power and responsibility essay

Power and Responsibility Essay Example

Power and Responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Power and responsibility are important elements that decide the ethical aspect, accountability and acceptability of one’s actions.

Being a leader is not about power, but the responsibility that comes with said power. Most leaders believe that being in charge is about ordering the people under them to do what they believe needs to be done or dictating policy, but it is more about getting a hundred percent out of their subordinates. The most important part of being a leader is about having the trust of the people under said leader, by giving them direction and keeping the greater good in mind when considering what a leaders’ mission and purpose is.

This seems easy but it actually can be very difficult because leaders’ need to get everyone on the team to both work together and communicate with each other. A leader must show the team that they know what the end goal is even if they don’t know how to get there. They pull the team together by explaining what the end goal is specifically rather than in general terms. A leader however, must always have the greater good in mind when considering what said goal is. It can’t be just for the shareholder, higher ups, big bosses, or themself, it must be for the good of every person who is part of the organization.

A leader must hold themself accountable for all people working in the organization. When in a leadership position it’s imperative that leaders set a very good example for the team as a responsible person. The people under them will do what they see their leaders do and will both respond to how leaders act and take inspiration from it. Leaders can do this by listening to the people under them and giving their suggestions all the consideration and unbiasedness they deserve. By listening to those under them, they can improve how things are getting done.

The team will not only have a greater trust, respect and confidence in their leader. Leaders must not see this criticism as an attack on how they do things or have the feeling that the suggestion is an attack on their power. In doing so, this will cause people in power to start to act in a selfish way which sets both a bad example for the team to follow and erode the trust, respect, and influence that they have been trying to build with the team. A leader must know what the consequences are of not accepting the responsibility they have. The people under them have to know that they can justify what their bosses are doing to them in a calm and reasonable manner and that they have considered all other avenues of possibilities before their boss has settled on this course. By following this bosses can show both that they are accountable to both those under and above them, and that they have the potential to lead in a responsible manner.

Keeping Commitments

To lead responsibly a leader must be able to keep the commitments they make to everyone. This takes communication and a working relationship with the team to accomplish. This requires that leaders have a way that their people can communicate with them and the belief that their bosses will support them as they work towards the goal that has been given to them. Leaders will have to be careful with their words and what they commit to, never promising or committing to something they can’t keep. A leader must try to develop a strategy to break down their tasks into more manageable sizes.

Leaders must make sure to interact with their team to help make sure they are keeping their obligations and not forgetting anything. When interacting with their team, be sure to listen to them. Make sure they know what is going on, make sure they know that their leader is giving a hundred and ten percent to all their commitments and they are appreciated for going above what is required of them. A leader must ensure that the working relationship with their team is always good. And must show that they are as committed to them as they are with their leader. Leaders’ must never see the power they have as a freedom. That can not only lead to a bad relationship with their team, but then the leader could begin acting in a possible corrupt way.

True leaders must see their power as a great responsibility never as a freedom to do what they wish. If they do that then can lead to them acting in an unethical way. This will result in the people under them to begin acting in an unethical way, and erode all that everyone has worked for, both within the team and the work all have put into the end goal. Leaders can avoid this by first thinking to themself how the power they have should be used or think if the decision they have reached benefits them more than it does the team as a whole. Start seeing things from the perspective of the team as a whole and do not see it as the people working for the goal set out by the boss.

See it as the whole team working towards the end goal. Meet with the team, spend time with them, get to know them, and show them that their boss/leader is listening to them, and ensure that the commitments made are being kept to. Both to the individual and to the team as a whole. Leaders must take their concerns into consideration, don’t be selfish, be selfless. Being selfless and making profit/reaching the end goal are not exclusive to each other by getting the whole team together and helping each other out leaders can all reach the end goal more efficiently then if they saw it as an I perspective and could end up with massive improvements in how things are done. The end result will be a very loyal workforce who know their boss will help them and they will go out of their way to help in any way in their power their leaders end goal a reality.

A true leader will accept the responsibility that comes with all the power they have. They must show they see the leadership and power not as freedom but responsibility,

And hold themselves to an accountable standard. Leaders’ ethical integrity can influence how they use their power so they must have high integrity about how power is seen and how it should be used. So they must always remember that with great power must also come greater responsibility.

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Essays About Responsibility: Top 12 Examples and Prompts

We can’t take on the challenge of life without responsibility; If you are writing essays about responsibility, discover our guide below.

The word responsibility describes the state of being accountable for our actions and is one of the main elements that make us human. We are not born with it; instead, it is something to be exercised and improved on over time.

It has often been said that with power or freedom comes responsibility, which could not be more truthful. Each of us is gifted with the ability to make choices, and we are considered superior to all other living things on this planet. However, we have to make informed choices and be responsible for our actions, whether to ourselves, the people around us, and our environment.

5 Top Essay Examples

1. the value of responsibility by simon baker, 2. freedom is not the lack of constraint, but the exercise of responsibility by beulah west, 3. why responsibility is so important by steve rose.

4. The Beneifts of Being Responsible by Frank Terzo
5. What It’s like to Feel Responsible for Everything by Duncan Riach

1. The Importance of Responsibility

2. dealing with false responsibility, 3. freedom and responsibility, 4. what is social responsibility, 5. what are your responsibilities, 6. responsibility as a component of success, 7. a time you acted responsibly.

“It’s easy for us to become blinkered or out-of-touch when we’re constantly working with our heads down. Although meeting our commitments is hugely important we bear another responsibility, that is to invest in ourselves and in each other. When we can free our imagination and refresh our minds, we restore perspective and reduce stress. We find time and space to explore new ways to collaborate, be creative and enjoy ourselves to the benefit of our mission.”

Baker writes about why he thinks responsibility is important and discusses factors related to responsibility, namely trust, personal choice, and freedom. A feeling of trust allows you to be more comfortable accepting responsibility, while responsibility allows us to maximize personal choice and freedom. Most importantly, bearing responsibility means freeing our minds, enjoying life, and coming up with great ideas.

“A lack of constraint means that you can not do everything that you want. In a perfect world this would be fine, but we don’t live in a perfect world. However everyone’s view of a perfect world is different, if this coincides with the law and you are happy, then you can be free still living under laws and legislations. If you believe that freedom is making your own choices then the only way that we can be “free” is if society does not exist.”

West discusses how just as personal freedom is vital to a healthy society, so is accountability for our actions. Freedom also has a negative side; it can be described as a lack of constraint in our choices. Without constraint, our actions may hurt others or even ourselves. Therefore, it must come with the responsibility to make these choices from a more thoughtful, educated perspective.

You might also be interested in our list of essays about effective leadership . You can also check out these articles and essays about attitude .

“Taking responsibility creates long term resilience and a sense of purpose. This sense of purpose can be fostered by taking responsibility for one’s self by engaging in self-care. Responsibility can also be developed on a familial and societal level, offering a sense of purpose proportional to your ability to contribute your unique abilities.”

Rose explores the importance of being responsible for one’s health. It gives us a sense of purpose and helps us build resilience; however, we must first be responsible for ourselves by practicing self-care. This includes resting, exercising, taking breaks, and going to the doctor if something is bothering us. This makes us more responsible for the people around us, allowing us to perform different societal roles. You might be inspired by these essays about success and essays about overcoming challenges .

4. The Beneifts of Being Responsible by Frank Terzo

“If we take care of our commitments, even if it something we might like to ignore, we feel better about ourselves. Each step we take towards being responsible and productive helps to raise our self-esteem and our relationships with friends, family and co-workers improve ten-fold. Being responsible pays big dividends – we have much less stress and chaos in our lives and we gain the respect of others.”

In this short essay, Terzo provides insight into the many benefits responsibility can provide you with. We must always be responsible, even if we might not feel like it, because it can improve our productivity, self-esteem, relationships with others, and overall peace. Though it might not always be easy, responsibility is key to achieving a happy life.

5. What It’s like to Feel Responsible for Everything by Duncan Riach

“I hold responsibility when others are not taking responsibility. I was holding all of the responsibility, guilt, and shame that Billy McFarland was disowning. It’s a survival mechanism that I developed when I was a child. I had a step-father who was some form of psychopath or malignant narcissist, a person who was completely out of control and completely irresponsible. The only way that I could feel safe in that environment was to try to hold the responsibility myself.”

Riach reflects on a habit by which he constantly felt responsible for things out of his control, things as minor as events he saw on television. He developed this habit due to his upbringing- his childhood and family life were less than ideal. He is fully aware of his problem but still struggles with it. His case is an excellent example of false responsibility.

6 Writing Prompts on Essays About Responsibility

Responsibility is, without a doubt, essential, but how important is it really? Reflect on the meaning of responsibility and explain its importance. Discuss this from a practical and personal standpoint; combine personal experience and research as the basis for your points.

False responsibility is an attitude by which one feels responsible for things they are not. This is a widespread issue that encompasses everyone, from humble workers to some of the most influential people in the world. For your essay, research this phenomenon, then define it and explain why it occurs. Give suggestions on how one can identify false responsibility and work to stop feeling that way.

The topics of freedom and personal responsibility are deeply intertwined; for freedom to work correctly, there must be a certain level of responsibility instilled in people so society can function correctly. In your essay, discuss these two concepts and their connection. Do proper research on this topic, then conclude this issue: are we responsible enough to be given total freedom? You may also link this to topics such as the law and regulations. You might be inspired by these essays about goals .

Social Responsibility seems straightforward and self-defining, but it is broad, especially with society putting a higher value on awareness, community, and social justice. Research this term and its history and discuss it in your essay; define and explain it, then describe what it means.

Whether in your studies or at work, as a family member, friend, or even a member of society, we have a unique set of responsibilities that vary depending on the person. Reflect on the different roles you play in life and decide what your responsibilities are. Briefly describe each one and explain how you fulfill these responsibilities. You can also check out these essays about conflict .

Responsibility as a component of success

This value is important because it is present in all successful individuals. Based on your opinions and research, discuss the relationship between responsibility, success, and some other factors or traits that influence success. Give examples of successful people who have shown responsibility, such as government officials, celebrities, and business leaders.

When we are responsible, we are pretty proud of ourselves most of the time. Think of an experience you are most proud of in which you acted responsibly. Retell the story, reflect on how you felt, and explain why it is important- be as detailed as possible. Or, you may opt to do the opposite, telling the story of a time you did not show responsibility and thinking of what you would do if given a chance to repeat it.

Grammarly is one of our top grammar checkers. Find out why in this Grammarly review . Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Responsibility — The Power of Personal Responsibility

The Power of Personal Responsibility

Categories: Personal Experience Responsibility

About this sample

Words: 735 |

Published: Sep 12, 2023

Words: 735 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

The meaning of personal responsibility, the significance of personal responsibility, embracing personal responsibility, personal responsibility in action, 1. self-awareness:, 2. accountability:, 3. proactive choice:, 4. adaptability:, 1. personal growth:, 2. relationships:, 3. professional success:, 4. health and well-being:, 5. societal progress:, 1. self-reflection:, 2. set clear goals:, 3. practice accountability:, 4. make informed choices:, 5. learn from setbacks:, 6. build resilience:, 1. self-assessment:, 2. goal setting:, 3. informed choices:, 4. accountability:, 5. adaptation:, 6. resilience:.

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How to write a compelling responsibility essay the right way.

February 6, 2020

I’m sure this is a word you’ve heard since your childhood, responsibility. Your parents, teachers, neighbors, and even the famous high school and college motivational speakers have talked to you about this.

What does responsibility mean to you? I remember my mother telling me, “Son if you are not responsible now, you might never get a wife. And remember, I want grandchildren!” So I have been trying to maintain a sense of responsibility so that I don’t miss out on a wife and deny my mum the golden opportunity of having grandchildren.

That aside, let’s get down to why we are here, writing a responsibility essay.

What is a Responsibility Essay?

The word responsibility in itself is a one-sentence definition. It implies a state of having an obligation to deal with something.

A responsibility essay is, therefore, one that shows a person’s grasp of the outcome, which can be caused by his/her actions. In a broad sense, it means that there is a situation at hand, and how it is going to be handled by the person is critical to the final results.

No one is born with this sense of responsibility. It is a value that is cultivated over time by learning either directly or indirectly from others. A mother has a duty of taking care of the baby until a certain age, so does a president has responsibility for a nation.

Responsibility essay assignments for students hardly miss because this is a practical aspect of life.

Writing Ideas on a Responsibility Essay

Are you there stranded on where to begin your 1000 word essay on responsibility? Well, here are some great ideas that you can borrow from for starters:

Primary responsibilities: You can write about what you are tasked with daily, and you are getting along with those responsibilities.
Social responsibility: Talk about society’s rights and how they relate to their duty. Is there a conflict between the two?
Power and responsibility: Is it true that those in power are the ones mandated with greater responsibilities than the others in society?
Why is it hard to take it? Here you can delve into the issue of why people do not want to take responsibility for their actions. For instance, a man who impregnates a lady and refuses to own up, thus running away and leaving the lady to fend for herself and the child.

