair does it?
At any rate, the word politic is defined as: possessing or displaying shrewdness, tact, or cunning. Right on. I think that describes most politicians pretty well.
Then you have the word: politics. Looks like this would just be the plural of politic. No such thing. This is English after all. According to Webster, one definition of politics is: the theory and practice of government.
Ah, too true. Politics is almost synonymous with government, since it is inevitably politicians who wind up governing us. One of the biggest laughs I ever got was during a politically oriented conversation when I made the completely sincere statement, ‘Man, I just wish we could take the politics out of government.’
I didn’t think it was all that funny. Na?ve maybe. Hilarious, no. Guess it’s the company I keep sometimes.
Politics also has a lot to do with power. Those who want it, those who have it, and those who wield it, for good or bad. (I was going to go with evil there, but decided it might be politically incorrect, at least as far as most politicians are concerned.)
But here’s the thing about power. One of the phrases I heard as a child that had the biggest effect on me, and made almost instant sense, is this one: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
All through my life I have seen the evidence of the truth in this statement. Like most of us, I have seen people I considered exceptionally nice and easygoing turn into veritable ogres when they get the least taste of power. How does this happen? Who knows? I guess power has the power to turn the best of us into the kind of bullying personality we used to hate before we got power.
At any rate, the important thing is to remember that power corrupts, especially if you happen to get some.
And then we have the word: political. Political is defined as: relating to politics, especially party politics. I’ve always wondered who came up with the concept of party politics. Why do we necessarily have to have political parties? Why can’t we just nominate some good, honest, intelligent people and vote for the best one of those? Save the parties for the Hilton sisters. They know how to work them.
And then there is the word: politician. A politician is defined in several ways: someone who is active in politics; a member of government; somebody seeking personal power; a schemer.
Oh great, just what we need. A politically motivated, scheming member of government with tremendous power. Especially one who really does have access to weapons of mass destruction, and apparently no qualms about using them on someone who is supposed to have them, but doesn’t.
I suppose that makes perfect sense to somebody, but it’s not me.
(Charlie Johnson is news editor of the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].)