What do you think of this?

[Brother No. 1]

Comrades this quote was used by historian Lord Acton he says" Power tend to corrupt, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely" if a Capitalist says it why do they never listen to it. It may be a dumb question but I want to know the answer.

[scarletghoul]

Well, many capitalists and ordinary people are aware that society is corrupt and full of injustice, but just accept that that's the way it is and theres not much anyone can do about it. And I don't see why this awareness would turn someone towards communism, seeing how many socialist regimes also involve absoloute power and corruption.

Good quote though.

[RebelDog]

It seems to me that Lord Acton was critical of parliamentary democracy which is easy to be today never mind back when he was alive. He is to be mildly admired for his views but he misses the point that his liberal equivalents do today. They meekly criticise the shadow (government and parliamentary democracy) whilst leaving the substance and real absolute tyranny and power (the corporations) without any real question about why they should exist and yield unaccountable, tyrannical power over workers and society. Capitalists don't seek concensus among themselves and they certainly do not always agree but I think they are pretty solidly united in the view that the economic hegemony, tyrannical, and wholely undemocratic rule of the bourgeoisie is not up for debate. Only the finer moral points of the shadow cast by their economic power on society (government) is up for question and even critics of the likes of Lord Acton are not offering any real critique of capitalism or why it is not synonymous with real democracy or can ever be. He was a reformist as far as I can see.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

In fact it is lack of power that corrupts -- lack of workers' power -- for it allows the ruling class to think it can get away with whatever it likes.

[Brother No. 1]

true Comrade

[scarletghoul]

Well, yeah, power always depends on lack of power for someone else. A ruling class's power and the oppressed classes' lack of power are the same thing.

[Rosa Lichtenstein]

Indeed, but it is our lack of power that is causally explanatory here (both historically and sociologically), for it is this which gives them their power.

[Black Sheep]

Power tend to corrupt, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
In a system of power antagonism,power helps you survive, and to do so you have to engage in methods and tactics which would/might make u labeled as 'corrupt'..

So could it be about the system(i.e. [unhealthy] antagonism corrupts),and not about the power?Havent thought this through,any comments?

[Brother No. 1]

yes that does make a point comrade