I would not be doing justice if I left this section without quoting the famous Peter Parker’s Principle, “with great power, comes great responsibility.” For those who may not be familiar with that, watch Spider-Man, the movie.

A personal responsibility essay is the cheapest to write. I mean, isn’t there a time you were tasked with watching over your siblings, being the captain of a class, or even tending your flock back in the ranch? All that was responsible, and, in your essay, show whether you were good or bad at it, or sooner if you enjoyed working at it.

You can also show in your essay on why responsibility is essential. If you were looking after your little sister and out of your irresponsibility, she slipped into the kitchen and caused a fire, doesn’t that tell you why you need to be responsible?

If your niche is on leadership, then you can write an essay on responsibility and accountability. Show why the leaders need to be transparent in their undertakings and why it is essential to the citizens at large.

For every successful writer, you need to have an outline . A responsibility paper outline will help you achieve the following:

Know if your thoughts are well interconnected
Point out potholes in your essay
Come up with a clear and precise sequence of ideas
To determine if the sufficiency of the evidence at hand.

Such will save you the agony of taking a lot of time to write your responsibility. The subsequent speech on responsibility will, therefore, be precise and complete, and perhaps compete for audience with Obama’s speeches.

And if that’s not enough, let us look at some topics you can use for your next essay about responsibility.

Crafting Great Responsibility Essay

Well, I guess that is enough to get you started and improve your grades, especially in essay writing. Why don’t you choose one of the topics and craft an essay now?

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Responsibility Essay: Topic Ideas & Responsibility Writing Prompts

“You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say” Martin Luther

Our specialists will write a custom essay specially for you!

There are a lot of other good quotations that can serve as a good beginning for your essay on responsibility and provide good ideas for writing.

However, responsibility can be viewed from different perspectives, which is why making the final decision for your essay on responsibility can be rather challenging.

If this is your main problem with the responsibility essay, we are glad to help you and offer some brilliant ideas, just check our website .

👔 Your Major Responsibilities
🔋 Power and Responsibility
💻 Social Responsibility Essays
❓ Why Is It so Hard to Take It?

✍️ Other Responsibility Essay Topics

1. 👔 your major responsibilities.

If you have absolutely nothing to talk about in the responsibility essay, writing about yourself and your duties can be a good option. So, what are you responsible for? Have your responsibilities changed with time? Do you think you are good at fulfilling them?

2. 🔋 Power and Responsibility

“With great power comes great responsibility” – this can be the main idea of your essay. Do you agree that people who possess power are responsible for many things ? What happens if powerful people act irresponsibly?

Just in 1 hour! We will write you a plagiarism-free paper in hardly more than 1 hour

3. 💻 Social Responsibility Essays

Do you agree that today people have a lot of rights but do not think much about their responsibilities? Which one of them does a citizen have or a simple person who lives in society along with other people? Answer these questions in your essay on responsibility .

4. ❓ Why Is It so Hard to Take It?

Why are some people afraid to take responsibility for their actions? In your essay on responsibility , introduce several situations like that and tell about the consequences of not taking responsibility.

Is responsibility a fundamental quality any person must possess?
Analyze the role of ethics and responsibility at work .
How do you understand corporate social responsibility ?
Explain the role and responsibility of business .
The importance of corporate social responsibility in the modern world .
Discuss the issues of corporate social responsibility and the ways to overcome them.
Describe moral responsibility of each individual for the contribution in global warming.
Explain why freedom of speech entails a great responsibility to each individual.
Examine why the sense of responsibility is often considered a driving force of human development.
Analyze the role of managers in development of corporate social responsibility .
Explore the complex issue of social responsibility for advertising to children .
Diverce interpretations interpretations of the term “responcibility” and your personal vision of responsibility .
Why it is vital to be a responsible person .
Modern technology, anonymity, and responsibility from a cultural relativism perspective .
Does Apple show concern for ethical and social responsibility ?
Discuss the specifics of professional responsibility of lawyers .
What are you responsible for in your personal life and immediate environment ?
Describe the peculiarities of ethical responsibility of police administrators .
Do you feel any responsibility for the things outside of your immediate environment?
Explain why leadership is a great responsibility.
Positive and negative impact of globalization on corporate social responsibility in international companies .
Analyze the responsibility of citizens for the actions their government take.
Examine the importance of socially responsible leadership in education .
What is the student’s responsibility at college?
Discuss the connection between social and personal responsibility .
How to become responsible ?
Explore the connection between personal responsibility and success.
The role of parents in formation the sense of responsibility in children.
The basic aspects of corporate responsibility philosophy.
What does personal responsibility towards the society include?
Discuss the human responsibility for issues outside the immediate environment.
Are the leaders responsible for social media posts of their team?
Explore who is responsible for the epidemic of childhood obesity
Describe the areas of responsibility people have in their personal lives.
Why do people often shrink from personal responsibility ?
Benefits of corporate social responsibility.
Who is responsible for poverty and violence in developing nations ?
Explain why you consider yourself a responsible human being .
Discuss the strong and weak points of the personal responsibility concept.
People’s responsibility for inhumane acts .
Describe different points of view on the concept of responsibility .
Analyze the concept of responsibility from ethical point of view.
Are parents responsible for children’s crimes?
What does responsibility mean to you?
Should celebrities be responsible for being role models?
Explain why free will is a huge responsibility.
What are the major traits of a responsible person ?
Discuss the ethical responsibility in nursing profession.
Where are the limits of personal responsibility ?
Describe the connection between responsibility and morality.

Well, this is it for now. If you are asked to cover other complicated topics, remember that we can also help you with essays on leadership and many-many others.

Learn more on this topic:

Efficient Essays on Environment vs Development: Useful Tips
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Social Responsibility to Others Essay

Introduction.

Social responsibilities are vital and play an enormous role in every aspect of human life. Consequently, individuals must live in a wealthy and expanding society, and they must be mindful of both domestic and international responsibilities (“Roles and Actions”). “Millions” by Sonja Larsen, “Cranes Fly South” by Edward McCourt and “How to live in history” by Yvonne Blomer describes the various ways in which individuals should be responsible to others. Social responsibility allows a person to understand the interconnectedness of causes and effects that form the fabric of life.

The Power and Responsibility of the Adults’ Influence on Children

The interest of adults in children’s lives is significant in developing a child’s social skills. For instance, in “Millions” by Sonja Larsen, the child is obsessed by thoughts of buying guns (Larsen). However, upon being engaged by the school counselor, the child turns his attention to catapults and medieval weapons because they less harmful as the guns.

Parents face challenges in understanding children’s problems. For instance, despite being asked about the million-dollar question, the child’s interests comprised the anti-social activities (Larsen). As a result, the adult school counselor is forced to institute an assessment program to help the child change his thought processes.

Teaching children morality and sensitivity is one of the key responsibilities of parents. For example, through the school counselor’s continuous interest of the child, the narrator states, “sometime I’m a hero, and sometimes I’m the first victim” (Larsen). In this case, the narrator is capable of understanding the consequences of the adults influence on children by instilling social skills.

From the above analysis, responsibility and understanding of the consequences of the adults influence on children. Therefore, through adult’s social responsibility, children are able to understand the interconnectedness of causes and effects of certain life mistakes. The result is a change of behavior to the better.

Intergenerational Communication for Enriching Human Life Experiences

Through social responsibility, the conditionality of children’s love for the older generation improves. For instance, in “Cranes Fly South” by Edward McCourt, Lee’s love for his grandfather makes him take him to witness the flight of the crane because he knows it would be exciting to his grandfather. Lee does this despite the day being cold and bleak.

The probable extinction of the whooping crane, which is stated at the beginning of the narrative, links to the notion of mutual respect as the most important prerequisite for intergenerational communication. Grandfather is aware that his time on earth is limited and that he must see the majestic grandeur of the crane one more time before dying. This is realized through the help of his grandchild, Lee.

The story uses the symbolism of the whooping crane to mean a change of life. For example, his grandfather’s health begins to improve, which makes Lee pleased, as seen by his last words, “He’s gone south.” Grandfather will finally have a chance to see the sea (McCourt 143). It points towards the distinctive abilities and skills of children in adult’s life.

It is important to equal value the contributions of both parties through intergenerational communication. For instance, when the grandfather finally dies, Lee’s parents blame it on him. This makes Lee so depressed and anguished over his grandfather’s death. Therefore, grandfather’s delirious raving and the parent’s reactions demonstrate that children have insight into life and death, hence, the need for equal value contributions.

Listening As the Main Way of Knowing the World by a Child

Communication is one method of passing on a parent’s worldview to a child. According to Lee and Sandra, children develop self-concepts and beliefs depending on how their parents interact with them (48). Lack of communication between the child and the mother is clear when the narrator say, “he begrudgingly helps out his mom” (Larsen). Therefore, communication should be used to transfer the worldview of parents to a child.

Listening is also a way for a child to learn about the world by hearing both expressed and unspoken feelings and thoughts. For instance, according to Blomer, language is “the way your mother may have told you—her forehead pressed to yours, saying: Listen, dear, listen .” (Blomer. para. 3) As such, despite not loudly speaking, the child understands the mother’s communication through pressing of the foreheads alone.

Communication forms a new fabric of reality due to the perception of a child. In “How to live in history” Blomer relates language as both being a family and having the feeling of a child (Blomer). Furthermore, Blomer states that, “They forget that part of language is listening “(Blomer, para. 4). Therefore, language, which is communication, can be understood by children by visualizing the world through listening.

Listening is one of the primary ways a child learns about the world because it connects generations as well as the past and the future. For instance, in “Cranes Fly South,” Lee listens to his grandfather’s story about never having seen a whopping crane before (McCourt 143). The narrative points towards the child’s capacity to link the two generations using the symbolism of the whooping crane.

The Importance of the History of Intergenerational Relations

The importance of responsibility to others as a foundation of nation history is significant for intergenerational relations. Lee, a child, is closely related with his grandfather because of the social responsibility he feels for the old man (McCourt 143). This indicates the importance of history in relating the two diverse generations.

As a society and as a community, individuals should embrace the historical perspective of social aspects of life in order to establish social responsibilities within a society. Lee embraces the generational past aspects of the grandfather (McCourt 143). The effect is the unlocking of his grandfather’s happiness because throughout his life, he has been envying seeing whooping cranes go south.

Importance of the history of intergenerational relations is established by the interconnectedness of causes and effects in life. For instance, in Larsen’s narrative, the effect of obsession of guns by the child has a familial cause, and the effect could be life damaging to the child. Therefore, the narrative uses the interconnectedness of causes and effects in life in helping the child understand other important life perspectives.

Social responsibility is a key to comprehending the fabric of life. In Larsen’s story, without the school counselor and Lee, intergenerational relations are challenging. Therefore, social responsibility makes both the child and the narrator to establish the prerequisite of all the fabrics of life: the child’s viewpoint of life and the narrator’s perspective.

In conclusion, as indicated in “Millions” by Sonja Larsen, “Cranes Fly South” by Edward McCourt and “How to live in history” by Yvonne Blomer, Social responsibility enables an individual to comprehend the interdependence of causes and consequences that comprise the fabric of life. As such, listening facilitates connection with others and a sense of responsibility.

Works Cited

Blomer, Yvonne. “How to Live in History.” Create Victoria-Cultural Plan , Web.

“ Importance of Parents in Life: Roles and Actions .” Cuemath , Web.

Larsen, Sonja. “ Millions .” Little Fiction Big Truths , Web.

Lee, Glona, and Sandra D. Simpkins. “ Ability self-concepts and parental support may protect adolescents when they experience low support from their math teachers .” Journal of Adolescence , vol. 88, no. 1, 2021, pp. 48-57. Web.

McCourt, Edward. “ Cranes Fly South .” Web.

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Whooping Cough: Review
Nella Larsen's "Passing" in Context
Passing' by Nella Larsen Literature Analysis
Nella Larsen's “Passing”: Character Comparison
Pertussis Outbreak and Vaccination Against It
Journey to Self in "Quicksand" by Nella Larsen
Domains of Knowledge about Human Nature by Larsen and Buss
Swift's and Conrad's Critiques of Imperialism
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Discussion , ENG 122 , English

Power and Responsibility

The relationship between power and responsibility is interconnected. The more responsibility individuals have, the more power they possess, and the more the power, the more the responsibility. Individuals who abuse power overlook their responsibilities and exploit the power they have. Subsequently, several factors influence the relationship, such as ethics, morals, and characteristics of the individuals involved, and there are effects related to this relationship.

