With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

It was 1930 s! There arose a leader, Hitter, to take the country out of shambles of world war II. With all the power and the might, however, the country traced the path to another world war, Just to find herself all ravaged and shaked again.

50 years later, another leader rose to power with the support and heartfelt appreciations of many, that a 27 years long tail had beget. It was Nelson Mandela who had the responsibility to take the country out of the historic evil of apartheid. The country now shires as a glimmering example of equality and justice all across the globe.

The difference is the realization “with great power, comes great responsibility”

The quote emphasizes the importance of responsibility and a subjective realization of it to a person who has been endowed with power to bring about the transformation, for which he has been endowed the power.

In this essay, we will explore the basis for rightness of the adage. Further, we will understand how people who have been given power have utilized it and what repercussions it has had. Moreover, we will analyze how far it is being utilized and suited to the present scenario and lastly, what should be done the course of actions that power holders of today need to take.

Why great power should bring great responsibility

Power is an action of trust and faith that people show in a person. Be it through elections vis-a-vis political power or a guru vis-a-vis spiritual power, power brings itself the aspirations and ambitions of people attached. Thus, it flours logically to reciprocate It with responsibility and accountability.

Kautilya mentions in his arthashastra. In happiness of his subjects, lies the happiness of the king. Thus, alignment of interests of the one who has been endowed with power to rule and those who are ruled, is realization of threat some responsibility.

The idea of greats responsibility with great power also resonates with the ‘maslow pyramid of needs’. As it asserts that those at the top, with power, owe a responsibility to those at the bottom.

Gandhiji’s suspension of non cooperation after chawra -chawri incident was based on the realization of his responsibility of building or non violent struggle for in depends nor. He was aware of the huge faith and trust that manes had shown by handling him the readership of independence struggle. He reflected that faith in his responsible actions.

Where Martin Luther King was chosen as the leader of the movement for rights of blacks within America, he made the best use of his power by channelizing the emotions of for a racial discrimination free America. when he said, “I am a black and I am proud”,  he paid heed to the idea, “with greater power, comes greats responsibility”

Power begets responsibility. Responsibility not just of success but failures as well. when during first failure of SLV mission, Satish Dhawan  had taken the responsibility of failure, he was aware of his responsibility as a leader of the mission. When mission was successful and he instead ashed APT abdul Kalam to attend the press conference, he did service to his responsibility for his teammates and followers.

India’s independence and the two successive world wars placed India in a global leadership role to take the course of post war scenario. India’ did her part by bringing more and more countries under the umbrella of non alignment, thus chalking a path to world peace.

History has seen enough evidences to the circumstances that have prevailed when the power holders have failed to take cognizance of their responsibilities. It has brought ‘depredations on humanity’.

With great power the British arrived on the Indian soil & further colonization of India added to their power. Their notion of civilizing the ‘burden of the white man’ realization of their responsibility for India. However the power was misused, by crippling the economy and starring the people. The mass monument of people to oust them was inevitable.

Dhritrashtra in Mahabharata had the responsibility to take the empire on the righteous course. However, power was misutilised, failing the responsibilities. War was an imperative.

Power and Responsibilities! Present Equations

Present times have seen a tendency of power centralization but dilution of responsibilities. It is this misunderstanding of people that is at the root of corruption, incessant exploitation and power struggles. people yearn for power, run away from responsibilities.

Modern politics is the clean example of power without  responsibilities. While the leaders are elected by the people and endowed with the legal authority its misutilization is rampant. Criminalization of politics, rote bank,  selfish motives have replaced the noble nations of development and progress. Everything is seen through avail of profit and motive.

All empowered, human has taken to environmental exploitation, We have multifolded our power. we have machines to cut jungles in minutes. But we have lost cognizance of our responsibility to safeguard the nature. We have accumulated power and failed our responsibility for our molten earth.

The power equations between the developed world and the developing countries automatically point to responsibilities of the west to ameliorate the conditions of developing nations, Nations who have felt the brunt of climate change. Nations who have suffered from pollution chocked cities. Nations who are suffering curder the garbage of poverty. However, withdraw I of USA from Paris climate deal, decreasing, developmental aid to poor country is a denial of their responsibilities towards needy nations.

Taking Power and Responsibility Together

We as humans have evolved from humanoids to tramosafriens, however a divergence of power and responsibility if rceipic to traversing back the path of evolution.

Leaders of the nations need to show prudence and  compassion by utilizing the power for the welfare of the people, we as humans have to realize our responsibilities towards earth and we as the leaders of world, have to realize the need to more together on the course of progress and development otherwise, we will have nuclear bombs but will lack the leaders who can manage them. Power and responsibilities should go hand in hand.