Trying to Fathom the Liberal Mind – 3: Power, Dependency, and Corruption

Liberals Love Power

It is popular to believe that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. This concept is deeply ingrained in Western thought and is often quoted.

Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely source.

Origin

This arose as a quotation by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

Another English politician with no shortage of names - William Pitt, the Elder, The Earl of Chatham and British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1778, is sometimes wrongly attributed as the source. He did say something similar, in a speech to the UK House of Lords in 1770:

"Unlimited power is apt to corrupt the minds of those who possess it"

However, I do not believe that it is power alone which corrupts. Rather it is power without accountability that corrupts and the concept of absolute power in man is absurd. Man as a mortal being cannot possess absolute power. Therefore I would modify the popular quote something like the following.

Increasing power without a corresponding increase in accountability corrupts and the degree of corruption is inversely proportional to the degree of accountability. Therefore corruption remains at a minimum in a system whereby free men grant power to their leaders but retain power to remove the leaders for cause, i.e. corruption. It is hard to quantify, but the length of time a person remains in power seems to be correlated (without understanding the cause and effect) to his degree of corruption.

Our Founding Fathers understood all of this much better than we can explain it. The phrase “of the people, by the people, and for the people” retains its essential truths and power. The concepts of inalienable rights continue to brighten the hopes of man. George Washington understood the correlation between time in power and corruption and set our nation on a good course. He refused to be king and he refused to be elected to a third term as president. Voluntary limits on his power and self imposed term limits placed Washington above any prior or subsequent leader in America.

Our Founding Fathers had faith in God and their inspiration, brilliance, and leadership demonstrate the role of Judeo-Christian beliefs including their moral codes and core values in founding America.

Dependency

This is the state of being dependent upon others for your needs and thus includes the connotation of subordination.

I believe that an individual’s or group’s increasing dependence causes a corresponding decrease in their freedom. There is a classic cliché (and remember most clichés persist because they contain a large element of truth) that to lose a friend, loan money to the friend. Sadly often true. However, if the money is loaned, then repaid and on a future occasion the loan goes in the other direction, then the friendship is often maintained.

This example illustrates the difference between charity or temporary help and entitlements. Entitlements to what should be repayable loans or reciprocated charity bring horrible dependency. Dependency breeds resentment or even hatred, reduces freedom, and inevitably leads to corruption of power. Those that are given something for nothing most often do not appreciate what they are given. Rather, they often resent the givers while at the same time demanding more. Time is the corrupting element in dependency.

The longer the dependents receive what is essentially something for nothing the greater their dependence and the deeper their corruption, decay, resentment, jealousy, and loss of freedom. Ultimately, rather than seeing the generosity of those providing their gifts, the dependents see themselves as victims and feel they are not only entitled to what they are given but to whatever they want. Sadly, one cannot be free in thought or action if one is dependent. And sadder yet, the feeling of victimization robs the dependents of hope for the future because once they become victims then self improvement, success, and independence lie not within themselves but in hands of their victimizers. Thus, the deeper the dependence the greater the loss of hope and freedom and the less chance for escape.

Liberals who gain power and stay in power by pandering to the dependency class in America destroy hope, and thus lives, of millions. A vicious cycle is established and our history shows that we have not found a way to break it. Pandering liberals promise more of everything to the dependency class and continually reassure them that indeed they are victims. The habits of dependency and the loss of hope and personal responsibility resulting from perceived victimization sink the dependence class deeper into reliance on government for their livelihood. Believing their only hope is through more handouts, more entitlements, and more redistribution of wealth—more something for nothing, the dependency class block-vote for liberals and thus complete and strengthen the vicious cycle.

How Tyranny Will Arise in America

When the dependence class becomes so large that the pandering liberals can be assured of election based on a coalition of the liberal elite, the ignorant who follow the elite, the high school-like herds that remain liberal from peer pressure, and most importantly, the dependency class of bloc voters, then liberals will win almost all national elections. This will establish a one party system.

One party with power but no accountability will lead directly to tyranny. The death of the Republic and the incarceration, torture, disappearance and murder of untold thousands or millions of Americans will follow as the tyrants consolidate power and crush the opposition. The decent, free, and brave Americans are not used to slavery and tyranny and they will not yield easily. The liberal oppression and brutality will rival that of the USSR before the last patriot is murdered.

Although the above tyranny appears inevitable, there is a way out and that is to stop the liberals from illegally and immorally gaining the crown jewels they need to establish single party rule in America. This will be the subject of future discussion; hope for America and a path forward.

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Endnote

For more than two decades I have tried to fathom, to understand, to see some logic in the thoughts and minds of what now are commonly called liberals. Originally liberal meant open minded, tolerant of others, and favorable to maximum individual liberty.

Nowadays, liberal, especially in politics and social beliefs and policies, means exactly the opposite. Today liberals are for big government, intolerant of those who might disagree with them, and against individual liberties such as guaranteed in the First Amendment (for example, witness their suppression of free speech on university campuses and in the press, attempts to block talk radio and opinions different than their own, and to prohibit the free exercise of religion). Liberals also oppose the Second Amendment (witness their opposition the right to bear arms).

What we call liberal today has no relationship to the original definition. Today, the term liberal is synonymous with the terms leftists, radical leftist, socialist, and communist. I will use the term liberal interchangeably with these terms. It would be foolish not to admit that there are exceptions. Some liberals are level headed, logical, patriotic, and decent. It is the vast majority of liberals I am referring to in these essays.