For this discussion, I chose the poem by Pastan, ‘Ethics,’ which demonstrates the relationship between power and responsibility. The relationship between responsibility and power is created in the question the Ethics teacher asked the students. The student narrator of the poem says that their ethics teacher asked them a difficult question, “if there were a fire in a museum which would you save, a Rembrandt painting or an old woman who hadn’t many years left anyhow?” This question gave the students the responsibility to save either the painting or the elderly woman, which gave the students power. The decision the student would make influenced their use of power.

A couple of factors would influence the choices made by students. These factors, morals, ethics, and personality of the student would influence the decision. The student’s character is evident in the poem, as the older woman possessed the grandmother’s face, which implies the student felt obligated to save the older woman. This decision, therefore, illustrates the student’s morals and indicates the seriousness of their responsibility. However, towards the end of the poem, the student concludes that saving the painting and the old woman was a responsibility too big for them as students. The student says, “I know now that woman and painting and season are almost one and all beyond saving by children.” Accordingly, it shows us the burden of the responsibility was too much to handle. In conclusion, this poem shows us that responsibility may sometimes be too much to bear. When the responsibility and power are given to under-qualified people, the effects may not be pleasant.

Pastan, Linda. “Poem: Ethics By Linda Pastan.” Poetrynook.Com, 2021, https://www.poetrynook.com/poem/ethics. Accessed 15 Apr 2021.

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ENG 122 Module 6 Discussion Board

In this module, consider all the narratives you’ve been assigned to read for this module.

Post, at least, one S.E.E .-1.T. paragraph that addresses the reading in this module that you most strongly identify with (you must pick from readings listed in this module),and be prepared to explain why. What is it, exactly, about your selected reading that you connect with? Is it a situation you recognize? If so, what an why? Finally, what does the reading you selected suggest about the nature of (1.) power and (2.) responsibility? What is the connection between them, as suggested in your chosen reading?

The length of this assignment is, at least, one full paragraph, mini mum. Be sure to study the S.E.E.- I.T. model of paragraph building to understand what you r instructor’s expectations are on the minimum number of complete sentences (and what kind / purpose). Then, be sure to use the S.E.E.-1.T. model of paragraph-building to construct the paragraph(s) in your response.

In addition to your own initial post, which should conform to the instructor’s directions, using the s.E.E.-1.T. method for all paragraphs, you should also respond to, at least, two other fellow students’ initial responses. This writing assignment will be considered incomplete (i.e., “zero”) unless you have (1.) you r own acceptable initial answer/ response to your assigned Homework question, (2.) an acceptable reply I response to the initial response of two different students in the class. Reply ONLY to students who have not yet received two replies. If a student already has two replies, move on to a different student. Begin your replies with the student’s name, e.g., “Jack, I found several issues with the argument you discovered for this week’s discussion board post. These are…”

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How to Write Catchy Responsibility Essays in 2023

Writing great responsibility essays and getting them to read and rank is not easy. Here are top-notch tricks to help you achieve these two.

What is a Responsibility Essay?

Responsibility entails our ability to make decisions that serve our interests as well as those of others.

Therefore, an essay on responsibility has the following crucial aspects:

An in-depth understanding of trust in life The critical consequences related to it Factors that lead to its recognition in the society

Most students find essays on responsibility a hard nut to crack, which should not be the case. Read on to find out how you can craft a masterpiece responsibility essay for your assignment.

How to Write Essays About Responsibility: Structure

Now, to beat the rest of your classmates and stand a chance of attaining an A+, you have to master the secret ingredients behind all this. Keep your eyes peeled.

Before you embark on writing, a persuasive outline would correctly set the pace for you. What should your framework entail?

Identify a Thematic Area of Interest on Responsibility

It contains the title and, subsequently, the basis of your thesis statement. Such should be a topic that interests you (and your readers) so that you can write it with a smile.

The topic should be:

Relevant to your readers
One that you can research on
Precise and appealing to anyone who comes around it

For instance, if your focus is on personal responsibility essays, you can choose from the following topics:

Maturity and personal responsibility
How to deal with obligations systematically
Personal responsibility and blame on oneself
Personal responsibility plays a significant role in college

From these topics, you can then derive an A-grade thesis statement that will be the rest of your essay’s driving force. Here is an example:

Personal responsibility is the hallmark of maturity. Here is why it is so.

There are many other ideas that you can use to start your responsibility essay to win the hearts of your readers.

Determine the Different Sub-categories to Support Your Major Idea

After having your topic and thesis statement, here comes the heart of the matter, the body. You will need to support your claims with relevant examples, facts, and statistics.

Let us see great prompts that you can use for the following types of essays:

Age of Responsibility Essays

In such kinds of essays, your body should answer the following questions:

What is the age of responsibility, and who determines it?
Why that age bracket is considered responsible
Are there any psychological factors related to that age?

Social Responsibility Essays

One can tackle this type of essay with the following questions in mind:

What if all the members of the society were responsible?
What are some of the problems, challenges, and conflicts in society?
Are people relying much on rights and neglecting responsibilities?
What are the impacts of such a trait?
How can we all work towards social responsibility?

Essays on Responsibility and Accountability

Use the following thoughts to write your essay body:

Who should hold people responsible?
How does someone learn to be accountable?
Do you think you people are responsible without someone else over them?
What is the relationship between responsibility and accountability?
Can an irresponsible person be liable?

Essays on Power and Responsibility

Liven up your body with some of the ideas listed below:

Does vast power come with great responsibility?
What should happen to irresponsible leaders?
Are the citizens to blame for irresponsible leaders?
How to attain responsible leadership in society

Remember that the body should present your arguments in a clear, persuasive, and amusing manner. The reader should get all his questions answered in the body.

Summarize With a Logical Conclusion

If asked, a majority of students would tell you that the conclusion is not that important. However, contrary to that popular belief, the end is as important as the title, intro, and body.

The responsibility essays for students should:

Be brief and to the point
Not be a repetition of the points discussed in the body
Have a call to action (asking the readers to be responsible either at an individual or corporate level)

Essays on personal responsibility are the cheapest to write since you can easily relate them with your own life. Therefore, take caution so as not to be emotional or add your feelings to the paper.

Personal Responsibility Essay Sample The KQ I find the most intuitive in ethical decision making is the “outcomes”. I consider this the key question to be my most important guide to the ethical decision making because actions have consequences and those consequences are not only limited to the person initiating the action but also other people. When we consider the potential outcomes of an action for different stakeholder groups including us, we can make the decisions that will advance the overall interests of all the stakeholders involved. This approach also ensures we do not only consider personal interests but can act in a selfless manner. I believe this approach also serves as a useful guide when making the laws and rules that govern the conduct of communities as well the greater society. I have been influenced to take this approach because I care about the social issues that affect the modern society and such issues include climate change, equal rights for women, and equal rights for minority groups. There are some of these issues that do not personal affect me yet I care about them because they affect many of the people I know and care about and they will also affect many of the people who have yet to be born. I believe I am part of the society and have benefitted from the investments the society has made in me. Thus, it is only fair for me to evaluate the merits of issues on the basis of their outcomes for the different stakeholder groups. I believe this approach also explains some of the laws that make our society better. For example, the current laws do not allow citizens to drive while under the influence of alcohol. This is because the potential outcomes of such an action also involve people other than the driver. In addition, the potential costs of such a conduct far outweigh any potential benefits. When we consider the outcomes of an action for all the potential stakeholders, we make decisions whose benefits are more likely to outweigh the potential costs. This approach also increases the probability of people acting in a selfless manner.

From the discussion above, any student can now be able to develop a thrilling and top-grade responsibility essay.

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Essay Example on Power and Responsibility

Power refers to the capacity to perform a task. Taking a responsibility for a task means power. People taking a responsibility for a task gain power. It is a fact that when one takes a responsibility to do a number of tasks, they gain power. People in power lead by example and teach their followers the right paths to follow. Haselhuhn asserts that power makes an individual responsible. In organizations, delegating duties requires power. People in power delegate duties within the jurisdictions of the power. Performing tasks without the influence of the external forces are a sign of power (Nelson, 12).Often, people can tell the difference between people in power because of the nature of responsibilities in their possession. Power pushes individuals to perform a responsibility. It is possible that a person gains power through a responsibility. People give a power, which makes people responsible.

In the society, people in power are expected to balance authority and responsibility. The society expects much from the people in power. The great expectation from the society pushes the people in power to act responsibly. Apparently, there is a close relationship between satisfaction and power. The ability of the leader to establish equilibrium between power and responsibility makes them relevant in the society. Often, power without a responsibility is irrelevant in the society. The society expects that people in power are ready for the consequences of their actions. The society condemns various malpractices in the society that involves miss use the power for selfish gains (Haselhuhn et al.4). The leaders in the society are expected to uphold trenchancy in making decisions.

The people in power are expected to instruct the other to implement the decisions. The expectation of the members of the society is that the people in power will give instruct, approve an action and decide on the course of action. The people in power need to assess the implications of their activities to ensure that the followers are satisfied. The society requires leaders who consider the pitfalls and the success of the decisions. It is important that the people in power make inclusive decisions. The use of power for selfish gains renders the responsibilities of the people in power irrelevant to the society. Assessment of the actions of the persons in power helps in correcting the mistakes and ensuring that the people are satisfied.

Vigilantism is illegal because it does follow the rule of law. The people in power ought to stick to the law while attempting to deliver their responsibilities in the society. It is imperative that people in power are responsible for their deeds and avoid using their power to enrich a few individuals. Vigilantism is illegal because it shows a lack of responsibility (Haselhuhn et al.4). Often, the police officers have the power to arrest the lawbreakers and administer punishment within the provisions of the law. However, when the officers act outside the provisions of the law, they become irrelevant and appear to fall short of their responsibilities. Power without understanding the jurisdictions of the law makes the people in power irresponsible. It is paramount that individuals are able to account for their actions in the society. Accounting for the responsibility makes an individual remains within the provisions of the law.

Power has strengths and weakness. For example, people in power are forgetful and may use their authorities to protect their interest. In many developing countries, a person in power uses their position to enrich him or herself and forget to remain accountable for their actions. Some people use power to retain their position. Power comes with privileges and therefore a person uses the position maintain the power.

Politicians have power because they are popular, and have money. The politician gives priority to their interest that of the people they lead comes last. One of the tactics that the politicians use to retain power is corruptions (Winterich et al.275). They use their wealth to buy power from the people. However, a person uses peaceful demonstration to show they are dissatisfied with people in power. For example, countries such as Zimbabwe decided to disobey the law to remove their president from power. In this case, it is apparent that people protect their interests from the people in power through unity.

There are vices that people in power practices to ensure they remain in power. For example, the politicians protect their followers to ensure that they retain their positions. The act of corruptions, lack of transparency and accountability are some of the things that help the politicians to remain in power. The rebellions and the formation of the resistance movements to protest against the injustices in the country is one of the tools that most people use to protect themselves from the actions of the politicians.

Nelson, Alissa Jones. Power and responsibility in biblical interpretation: Reading the Book of Job with Edward Said. Routledge, 2014.

Winterich, Karen Page, and Yinlong Zhang. "Accepting inequality deters responsibility: How power distance decreases charitable behavior." Journal of Consumer Research 41.2 (2014): 274-293.

Haselhuhn, Michael P., Elaine M. Wong, and Margaret E. Ormiston. "With great power comes shared responsibility: Psychological power and the delegation of authority." Personality and Individual Differences 108 (2017): 1-4.

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Related links, on-line version issn 2304-8557 print version issn 0023-270x, koers (online) vol.86 n.1 pretoria 2021, http://dx.doi.org/10.19108/koers.86.1.2472 .

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Power and freedom: Reflecting on the relationship

Mag en invloed: Besinning oor die verhouding

Johan Zaaiman

School of Social Studies North-West University https://ordd.org/0000-0003-2009-9573

Correspondence

This article contributes to the debate on the relationship between power and freedom. Freedom is currently a burning issue in political discourses. It is therefore important to evaluate the relationship between these two important concepts and present a basis for further critique and cognition about this relationship. The article briefly evaluates certain philosophical perspectives in this regard; particularly the theoretical contributions of Oppenheim, Pettit, Kristjánsson and Morriss. By reflecting on these perspectives it is concluded that human beings' rationa capacities present them with the opportunity to imagine freedom. However the option of freedom to choose one's own preferences is constrained by a social contract that guarantees and limits freedom. In contrast, power could interfere with freedom by eliminating specific actions or frustrating others from choosing actions or by not suppressing obstacles in this regard. The protection of freedom lies therefore in continuous negotiation, open dialogue and struggle for it.

