People with absolute power can either have a positive influence over society and make positive changes to the world, or the detrimental kind resulting in catastrophic loss of human life causing anarchy within societys. Some leaders with absolute power have used their power to change the world and inspire freedom and independence; other leaders have been positively evil and have used their power for influence, personal gain and notoriety. This essay will consider both points of view relating to how it affects the human lives and what effect it has on the society.
Idi Amin was best known for his brutal regime and crimes against humanity while in power as President of Uganda from 1971-1979. In his time as leader he sent out killing squads to hunt down and murder those opposed to his views, which included people from every order and rank, including journalists, lawyers, homosexuals and students. He also expelled all Asians from Uganda in 1972. He then soon became known as the “Butcher of Uganda” for his brutality. It is believed that 300,000 people were killed during his presidency. He was once known to of said “You cannot run faster than a bullet” and this just is an example of his evil mind.
A further example of a leader using he’s powers in a fatal grievous manner was Kim Jong-IL who was a dictator from North Korea who starved and tortured his people. 200,000 prisoners were held in labour camps, when they were too weak to work as they had been starved, he would either torture drawn or dissect them, if they were lucky they would be shot or gassed. He kept the camps well hidden, when people arrived at the camps if you had a deformity or amputation or a baby he would have them injected with liquid to make them swell up and endure a painful death, the babies were buried alive facedown to suffocate. He spent all his countries money on his Military Enrichment Program as he dined on lobster and ate with silver chopsticks while starving his people. He had 17 years in power until his death were the power was turned over to his son. More than 20,000 prisoners have died in labour camps of North Korea under his time of rule.
My finial example of a toxic leader would be Pol Pot who was the leader of Cambodia from 1975-1979. Pol was responsible for forming an armed resistance movement that became known as Khmer Rouge they were responsible for 2,000,000 deaths in Cambodia. Pol declaration was “This is year zero and that society was about to be purified of western culture, Capitalism, City Life, Religion and all foreign influences where to be gone”. Which he replaced with an extreme form of peasant communism. Millions of Cambodians that were used to city life where forced into slave labour in Pol Pots killings fields were they soon became to die from over work, malnutrition and disease on a diet of one 180 gram tin of rice every two days. They worked for eighteen hours a day. Pol Pot was a Communist Political Extremist who once said “Unarmed people make good corpses”.
On the other hand Mahatma Gandhi was an outstanding leader of India. He led he’s people in a non violent manner to become independent from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi left a legacy of non violent resistance, social justice, and respect for the environment. He’s legacy is still carried out today throughout the world as he helped changed so many people’s life and views and was an inspiring man. He was quoted too of said “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent” he also said “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress” Gandhi’s leadership is a great example of absolute power being used for the good.
In my examples it appears that absolute power more often than not has been used for evil destruction, personal power gain and resulting in devastation of both society and life. It appears to be rare that these type of leaders use their powers to truly benefit there people. In my conclusion it would be a wonderful thing for more leaders to be using their power to promote peace, harmony, unity and freedom for their people but this just doesn’t seem to be the case.