Key concepts: Power; freedom; definition; concept; liberalism; unfreedom

Hierdie artikel dra by tot die debat oor die verhouding tussen mag en vryheid. Vryheid is tans 'n brandende saak in politieke diskoerse. Dit is dus belangrik om die verhouding tussen hierdie twee belangrike konsepte te evalueer en 'n basis te bied vir verdere kritiek en nadenke oor hierdie verhouding. Die artikel evalueer kortliks enkele filosofiese perspektiewe in hierdie verband, en spesifiek die teoretiese bydraes van Oppenheim, Pettit, Kristjánsson en Morriss. In 'n besinning oor hierdie perspektiewe word die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat mense se rasionele vermoens hulle kans gee om vryheid te verbeeld. Hierdie opsie van vryheid om eie voorkeure te kies, word egter beperk deur 'n sosiale kontrak wat vryheid waarborg maar ook beperk. In teenstelling hiermee sou mag wel vryheid kon belemmer deur spesifieke aksies uit te skakel of mense se keuses vir spesifieke aksies te frustreer, of deur nie hindernisse in hierdie verband te onderdruk nie. Die beskerming van vryheid setel dus in voortdurende onderhandeling, oop dialoog en die stryd daarom.

Kernbegrippe: Mag; vryheid; definisie; konsep; liberalisme; onvryheid.

1. Introduction

The conceptual relationship between power and freedom is of interest especially from a liberal political perspective. Such an outlook emphasises the freedom of the individual. In contrast, power seems to raise a moral problem in this context. Power is viewed as the antithesis of freedom and therefore undesirable - a threat or a negative influence that should be treated with suspicion. According to the mentioned perspective, the connection between power and freedom is simplified into an inverse relationship - the more power A has the less freedom B will have; and the less power A has the more freedom B will have (Mokken & Stokman, 1975:37). Power affects freedom negatively. The struggle for freedom and the one for power are thus inseparable as two sides of the same coin. Therefore, there is a view that world politics is a continuing battle due to the predatory politics of ruling elites, which undermine the freedom of citizens and the public good.

The question about the relationship between freedom and power is, however, also deeply imbedded in philosophy and discourses in political theory about the position and value of the public and the individual within society. In this regard, the debate has more contours than the liberal simplified version allured to above. To keep this intricate debate active will help role-players understand, interpret and evaluate political and societal developments more clearly. The debate can also ensure a continuous reflection about upholding the public good in a situation of constant social, political and economic threats to its existence. For academic purposes, it also seems important to keep the debate alive since current publications on power often do not reflect the state of the debate. For example, Han's description of freedom in his recent publication (Han, 2019) does not engage with the broader debate.

This article attempts to contribute to the reflection on the relationship between power and freedom by again revisiting contributions about this discourse and distil helpful guiding arguments for the ongoing debate. This is done by firstly identifying basic philosophical arguments and investigate specific theorists' arguments about this relationship. Thereafter, their contribution to the discourse on power is interpreted.

2. Freedom - basic philosophical arguments

This section examines philosophical arguments focusing on freedom and its relationship with power. The concept of human freedom has been debated over centuries. Plato (2014; 2016) raised an early argument on human freedom with his description of Socrates' conviction and death penalty. Socrates was accused of refusing to conform to the rules of the city. Socrates argued for philosophical freedom in which he emphasised the importance that tradition, loyalty and patriotism should be replaced with reasonable knowledge which questions custom and authority (Plato, 2014:3; 2016:25). However, in view of this position he was found guilty for undermining the city's legitimacy. However when presented the opportunity to escape his death sentence, he declined. He argued that the citizen is produced by laws and therefore not free to set these aside (Plato, 2014:16-17). If the laws are disobeyed by citizens, the result will be the destruction of society and by implication, of the citizens themselves. Thus, for Socrates freedom lies in the sovereign reason of the individual that frees the philosopher from dangerous authority, injustices and evils of the state. However, in turn the citizen's freedom is limited by the moral code represented by the laws. This means that although rationality produces the concept of freedom the societal setting of the individual constrains this freedom.

Similarly, for Aristotle (1947:189) freedom originates through the exercise of political responsibility. This implies that people cannot live as they want. They are responsible for fellow citizens and thereby for the common good. This restraint over individuals' desires must be upheld through self-rule. According to Aristotle, this capacity for self-restraint is divided unequally among human beings and only develops fully through education.

In contrast, Thomas Hobbes (2000:96) placed stronger emphasis on freedom by viewing liberty as the absence of constraints or impediments to action. This means that people have freedom to act in the space where law is silent. Therefore, it is the sovereign power's responsibility to provide the framework for peace and security. The latter are the lowly interests. For other interests the sovereign must refrain from interfering in individuals' lives. Citizens should determine for themselves how best to lead their lives. On the other hand, Hobbes does renounce efforts by citizens to resist government.

The Age of the Enlightenment (Aufklärung) changed the above-mentioned nuanced views on human freedom. The age emphasised knowledge based on science in contrast to tradition, religion and superstition. It also declared individual freedom as the most important political good. However, the Enlightenment did not develop a unified answer to the actual nature of the freedom which the exponents championed.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (2017) associated freedom with an openness to unlimited change. As a species, humans are pre-determined as to what they will be; however, they are able to change and transform themselves to altering circumstances and unforeseen situations. Such an ability presents individuals with freedom, which must, however, be tempered by the social contract. This contract and the public's general will limit social freedom. Nevertheless, these frameworks present the space of moral freedom by laws which are the result of direct participation. If individual citizens disobey, they must be forced to obey the laws - thus, being forced to be free. Freedom is service to the state that represents the general will. This stands in contrast with the liberal perspective, which emphasises freedom from the state.

Immanuel Kant (Störig, 1977:33-37) views phenomena as subject to the law of natural causality and therefore unfree - as the result of causes. In contrast, moral law stems from the pure reason, which is not causal and therefore free. Freedom entails choosing this moral law or categorical imperative. The moral law is created by the self and upholds the dignity of each individual. Transgression is possible but the moral law dictates that individuals do not have to transgress. In this regard the human's self-consciousness is active and reminds the self of the moral law's imperative to be free. This freedom reaches its general application in the unanimous consent to a social contract with a minimal need for governmental interference. Freedom is therefore for Kant the primary concept and state power should be used to protect equal freedom.

Herbert Spencer (Barnes, 1948:126, 134) chooses a more specific view of individual freedom. For him, state absolutism and the precedence of the military must be replaced by the freedom that democracy offers the individual. The state must exist for the individual, not vice versa. Thus, the highest good is posited as the personal happiness of the individual. Ethics therefore, entails creating a peace-loving society that places a high premium on freedom.

Karl Marx's (1998) point of departure is the distribution of power through the production process. A class monopoly owning the means of production makes it possible to organise the production process in such a way that a working class is forced to sell their labour to the dominating class. In neo-Marxist literature the labour theory of value is tempered with the emphasis rather on exploitation and the contributing factors. However, the essence of Marx's argument remains intact - freedom must be ensured for the whole of humanity. This is a socio-economic position free from alienation and exploitation. Such a situation of absolute freedom will cause power relations to disappear. For Marxists this will happen through an objective process where the owners of the means of production will be destroyed. As a result, humans will reclaim authentic humanity and freedom will be freed (Luijpen, 1976:243)

In contrast, Theodor Adorno (1998) does not hold a positive view on human rationality. According to him, reason is rather that what humans use to control and exercise power. In the process, humans become objects of their own produced power. Interaction between people is reduced to coldness, not love, seeing that people cannot love themselves. In contrast to his own emphasis on the negative role of reason Adorno leaves room for reason to question the praxis that, according to him, is only appearance.

Michel Foucault (1983) limits freedom to the governed discourse. Such a discourse is confined to an order of possibilities and limitations. Only within those borders people are able to think, speak and act. On the surface such a setup may seem liberal and democratic. However, those who define reason alternatively, as the insane do; or define independence differently like the paupers; define morality otherwise as criminals do - all are excluded from this order. Freedom is therefore limited to specifically taught desires, inclinations, considerations and manners and therefore implies self-restraint. This means the body (individual and social) has to be recorded, monitored and measured to ensure it is disciplined and regulated. Those who fail to fit into such a structural mould must be subjected to treatment and training.

Along the same line Jürgen Habermas (2012) explains that power relationships in contemporary society aims to maintain the current order. This is done through dogmatic ideas that limit freedom. Habermas therefore defends the necessity of free and liberated dialogue. This interaction and communication must confront domination. The power of such free dialogue contributes to rapprochement or restored interaction between individuals (Luijpen, 1976:242).

Existential philosophy moved the discussion on freedom onto a different trajectory. The above-mentioned perspectives centred on the role of freedom regarding laws, the state and relationships. From their side existential philosophers explain freedom in terms of humans' position of individual freedom to live and choose. From this perspective, freedom implies an absence of determination (Luijpen, 1976:197). Humans are indeed limited by their bodies and the world, yet have the ability through reasoning to discern possibilities beyond this essential limitation (Luijpen, 1976:201, 205). Freedom means that humans can determine their own way in which seemingly insurmountable obstacles are accepted or rejected (Peperzak, 1977:54-56).

Human subjectivity presents the design according to which all situations are evaluated; in this assessment, humans are always free (Luijpen, 1976:217). Humans have freedom to originate meanings and create new meanings. Such freedom should be shared openly with each other - providing mutual room for individuals to confirm their subjectivity. When experiencing full autonomy humans must choose morality - thus, making freedom the general norm (Luijpen, 1976:278). This freedom means that humans allow each other the opportunity to exist (Luijpen, 1976:344). In existential philosophy freedom constitutes humanity, namely the space to experience life and give meaning to it. Such a state is the basis of being human and being a society.

To recap this section: The sample of philosophical arguments about freedom provide certain core insights:

a. Freedom stems from rational thought - within thinking lies the possibility of a yearning for freedom. Teaching can develop and direct such a desire. b. Freedom is constituted within physical and social space and time. Due to constraints as part of such space and time, freedom cannot be conceptualised as absolute in individualistic terms. Self-restraint is therefore imbedded in understanding freedom. c. Furthermore, from rational thought stems social, economic or political products that can threaten freedom. Thus, there are powers that can constrain and limit freedom. d. Philosophers differ on drawing the border between b. and c. above. For instance, certain theorists may include laws in b. (Aristotle, Rousseau, Kant) and others may exclude it (Hobbes, Marx). e. The protection of freedom lies in negotiation and open dialogue. A dynamic social contract must flow from such interaction.

To advance the mentioned debate, the article subsequently evaluates specific theorists' description of the relationship between power and freedom.

3. Power and freedom -specific theorists

This section investigates the contributions of Felix Oppenheim, Philip Pettit, Kristján Kristjánsson and Peter Morriss. These scholars focus particularly on the relationship between power and freedom. Therefore, it is important for this article to assess their contributions.

3.1 Felix Oppenheim - a descriptive perspective

Oppenheim defines social freedom in terms of social unfreedom. To make this point he refers to taxes: Declaring that people are free to pay taxes does not explain much about their freedom in this regard. However, when it is mentioned that people are unfree to withhold taxes, this provides a better understanding of freedom in terms of paying taxes. The contours of freedom are drawn clearer when unfreedom is investigated (Oppenheim, 2004:176). Oppenheim also uses the example of freedom to practice any religion. To grasp this freedom it is best to understand that it only exists if people are not prevented from adopting any faith (Oppenheim, 2004:179). To determine whether social freedom exists in a given situation the unfreedom in such a context must be evaluated. Unfreedom is therefore not the opposing term to freedom but a focus on unfreedom illuminates what is free and what is not.

Furthermore, Oppenheim argues that social freedom must only be understood as a relationship between people. He is therefore against understanding freedom as an opportunity to choose, in which a choice includes impersonal factors (Oppenheim, 2004:176). When Oppenheim links this approach of freedom with power, he explains this relation through a formula. Power is exercised where a respondent (R) is unfree to do X due to the actions of a holder of power (P) (Oppenheim, 2004:176). In this relationship Oppenheim identifies two categories of unfreedom. The first is that if R attempts to do X, certain actions of P would cause R's attempt to fail. This means that P makes it literally impossible for R to do X. Thereby R cannot perform action X and only has not-X as an option (Oppenheim, 2004:177-178). The second category entails that if R do X, P will punish R for doing X. In this case R is unfree to do X due to of fear of punishment. Thereby P makes it too burdensome or costly for R to perform the action and therefore renders it practically impossible (Oppenheim, 2004:178-179). This means that social freedom exists if R is not unfree to do X and also not unfree to do not-X (Oppenheim, 2004:176).

From the exposition above, it is clear that freedom exists where unfreedom is tempered - where impossibility or fear is reined in. In this sense, freedom is defined in a negative way. However, it must be noted that Oppenheim is not consistent in keeping the discussion on social freedom as a relationship only between people. In his discussion of choices in unfreedom he outlines impersonal factors; in his discussion of punishment he refers to institutions but does not develop this viewpoint further (Oppenheim, 2004:180-181).

Oppenheim distinguishes P making specific actions for R literally impossible from: P making specific actions for R practically impossible through punishment. Regarding the latter he focuses on exercised punishment and not the threat of punishment (Oppenheim, 2004:178). From her side, Ruth Zimmerling (2005:162) finds the distinction between punishability and the threat of punishment problematic. If R do X, whether R will be punished or is threatened with punishment for doing X, R remains free (or not unfree) to do X (Zimmerling, 2005:164). Zimmerling (2005:166) explains this situation as follows: If there is a case in which R "always does what he wants (he never wants to do x), never suffers a punishment by P (since he never does x), and does not even know that he would be punished if he did x" then R is perfectly free, however, not according to Oppenheim. According to him R's freedom to do X or not-X is constrained based on the punishability of X by P. This also applies to scenarios where R does X, does not even know that he would be punished if he did X and suffers a punishment by P; or where R does X, does know that he will be punished if he did X and consciously suffers a punishment by P. In all these cases R was free to do X, but not according to Oppenheim's theoretical framework (Zimmerling, 2005:166). In terms of the above-mentioned examples the "unfreedom" of R did not impact the relationship between R and R's actions. This means that P also did not hold power over R, seeing that P could not control R's actions (Zimmerling, 2005:167).

Zimmerling also critiques Oppenheim's conception of punishability, which implies that de facto every time X occurs it will be punished by P. She states that there is no necessary causal relationship between the performance of a human act and punishment of that act (Zimmerling, 2005:168). She adds: "Performance of some act by an agent is not an empirically sufficient condition for the defacto infliction of a punishment on him by another ..." (Zimmerling, 2005:168; her emphasis). Zimmerling's view is that Oppenheim's problem with punishability can only be overcome if he changes his focus: Every time R does X, R ought to be punished (Zimmerling, 2005:171). This normative solution has a deontic impossibility - it implies R's moral obligation to do not-X. This means that P has a normative authority over R, which P derives from a normative system (Zimmerling, 2005:173). Zimmerling (2005:175-176) goes further and attempts to improve on Oppenheim's model by suggesting the relationships between power and freedom as set out in Table 1 below.

Based on Table 1 above, a powerful agent can either control facts, preferences or/and a normative framework. The result is that a respondent will experience unfreedom due to impossibilities created by the agent's various control measures. This Table is a correction on Oppenheim's attempt to define punishability in a non-normative way. His theoretical conceptual problems can only be overcome by introducing a normative perspective. But his descriptive perspective on the relationship between power and freedom, albeit not unproblematic, helps theorists understand how the two concepts mutually can relate.

Nevertheless, according to the exposition in Table 1 , power has limitations in its implied agency. Power indeed constrains humans in different ways, however, it can move beyond unfreedom. This is the state of "non-freedom" as Savery (2015:370) terms it, which is created by the disabling constraints from non-intentional and non-arbitrary powers. This critique follows Oppenheim's underdeveloped idea regarding the contribution of impersonal factors to unfreedom. Oppenheim's view of a negative relationship between power and freedom gives the impression that power is always negative. However, it can be argued that constraints set by P can be in the interest of R. To further investigate this intriguing relationship between power and freedom the focus shifts to Pettit's normative perspective - which is absent in Oppenheim's design.

3.2 Philip Pettit - a normative perspective

In contrast to Oppenheim, Pettit has a normative ideal as point of departure. His theory on freedom is embedded in his republican state interest. His focus on social freedom is therefore in view of citizenship. As Oppenheim defined freedom by contrasting it with unfreedom, Pettit defines liberty by invoking negative liberty, meaning that citizens enjoy liberty if they are not prevented or frustrated by someone else to perform an action (Pettit, 1996:576). Not to be dominated means that citizens are sufficiently empowered and protected in their choices.

Dominating power entails a form of control an agent exerts over another agent (Pettit, 1996:578). The absence of such power defines freedom as the antonym of domination. For Pettit dominating power is the ability to interfere with impunity and at will in certain choices which the other is in a position to make (Pettit, 1996:578). This means that the act must be intended to impede the other's situation of choice. This impediment can be by limiting the range of options, the expected payoffs that options may yield, or the payoffs that options actually offer. Dominating power also means that the interference takes place with impunity. In other words, no sanction is imposed on the interferer and there is no cost for the interferer in exercising the power. The latter is difficult to believe since every action produces certain costs. This critique led Pettit eventually to discard "impunity" as part of the definition of dominating power after the 1996 article. However, he continued to emphasise the agent's arbitrariness in dominating power (Pettit, 1997:55). In that sense, dominating power still implies the ability to interfere at will.

According to Pettit (1996:578), agents can be personal, corporate or collective. In addition he (Pettit, 1997:113-117) acknowledges the role of structures. In view of this inclusion, he argues strongly for structural egalitarianism. This means recognising the importance of neutralising the impact of social structures. The scholar later made this point clearer by distinguishing primary from secondary restrictions on liberty (Pettit, 2005:108). Primary restrictions refer to a person or group, whereas secondary restrictions point to non-intentional forces. Primary restrictions impact a subject's status. Secondary restrictions do not target a subject's status but affect the range of choices.

To ensure freedom, the dominating power must therefore be checked. In this regard, Petit refers to freedom as anti-power (Pettit, 1996:602). Freedom as anti-power implies the absence of fear of interference. This means that citizens are sufficiently empowered and protected in their choices (Pettit, 1996:589). They can look each other as citizens in the eye without fear and difference - Pettit's eye-ball test for freedom (Pettit, 2012:84-88). The normative position of Pettit becomes clear: interference and the possibility of interference must be curbed. However, differently to Oppenheim, Pettit acknowledges that not every type of interference should be considered a threat to freedom. An interference that takes into account the interests of those with whom it interferes is a non-dominating, and therefore non-arbitrary, power. This means there can be only objections to dominating power that is detrimental to freedom (Pettit, 1996:596).

The conclusion above represents a problematic idea by Pettit. In the past, colonial powers justified their conquests by stating they are acting in the interests of indigenous people, by exposing them to developmental ideas. Interference in the interests of others does not indicate an obvious and objective normative position. Pettit counters this criticism to a certain extent by arguing that freedom is only compromised by interference that reduces payoff. Zimmerling (2005:199) questions such a qualification by pointing out that if A has an illusionary view of available options and B convinces A to adopt a more realistic outlook, A's perceived range of options will be reduced and according to Pettit, this entails a worsening outlook but it can be argued that a realistic view is not worse.

According to Pettit's design (2012:50), A dominates B, thereby making B unfree. This unfree condition stems from A's capacity to interfere arbitrarily with B. The dominated individual is therefore unfree as long as one agent has the ability to interfere arbitrarily with the actions of another. Such unfreedom exists even if the powerholder does not exercise the ability to interfere. The mere fact that the powerholder could exercise the ability is sufficient to constitute unfreedom. It must be noted that this is a radical position, as Kramer (2008) explains. The focus is not merely on powerholders who probably can interfere but on those who possibly can interfere even if it is not probable that they will do it (Kramer, 2008:47).

There are several points of critique against Pettit's argument about freedom. Regarding the emphasis on constraints, Zimmerling (2005:200) points out that power does not only imply the eliminating of choices. Therefore, she argues that Pettit must add to his definition the possibility that choices can be frustrated by incentives or disincentives. However, Pettit (2012:366) refers to "the vitiation of choice" and it is a question whether the connotation of "vitiation" does not include the frustration of choices. Furthermore, Zimmerling (2005:200) critiques Pettit's notion of arbitrary and non-arbitrary interferences as too limited. She points out that if A dominates B on behalf of C, A acts not arbitrary and also not non-arbitrary. However, Pettit's definition of dominating power is stated in terms of arbitrary interference. Such a definition therefore does not cover all instances of dominating power. However, it must be mentioned that third parties seldom from part of the power debate, precisely due to the theoretical complexity and complications of such a discourse.

Daniel Savery (2015:378) concurs with Pettit's distinction between arbitrary and non-arbitrary interference. Savery associates arbitrary interference or constraint, as Pettit, with unfreedom. However, contrary to Pettit, Savery names non-arbitrary interference "non-freedom". As in the critique example on colonialism above, the interference actually created non-freedom despite arguments posited on the best interests of subjects. Savery argues that non-arbitrary interference is disabling in nature. Therefore, such disabling constrains constitute a situation of non-freedom where subjects do not even have the power to make a choice.

Pettit's normative perspective highlights freedom as anti-power, or a struggle against domination. His view is a useful and interesting position in the debate on the relationship between power and freedom. However, this perspective points to difficulties in describing this relationship and indicates how logical problems can arise in this description.

3.3 Kristján Kristjánsson - freedom and moral questions

Kristjánsson critiqued both Oppenheim and Pettit. He rejected Oppenheim's usage of descriptive and value-neutral concepts as well as those removed from ordinary usage. This scholar is also opposed to Pettit moralising of the concept freedom. In his view a concept is moralised when it is by definition focused on moral questions. Kristjánsson views freedom as such a moral concept. This means that the concept of freedom raises moral questions. According to him infringements on freedom can be morally wrong, except those that can be justified - thus, cannot be considered as wrong (Kristjánsson, 2007:20).

Kristjánsson (2007:74-75) argues that an agent has freedom relative to another agent if the latter is not morally responsible for any obstacle to the action. An individual can therefore be considered unfree if an agent is morally responsible for constraining the actions of that other person. Zimmerling (2005:215) quotes Kristjánsson: "An obstacle counts as a constraint on an agent's freedom if and only if there is another agent who can be held morally responsible for the existence of the obstacle." Obstacles, according to Kristjánsson, occur where possibilities are narrowed or options closed. Offers cannot be obstacles because they open new possibilities or extend the range of options. However, certain offers do contain an element of threat, which makes that offer an obstacle.

Focusing on responsibility, Kristjánsson's view is that agents have an obligation to justify their action if they do not suppress an obstacle (Kristjánsson, 2007:76). Kristjánsson explains: "An agent A is morally responsible for the non-suppression of an obstacle O to ß's choices/ action [...] when there is an objective reason, satisfying a minimal criterion of plausibility, why A, given that he is a normal, reasonable person, could have been expected (morally or factually) to suppress O - however easily overridable this reason is" (cited by Zimmerling, 2005:217). This means that unfreedom does not depend on the experience of the affected party. In the cited formulation, freedom functions as an objective concept. In such a case, freedom does not depend on the intentions of the agents but includes inattention and mindlessness, making it possible to identify primary powerholders (Zimmerling, 2005:218).

Kristjánsson posits an extremely close relationship between freedom and power. He therefore defines power by referring to freedom. "A exercises power over B if and only if A is morally responsible for the non-suppression of an obstacle O that restrict(s) B's options" (cited by Zimmerling, 2005:219). This means that to exercise power is to make another person unfree. However, it should be noted that in this definition, Kristjánsson only refers to the "exercise of power" and not to "having power". Zimmerling (2005:220) rightly queries whether having power also restricts freedom. Kristjánsson does not answer this question satisfactorily since he prefer only the phrase "exercising power" and view this aspect as more fundamental than "having power". If ordinary usage of language is that important to Kristjánsson, then he actually should consider the phrase "having power" as part of his definition, which thus may be a better cover of all power relations (Zimmerling, 2005:227). However, ultimately Kristjánsson links the two aspects by viewing having power as the successful exercising of power.

If "having power" is the result of the effective exercise of power, the question arises: How can having power be determined? This is only possible if intention is taken into consideration (Zimmerling, 2005:227-229), however, Kristjánsson declines to include intention in his definition. This makes his emphasis on the exercise of power quite problematic. Zimmerling also critiques Kristjánsson for joining the exercise of power to omitting the suppression of obstacles. However, the exercise of power is an action. Thus, is difficult to see how such exercising can be associated with an omission which is a non-action (Zimmerling, 2005:223224). Nevertheless, the design of Kristjánsson provides insight into the obligations related to freedom. His analysis of the relationship between power and freedom helps shed light on the complexities in this regard.

3.4 Peter Morriss

Morriss argues that the central concern of a liberal society entails a comprehensive moral concern with the fair treatment of individuals. Making individuals an end in themselves presupposes an emphasis on freedom but also on power, as a capacity for action (Clegg & Haugaard, 2009:405-406). Morris defines the relationship between power and freedom as follows: "You are free to do something if there are no demeaning restraints on your power to do it; you lack freedom in so far as restraints which are inappropriate to your status are imposed on you" (Morriss, 2002:122). Although the definition may seem similar to that of Pettit, Morriss emphasises different elements. His focus is more on the subject's possibility of action and how others evaluate this potential. Therefore, for him, freedom depends on whether individuals are able to perform an action and how others treat them; in other words, "the constraints they impose on you, and the symbolic meaning of these constraints" (Morriss, 2002:121).

Based on the exposition above, freedom is not only a matter of not being able to do something but also being constrained by how an individual's action is evaluated by others. This evaluation by the other is an important aspect for Morriss. In this regard the other decides whether a constraint offends a "notion of self-respect and treatment appropriate to one's status" (Morriss, 2002:121). He uses the example of a fence at a cliff. If cliff-walkers feel their freedom is constrained by the fence, others will not evaluate their position as unfree but that they are treated appropriately. Unfreedom occurs where individuals lack the power to bring about generally desired outcomes (Morriss, 2009:62).

Unfreedom can be viewed as occurring in situations where individuals are wrongfully prevented from acting. Morriss is, however, careful to avoid the inference from certain scholars, that if the prevention can be justified, unfreedom is not an issue (Morriss, 2009:62). Instead Morriss points out that a focus on justification is not a correct perspective on unfreedom: for example, an inmate in a prison is not free to leave it. What constitute unfreedom is constraints and specifically those that matter to individuals (Morriss, 2009:63). For Morriss the constraints that matter are those that humiliate people (Morriss, 2009:63). Freedom therefore does not specifically apply to what individuals can or cannot do, rather, as Morriss quote Jerry Cohen, if "it is an insult to the status of persons when certain acts are forbidden to them" (Morriss, 2009:63). Nevertheless, it should be noted that there is no objective truth about whether constraints ought to matter or not. This normative stance depends to a large extent on the general ideology or preferences people adhere to. In this regard, the decision whether constraints impact freedom or not is defined by the general public and not the affected person (Morriss, 2009:64).

Morriss differs from a common qualification for freedom according to which the constraint must be retrievable, thus, making it unrelated to freedom. Morriss critique this distinction by referring to the example of an individual who is restrained to walk from one whose legs are amputated. To be only restrained in walking mean that it is possible to regain one's walking. The restraint is a limitation of one's freedom. Morriss argues that if a person's legs are amputated it also curtails that one's freedom. Therefore the retrievable argument cannot be a necessary qualification to limit freedom (Morriss, 2002:117). It can be useful to distinguish lacking freedom from lacking ability but there is an overlap between the two deficiencies.

Morriss continues by arguing that the different views on freedom are a result of different notions of self-respect (Morriss, 2002:118). People do not merely react to the actual treatment of the constraints but also to its symbolic content. This opens the field to diverse conceptions of freedom. The scholar (Morriss, 2002:119) argues further: "To be unfree is to be unable, where the constraint on the ability is considered to be particularly demeaning to the actor's self-respect: to say that one is unfree as well as unable is to imply that one is insulted as well as injured. But when we come to consider which constraints make us unfree and which merely unable, we need a well-worked-out moral theory of self-respect." The lack of such a theory makes it difficult to identify the real constraints on freedom although there is consensus that these must be the result of human acts.

The difficulty in distinguishing unfree from unable is clear in Ricoeur's view of power as a position in which one being has power over another, which thus leads to a dissymmetry in relationships. Ricoeur (1992:320) explains: "With the decrease of the power of acting, experienced as a decrease of the effort of existing, the reign of suffering, properly speaking, commences." According to his argument, "to be unable" leads to suffering. He also states: "Suffering is not defined solely by physical pain, nor even by mental pain, but by the reduction, even the destruction, of the capacity for acting, of being-able-to-act, experienced as a violation of self-integrity" (Ricoeur, 1992:190). Ricoeur therefore advocates for an ideal situation in which humans will not experience being a victim at all. Humans must have the capacity to act, thus expressing their selves in the world.

Morriss (2002:119) also asks whether individuals can be unfree if they are prevented from doing something "or whether threats or obstacles can render [someone] unfree". He prefers the more general outlook, stating the focus should be on people's aggregate freedom and not specifically the freedom to do something in isolation. This standpoint is based on his view that power is limited if it is only focused on a specific issue. Powerfulness stems from the ability to aggregate power (Morriss, 2002:89). Similarly, the aggregate of freedom is more important than the identification of specific freedoms. In his view, people will therefore enjoy more freedom in a society with fewer laws instead of increased legislation (Morriss, 2002:120).

The way Morriss links the evaluation of power to a general social evaluation must be debated. Byung-Ghul Han (2019:2-5) explains how freedom and submission can coincide fully. If the subjects have internalised the will of the powerholders and act accordingly as if it is their free choice, perfect power execution was accomplished. The danger with Morriss' symbolic content of the general evaluation is that it can be exactly what the powerholders seek. What is viewed as freedom can be the exact opposite - total unfreedom. In this context, Habermas' emphasis on a continuous open debate is important to protect freedom from fixed internalisations.

In general Morris' discussions on power issues are usually very clear. This also applies to his discussion on the relationship between power and freedom in which he highlights the complexities.

4. Power and freedom - a reflection

This section reflects on the relationship between power and freedom in view of the discussion above. The capacity humans have of rational thinking makes it possible to imagine the possibility of freedom, in other words, envisage a life that transcends prevailing customs and traditions and to question it. In this space liberal thought entered which nurtures a comprehensive moral concern for the treatment of individuals. The emphasis is on the autonomy of subjects. Such an external perspective on the treatment of individuals explicates what demeaning restraints on individuals can do. Freedom is affected adversely if humans are restrained in a way that is inappropriate and insulting to their externally determined status and self-respect.

However, the problem is the lack of objective truth about whether constraints ought to matter or not. It is not evident when constraints do impact the human status. Such an evaluation will depend on people's prevailing general ideology or preferences, especially regarding the cognition of self-respect. There are different notions explaining self-respect. A systematic comprehensive moral theory is not available. Freedom is also not understood in terms of concrete actions but also in view of its symbolic interpretation, which is unstable. This makes it impossible to pinpoint what freedom for humans constitutes and ought to be. Furthermore, the concepts of insult and injury form part of a dynamic and continuing moral debate. Freedom, therefore, does not concern individualistic perceptions; rather people's aggregate experience of this condition. That is the actual issue: Theorists' interpretation is important, but they differ on the extent of restrictions to freedom that must be allowed, what freedoms must be emphasised, how it must be brought about and who must decide on it.

In contrast to freedom stands power as the ability to curtail, close or narrow possibilities or options. In this way power that can be exercised by persons, collective agents, institutions and social products, is considered an obstacle to freedom. Through their actions such powerholders can create a situation of unfreedom. In such a context, action is made impossible. This can happen by controlling the empirical circumstances of agents and making it impossible to act. Action can also be made impossible through mental control over preferences. Other ways to make action impossible is by controlling moral obligations that direct activity, or through structures with disabling constraints. Power is thus impacting freedom when there is interference by eliminating specific actions of agents or frustrating them in their choice of actions. Such a condition can be caused by making actions less desirable, by persuasion, offering incentives or by limiting the options.

On the other hand, in view of the moral context of freedom mentioned above, it can also be asserted that those in power is also exercising power if they passively do not uphold the moral code. This means if those in power do not suppress the agreed obstacles that affect the choices or actions of agents, these authorities fail to endorse the moral code. Thereby the powerholders unwittingly contribute to unfreedom, which implies that inattention and mindlessness makes those in power also responsible for unfreedom. Viewing the relationship of power and freedom in this way can help pinpoint primary powerholders in the relationship that undermine the moral code.

Furthermore, infringements on freedom can morally be viewed in different ways. Generally freedom entails autonomous action by individuals and not having the experience of being a victim. However, the non-victim view is tempered by the alternative perspective which emphasises that autonomy is not without boundaries but includes responsibility. Those who do not subject to authority and discipline can be punished. Naturally governments do not want to generalise penal sanctions; they would prefer subjects to govern themselves. Therefore, the social contract is important to limit autonomous action only to the rule of inclusion. According to such a view, freedom is not an absolute ideal. Freedom includes tolerance to others and self-constraint based on the social contract. If this poise is absent external restraint is necessary to protect the freedoms of others. For the general good, governments have to guide the body of society and those on its fringes into the task of practicing responsible autonomy. For this purpose, teaching and surveillance are used to lead citizens into complying with the rule of inclusion. However, the public must ensure through open debate that the social contract remains dynamic and open-ended. This contract must provide the space for freedom but does not constitute freedom as such. The deliberation must be viewed as a continuing project.

Nevertheless, power and freedom are not necessarily opposites. Power can guide, secure and position general freedom. It is the rational roots of freedom that temper the possibility of irrational power. Where freedom is imbedded in the social contract it is expected of powerholders to answer in a rational way. This implies that the power's constraints will be rational and its actions responsible to support the contract. A social contract and corresponding moral code is a result of power processes, which secure and limit freedom. Both contract and code is the result of a dominant social discourse within a specific space and time.

The hegemony described above contains the social understanding about the available freedoms and how it must be supported. However, freedom is only possible and sustainable in an environment where a social contract upholds that freedom. Freedom is therefore restricted and bordered by a moral code, which all must observe. In this way freedom can be practised. To uphold the mentioned code, and thereby freedom, citizens must be taught to exercise self-restraint and accept responsibility to internalise self-rule. In this regard, freedom implies that individuals perform actions confidently because they know in advance; and others know it too - all parties are aware that the others know the action will neither be prevented, nor frustrated.

Table 2 below classifies in an oversimplified way the agency associated with the spaces created by personal and impersonal powers in relation to progressive and constrained freedoms.

Table 2 above indicates that personal powers (individuals or groups) can champion freedom, or restrict it. Impersonal powers (e.g. structures or a social contract) can ensure space for freedom, or stifle it. This table is included to emphasise the point that power is not the antithesis of freedom but can be its partner. However, the table also demonstrates the limitation of such a typifying. In several cases powers empower and disempower simultaneously. They are not clear-cut opposites, seeing that freedom and power are not opposite poles.

Nevertheless, when humans exercise freedom they tread on contested grounds. In several ways, free thought and action stand against what those in power aim to direct. The concepts of freedom and power share the same field. Freedom aspires for autonomous space, whereas power aims to dictate this space. In this context, as Pettit points out, freedom and power become entangled so that he even terms freedom anti-power. This makes freedom a power to curb interference from the power to interfere. Freedom entails the ability to act freely, and power the ability to limit such action. However, as indicated above, not all interferences by power is to the detriment of freedom. Power can be exercised to support, uphold or broaden incidences of freedom. The issue is blatant dominating power, which is detrimental to freedom and must be objected to.

In final analysis, it must be emphasised that the problem remains of the differences among and fluidity of moral codes that direct freedom. Therefore, the comparative measure of freedom is not possible. This means freedom's measurement cannot be quantified and validly verified. Given that the definitional problems also relate to the concept of power, the operationalisation of freedom and power in empirical research is challenging. But hopefully the theoretical discussion above may give relevant pointers in this regard.

Regarding the matter of operationalising power and freedom, a related issue is contextualisation of the predominantly Western conceptual frameworks. In this regard, a probing question can bring the debate "closer to home": How do the discussions above apply to the African context? The Nigerian academic Claude Ake stated: "Most African states have become hollowed out. They are no longer instruments capable of serving the public good. Indeed, far from being able to provide aid and protection to their citizens, African governments and the vampire-like politicians who rule them are regarded by the populations they rule as yet another burden they have to bear in the struggle for survival" (Meredith, 2005:688). In the context of Africa and its powerholders a number of relevant questions can be suggested to expand the debate:

a. From what must Africans be freed? What dangerous authority, injustices, alienation, exploitation, etc.? b. For what must Africans be free - or not unfree? How would dignity, happiness and self-respect translate to an African context? What does the republican "eye-ball test" mean in Africa? c. Through what means must this freedom be protected? What would a relevant moral code, general will, social contract, social responsibility entail within the African context? What is the role and moral responsibility of an African state and powerholders to provide and protect a general public freedom? How can a free and liberated dialogue on freedoms be upheld in Africa in opposition to powers that seek to constrain and negate it? d. In what lies the freedom? What freedoms were secured in Africa and what work remains to be done in this regard?

5. Conclusion

This article focused on the intriguing debate centred on the relationship between power and freedom. Ostensibly the debate can be reduced to a simple inverse understanding of the relationship between power and freedom. Nevertheless, this article attempted to explore a multidimensionality in this relationship above the mere obvious implied opposition. In this way this article contributed theoretically to the core debate in current politics about the public good and how to promote it.

The focus was a brief overview of philosophical thinking about freedom, linked to the role that power plays in this regard. Thereafter, specific contributions were critically discussed of Oppenheim, Pettit, Kristjánsson and Morriss in this debate. From these discussions the article reflected on pointers that can be distilled from the arguments:

a. Rationality provides humans the opportunity to imagine the possibility of freedom - being able to choose and act out their own preferences. b. Social freedom is determined externally. In a society it is decided which restraints hurt humans and ought to be constraint. Freedom therefore has boundaries and socialisation is necessary to internalise the social contract prescribing freedom's limits and supervising that humans uphold it. c. There are no objective moral code that directs people's understanding about freedom. The discourse about such a code is fluid, bounded by space and time and characterised by opposing and competitive standpoints. d. Whereas freedom aspires for autonomous space, power aims to dictate this space. Power obstructs freedom when those in power interfere by eliminating specific actions, frustrating others in choosing actions, or not suppressing obstacles in their way. e. The protection of freedom lies in negotiation and open dialogue.

This article makes the point strongly that for humans, freedom is not guaranteed. Powers underwriting and supporting freedom stand in contrast to powers that undermine and deny freedom. The arguments in this article on the one hand, emphasise the importance of a continuing debate and on the other hand, contribute to conceptual clearness on freedom. Hopefully the article may elicit critical responses that can advance this debate on power and freedom.

List of references

Adorno, T.W. 1998. Critical Models: Interventions and Catchwords. New York: Columbia University Press. [ Links ]

Aristotle. 1947. The Politics of Aristole or A Treatise on Government. London: J.M. Dent & Sons. [ Links ]

Barnes, H.E. 1948. Herbert Spencer and the Evolutionary Defence of Individualism. (In Barnes, H.E., ed. An Introduction to the History of Sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 110-137). [ Links ]

Clegg, S.R. & Haugaard, M. 2009. Discourse of Power. (In Clegg, S.R. & Haugaard, M., eds. The Sage Handbook of Power. London: Sage. p. 400-465). https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857021014.n22 . [ Links ]

Foucault, M. 1983. The Subject and Power. (In Dreyfus, H. & Rabinow, P., eds. Beyond Structuralism and Hermeneutics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 208-226). [ Links ]

Han, B.-C. 2019. What is power? Cambridge: Polity Press. [ Links ]

Harbermas, J. 2012. Civil Society and the Political Public Sphere. (In Calhoun, C., Gerteis, J., Moody, J., Pfaff, S. & Virk, I., eds. Contemporary Sociological Theory. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. p. 469-489). [ Links ]

Hobbes, T. 2000. Leviathan. Unknown: Informations. [ Links ]

Kramer, M. 2008. Liberty and domination. (In Laborde, C. & Maynor, J., eds. Republicanism and political theory. Malden: Blackwell Publishing. p. 31-57). [ Links ]

Kristjánsson, K. 2007. Social Freedom. The Responsibility View. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. [ Links ]

Luijpen, W. 1976. Nieuwe inleiding tot de existentiéle fenomenologie. Utrecht: Het Spectrum. [ Links ]

Marx, K. 1998. Capital. Critique of Political Economy. Volume 1. London: ElecBook. [ Links ]

Meredith, M. 2005. The State of Africa. A History of Fifty Years of Independence. London: Free Press. [ Links ]

Mokken, R.J. & Stokman, F.N. 1975. Power and Influence as Political Phenomena. (In Barry, B., ed. Power and Political Theory. Some European Perspectives. London: John Wiley. p. 33-54). [ Links ]

Morriss, P. 2002. Power A philosophical analysis. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [ Links ]

Morriss, P. 2009. Power and liberalism. (In Clegg, S.R. & Haugaard, M., eds. The Sage Handbook of Power. London: Sage Publications Ltd. p. 54-69). https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857021014.n3 . [ Links ]

Oppenheim, F.E. 2004. Social freedom: Definition, measurability, valuation. Social Choice and Welfare, 22:175-185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00355-003-0281-3 . [ Links ]

Peperzak, A. 1977. Vrijheid. Inleiding in de wijsgerige antropologie. Baarn: Basisboeken. [ Links ]

Pettit, P. 1996. Freedom as Antipower. Ethics, 106(3):576-604. https://doi.org/10.1086/233648 . [ Links ]

Pettit, P. 1997. Republicanism. A Theory of Freedom and Government. Oxford: Clarendon. [ Links ]

Pettit, P. 2005. The domination complaint. (In Macedo, S. & Williams, M., eds. Political exclusion and domination, nomos. New York: New York University Press. p. 87-117). [ Links ]

Pettit, P. 2012. On the people's terms: a republican theory and model of democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139017428 . [ Links ]

Plato. 2014. Crito. Adelaide: eBooks@Adelaide. [ Links ]

Plato. 2016. The Apology. Adelaide: eBooks@Adelaide. [ Links ]

Ricoeur, P. 1992. Oneself as Another. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. [ Links ]

Rousseau, J.-J. 2017. The Social Contract. Unknown: Jonathan Bennett. [ Links ]

Savery, D. 2015. Power to the people: freedom as non-domination, disabling constraints and the eyeball test. Journal of Political Power, 8(3):363-384. https://doi.org/10.1080/2158379X.2015.1095847 . [ Links ]

Störig, H.J. 1977. Geschiedenis van de filosofie 2. Utrecht: Uitgeverij Het Spectrum. [ Links ]

Zimmerling, R. 2005. Influence and Power: Variations on a Messy Theme. Dordrecht: Springer. [ Links ]

Published: 10 June 2021

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Proper Essay Example About Power And Responsibility

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Leadership , Lincoln , Storyteller , Jesus Christ , Cross , Robert , Wife , Jesus

Words: 1500

Published: 03/08/2023

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In the modern society it is very important to possess a number of leadership qualities. Many people are persuaded that only outliers can be seen as leaders. The lack of confidence and negative thinking kills the possibilities that the world has for us. It is very important to have a number of qualities in order feel yourself comfortable in the life. The history has many examples of leaders. And it is necessary to state that they do not all come from the upper class. However, we all know examples of famous leaders. Abraham Lincoln is a very outstanding figure in the history of leadership. He is a model of administration who exhibits attributes and qualities that are vital for present day administrators and business pioneers. Like Lincoln, you confront the test of executing a dream, while likewise overseeing contending needs. Driving others to go along with you in that vision is a troublesome errand, and one that can be full of self-uncertainty, dissatisfaction and other negative feelings. Prior and then afterward the marking of the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln went up against an assortment of trials and snags, yet stayed focused on his vision to make a free country. Lincoln was an expert audience. Like most pioneers, Lincoln managed clashing perspectives and identities, yet he's known as a man who tuned in. Individuals were allowed to restrict his perspective without apprehension of striking back. Obviously, listening wasn't generally a sign of Lincoln's assention. He would just listen to contending thoughts, process what he'd listened, and after that consciously settle on his definite conclusion. Administrators can demonstrate their conduct comparatively, cultivating open dialog by permitting others to offer thoughts and proposals. Lincoln was an expert communicator. Lincoln was a communicator who cunningly wove his vision for a free America with the needs of his comrades. This is no little deed, and one officials grapple with every day. Regularly, it's hard to settle on official choices that are best for long haul achievement when they strife with fleeting hobbies. Lincoln was a speaker of the general population. As it were, he disentangled his vision and exhibited it in a way that passed on his comprehension of the general population and bolstered his bigger reason. Lincoln was an expert of his feelings. He persevered through his offer of mental enduring amid his administration. The weight of authority can bring out apprehension and self-question in the best pioneers. Absolutely, authority is not for the frail of heart. It takes strength and level headedness to deal with the scope of negative feelings that can emerge when confronting challenges. Lincoln exhibits how pioneers can explore extreme feelings without trading off their bigger reason or vision. John F. Kennedy is another great example of a leader. His thoughts on quiet participation with the Soviets were an outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The vision was articulated with his 'System of Peace' discourse, in which he promised for a delay in the driving rain War, and reported the marking of the Test Ban Treaty. In the chose cases he strived to instruct the American open on dire needs by seeking after longer-term objectives in light of a legitimate concern for national security. The Decision Making Style Hypothesis A President will be viable on the off chance that he has a capable individual basic leadership style. The theory tried whether President JFK had a successful individual basic leadership style. Kennedy regularly took issues out of the bureaucratic framework so as to guard his own particular right to choose and his own particular right of development. JFK's collegial basic leadership model was an agreement looking for vehicle which guaranteed that issues were wrangled through cross-fertilization. The Delegation Hypothesis:A President will be powerful on the off chance that he assigns with an eye to his political control JFK realized what he was searching for in each position. Secretary of State Dean Rusk was most likely picked on the grounds that JFK had imagined a more prominent part for himself here. Literature shows that leaders can be found in any environment. Jimmy Cross' character speaks to the significant impacts obligation has on the individuals who are excessively youthful, making it impossible to handle it. As a sophomore in school, he agrees to the Reserve Officers Training Corps since it is justified regardless of a couple credits and on the grounds that his companions are doing it. Be that as it may, he couldn't care less about the war and has no longing to be a group pioneer. Subsequently, when he is driven into fight with a few men in his charge, he is uncertain in all that he does. Cross' blame is substantial each time one of his men passes on, yet it is most intense on account of Ted Lavender.Jimmy Cross can be seen as a Christ figure. In times of illogical outrage, certain people take on the position of a gathering's or their own friend in need. Such men endure with the goal that others don't need to hold up under the brunt of the blame and disarray. Cross is connected to Christ not just on a shallow level—they share initials and are both associated with the cross—additionally in the way of his part. Like Christ, who languishes over his kindred men, Cross languishes over the purpose of the whole company. In "The Things They Carried," Cross bears the sorrow of Lavender's demise for the individuals from his troop, for example, Kiowa, who are excessively stunned, making it impossible to grieve. In the same story, he makes a giving up of one's own priorities, smoldering the letters from Martha so that her nearness will no more divert him. In Udall Brady's short story "He Becomes Deeply and Famously Drunk" the creator demonstrates how even a little Spanish man can have awesome initiative qualities. Clearly the various farm hands don't instruct the storyteller a mess about being a farmer. Rather, Jesus, who is low maintenance laborer on the farm, really instructs the storyteller the ins and outs of farming. This announcement all by itself demonstrates Jesus' administration abilities, in light of the fact that notwithstanding when the other farm hands avoided him for being youthful and unpracticed, Jesus was there to back him up and be a companion and lead him into turning into an awesome farmer. Jesus demonstrates initiative qualities also when he and the storyteller are set for fix the windmill. While heading to the windmill Jesus spots a calf with pink-eye and without a second thought bounced out of the truck with the therapeutic pack and wrestles the calf down to cure it. Remember that the calf was not part of the employment to settle the windmill but since Jesus knows how to be a pioneer and show what he knows yet he does it in any case. A blind man from “Cathedral” is another example. Robert is a savvy, humane man who takes the opportunity to genuinely listen to others, which helps him to "see" them superior to anything he could with his eyes. Robert and the storyteller's wife have been listening to each other for as long as ten years through the audiotapes they send forward and backward. All the troublesome points of interest of the storyteller's wife's past, including her marriage, suicide endeavor, and separation, have been recorded and sent to Robert, who has recorded reactions consequently. He is the individual the storyteller's wife swung to when she expected to talk. The way that we never realize precisely what Robert says on the tapes is critical on the grounds that it proposes that the simple demonstration of listening to the tapes was more vital than reacting to them. Robert's wife has as of late kicked the bucket, however we learn minimal about his association with her and just somewhat more about Robert himself. In spite of the fact that he is there in individual, talking about his voyages, Amway appropriation business, and distractions, he appears to be free by one means or another and not so much present. The storyteller's wife is happy to see him, however since he can't see her, their communication is just marginally not quite the same as the forward and backward discussion they've been carrying on through the tapes. Robert turns out to be entirely genuine, notwithstanding, when he welcomes the storyteller to draw a church building. With their hands touching, the two men cooperate and briefly occupy a space that bars the storyteller's wife. Robert is not an otherworldly being at all, yet the impact this collaboration has on the storyteller is practically mysterious. In conclusion, it is necessary to state that people should believe in their wishes and power. Sometimes very unexpected cases happen and people who seem to be not leaders turn out to be the ones. It is important to develop such qualities in order to become a leader for yourself and everyone else.

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With great power comes great responsibility – Essay, Meaning

January 19, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility – Expansion of Idea

‘With great power comes great responsibility.’- While most of the world credit fictional character Ben Parker to have first quoted it in the famous Spiderman series, the first person to actually mention it was the 18th century French enlightenment writer named François-Marie Arouet, who is more conventionally remembered as Voltaire.

While what he preaches through, it is suitable for a morally upright person who has been in power, but it does not explicitly apply to every powerful character in this world. Every human wishes to impose his thoughts and ideologies upon others to be able to make life easier for themselves.

Compromise is second to this. Fortunately, most people have to choose the latter only because they are not in possession of power. But ambitious people, who have a vision for their society, nation or the world altogether, often tend to break their limits to attain the position of great power.

It is then, their opinion matters enough to be able to affect the thoughts of the people he is surrounded by. But the most important catch here is how well he manages this great power he has been bestowed with. Does he use it holding on to humane ethics, or does he let it intoxicate his soul?

Power and its influence

Power is a term with varied interpretation, but the core meaning of the word remains the same- to influence any decision and action. This is the sole reason that enamours people to attain it. Power comes in various forms and influences people accordingly. One type is the physical type, the power of the body. Naturally, every non-disabled person is gifted with this one.

The ability to walk, run, lift things and carry out other days to day life activities. Notice how every bodily action that one is capable of is an attempt to influence their surroundings. What differentiates physical power from great physical power is strength.

Power channels its influence through two mediums- respect and fear. Naturally, building muscles, stamina and endurance will give any person the physical ability to achieve things far better than an average human. They can run faster, lift heavier and are hardened.

The natural medium of channelling influence through physical power is fear. It is very evident when a being possessing physical powers beyond our limit, it intimidates us strongly. The 2017 Delhi Zoo incident, where a 22 year old man fell into a white tiger enclosure, which had trended on social media and news channels for various reasons, is a perfect example of how physical power strikes fear in the hearts of physically weak.

We have domesticated small cats but not tigers or lions , just because smaller cats are physically weaker than us, while tigers are physically stronger than us. The case is similar for interpersonal relations too. People would tend to stay on the good pages of a physically strong person; unless they possess power in other sorts.

The power which can counter physical power is mental power. The human brain is the most advanced brain that is known to this planet so far. Inventions and discoveries are evidence of this statement.

While we are the most intelligent species, at the same time, we are also physically fragile, hence to make up for that, we invented many things which help us protect ourselves and preserve our welfare.

A competent person is someone who has knowledge. Wisdom is the weapon of the sages. Hence, the importance of education and general awareness should be instilled in an individual from a young age.

While mind power can get a person some position of power, it is the power of expression that will put them in a much more advantageous position. A good grasp over language and oration attracts people as it is able to stir the emotions inside the common folk.

The best of the world leaders have been unmatched orators who were able to tap into the mob sentiment and harness it to influence their decisions. Paired with exceptional wisdom and experience, the power of expression has emerged as a deciding factor for leaders to be chosen.

Finally, there also exists the power of ethics. We, the people of India, have given unto ourselves a constitution . Similarly have many other nations. The constitution is a general rule book consisting of rules and regulations that govern a country.

This is a major feat as influencing the decisions of people across a whole nation is no easy feat. But legal powers are an artificial power, created and compiled by humans, hence needs human intervention to be enforced upon other people. They can command both respect and fear amongst the citizens of the nation they belong to.

The Power-Responsibility Continuum

Power tends to corrupt; hence great power can lead to absolute corruption. John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, a famous English historian, had once stated- ‘Great men are almost always bad men’. But the way he cautiously added “almost” in his statement is proof itself that this hypothesis has exceptions.

Once in power, it’s easier to give in to the tyrannical temptations it offers than to use it judiciously. Hence it is taken for granted that a man in power is bound to become an autocrat.

But at the same time, Lord Acton’s contemporary, John le Carre, had once said- ‘All power corrupts, but some must govern.’ Hence it takes conscious efforts to keep in check ourselves and not fall into the void of avarice.

The principle of power is to influence, hence once attained; it compels people to skip the morality and infringe others’ rights. The biggest examples of this are the dictatorial states and tyrannical autocracies.

History has been a witness to one of the most brilliant of persons, who after acquiring the position of high power, blatantly gave up on their morality to commit unethical deeds.

The Jewish holocaust is an irredeemable malady that brings Hitler amongst the list of most infamous characters in the history. A brilliant strategist and an exceptional orator, Adolf Hitler had in his hand the power that most dream of.

Yet, lacking morality, he used his powers irresponsibly, which ultimately caused his downfall. Even in the 21st century, we find examples in the form of Arab and African dictators who gave in to the enticement of power. Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe are two of the best examples of the Modern Era of the irresponsible use of power.

They did start as popular leaders working for the welfare of their people, but over the course, the effects of power started to leak into their ideologies which soon led to the rule of tyranny in Libya and Zimbabwe.

But the Arab Spring was to come sooner or later, with the advent of social media and improvement in global communication which brought in with them the widespread revolutions and civil wars in Africa and middle-east.

Hence, power without responsible attitude doesn’t only bring destruction to the powerful personality, but also over his sphere of influence. Under the intoxication of power, if a person refuses to recognise his responsibilities for society becomes unaccountable and loses the trust of society.

There are enough exemplary personalities who have showcased wise utilization of power to live up to their responsibilities. The father of our nation, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , has been immortalised as the Mahatma. The people identified the righteousness in his use of power and trusted him to be able to lead them in their fight for independence and achieve liberty.

Probably, the most important responsibility of a man in power is the welfare of his people. And this can only be achieved if the man is morally upright and understands the value of empathy. Another famous example comes in the form of Nelson Mandela – the man responsible for the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa and making it a free nation.

What makes him different from Robert Mugabe is the fact that he knew not only empathy for the people of colour, but also their former white rulers. Mandela saw them all in the same light and took the responsibility of the welfare of both the cultures.

But Mogabe was too inclined towards Black Nationalism to the point of radicalism. Although he was able to dominate his country for years together, his flaws finally led to an unfortunate end for him.

Responsibility without power becomes irrelevant too. For a person to carry out his duties and perform up to his responsibilities, it is vital that they hold power. They should be adequately empowered to be able to entrust them with responsibilities.

Hence power and responsibility are always in a continuum, supporting each other in all aspects of life. Responsibility keeps the access of power in check while power provides a medium for responsibilities to be carried out.

Humanity has thrived seeing both the sides of the coin of power and responsibility. On the side of power exercised responsibly, the people in power were successfully able to keep the interest of the public over their self-interests and work selflessly for the improvement of the world.

Such a leader becomes a crowd favourite as he not only is in power himself but also empowers his society. On the other side of the coin are those who imposed their power irresponsibly, prioritising their personal interests over the desires of the public.

This has brought infamy and notoriety to their names and has always ended in their downfall throughout the timeline of humanity. It is important to possess moral values and humane ideologies to be able to accept power and understand the responsibilities that come with them.

It is the ethics of humanity that keep the leaders from succumbing to the temptations of tyranny which is also part and parcel of power.

Power and Responsibility follow the principle of proportionality. All power, great or small, comes with equally sizeable responsibility. Conclusively, power and responsibility are complementary.

As long as they stay together, they can peacefully govern society, but the moment this law is violated, instability gradually claws through the state of the governance.

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Introduction

Indian Hindu mythology is filled with stories of powerful demonic figures such as Hiranyakashipu, Ravana, and Kans, who met their ends because they exercised their power irresponsibly.
Power is the ability of a person to do or make someone do something with or without the consent of the person upon whom the act is being carried out.
Responsibility is an obligation or duty towards someone or something. It also involves a component of penalty upon failure to fulfil the responsibility.
It is important to appreciate that the relation between power and responsibility is complex and there cannot be a straightforward cause and effect relationship between the two.
Main argument of the essay : Power brings various responsibilities, which need to be carried our by the concerned person after carefully understanding the context and implications.
One needs to understand that there are different types of power. These can be categorized as coercive power, referent power, expert power, legitimate power, reward power, etc.
Relationship between power and responsibility
Historical context of rajdharma-Even kings who enjoyed all kinds of power in ancient times were responsible for the safety of their subjects; even in aristocracy this was held to be true, For example, Chanakya’s reference to it in the Arthashastra.
Vivekananda refers to this concept when he calls those people traitors who are well-educated but do not pay heed to the weaker sections of the society; similarly, he says for rich people. The underlying principle being people who have acquired power, i.e. , knowledge (expert power) or economic power, ought to help the poor.
Buddha when enlightened and blessed with power in the form of knowledge and expertise realized his responsibility and decided to spread the knowledge he had acquired.

Social context

Castes/groups that have acquired power (in various forms) hold the responsibility to take the downtrodden along. This is reflected in the reservation policy of the government and the values enshrined in our Constitution.
Political power, when used irresponsibly can lead to events such as genocide, which still haunts humanity. However, people like Nelson Mandela have shown us the responsible use of political power. Mandela implored his countrymen to show restraint from violence against the minority white population when apartheid in South Africa was finally brought to an end.
In schools, teachers hold power over their pupils, especially when it comes to reaching them values and moulding their ideologies. Teachers can contribute to making their students aware and compassionate citizens only by exercising their power responsibly rather than swaying young minds towards radical ideologies.

Ecological context

The human race has acquired power over other beings through technological achievements and scientific progress. Now we have the responsibility to conserve the earth. Lack of such understanding is reflected in alterations such as climate change and endangered species.
This also holds when we talk about differentiated responsibilities such as in the case of climate change. The US, being more powerful (technologically, economically), can assume greater responsibility to counter this global threat.

International context

Countries such as the USA and UK, which have acquired power over the years, should now exercise greater responsibility to counter global threats such as terrorism.
Organizations such as the World Bank and WHO should extend a helping hand to underdeveloped countries so that poverty is reduced. In this context, India also helps the least developed countries (LDCs) by signing favourable trade treaties.
Nuclear power acquired by countries demands an all-the more responsible attitude. Otherwise the consequences are dire and can spell doom for the entire human race.

Counter-arguments

The power-responsibility argument used to justify exploitation: ‘White man’s burden’ in the name of responsibility arising out of power acquired (through industrial revolution, expert power, economic power, etc.), the Europeans colonized and exploited many countries.
This argument does not always hold in international relations: Arguably, self-assumed responsibility by world powers such as the USA under the euphemism of responsibility to protect was used to invade Libya. Similar was the case during the Iraq invasion. Selfrestraint is important in these cases.
A one-to-one relationship is difficult to establish and even more difficult to enforce. Bureaucratic and political power has complex undertones when related to accountability and responsibility. However, difficulty in establishing and enforcing does not mean that the responsibility does not exist. More robust mechanisms are needed to fix this.
Having power inevitably means that there is need to have a sense of responsibility while exercising it by taking into account different contexts and implications of actions.
History is abundant with examples of how irresponsible use of power can lead to doom and destruction.
The relationship between power and responsibility applies to all spheres of life, whether it is the economy, politics, social relations, or foreign affairs.
Although the relationship between power and responsibility may not be clear in all situations, all exercise and assumption of power should begin with the understanding that with great power, comes great responsibility.

• Keywords: power, responsibility

• Your idea or understanding of these two concepts should come out clearly from the essay text.

Power and Responsibility essay

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Power, Responsibility, and Leadership

The lesson by toni cade bambara, related literature essays.

A famous saying by Stan Lee goes, “With great power comes responsibility”; the reverse is also true, with great responsibility comes power. Whatever we do in this world, we either regress or progress and when an individual is accorded with responsibility it somehow comes with power in it. Having a responsibility is taking control and when individuals take responsibility, they gain power with it henceforth (Burns 2011). If one refuses to take responsibility, one tends to give away the power one could have had to someone else and through that one loses one’s will power. It is therefore evident that when an individual is accorded with power, responsibility must also come to play and the reverse is true as well; therefore, power and responsibility go hand in hand. There can be no power without responsibility and vice versa.

The Meaning of Power and Responsibility

Power is the ability to act in a certain manner and the ability to bring effect; it could be through legal or official authority. The person in power always has an influence on other people and also has a certain degree of control. Responsibility, on the other hand, deals with accountability; it means having a duty and/or obligation to achieve a certain task assigned to an individual. Failure to achieve the duty assigned might result to punishment or penalty. From the above definitions it is evident that the two go hand in hand since it is the fact that an individual has a responsibility to fulfill a certain task and, with that duty in mind, the individual will act in a certain way and bring effect in the duty that s/he was given.

Geyer has stated (224) that more often than not leadership is confused to be power, but in the real sense, leadership is not necessarily power, but rather responsibility to serve the people that look up to you and it is only when the leader has recognized the responsibility that comes with leadership when power streams in. Too many leaders confuse leadership for power and end up bossing subordinates around instead of having the responsibility of guiding them to achieve expected goals (Bambara 2007).That is usually the beginning of their downfall: they view leadership as a power tool rather than a responsibility in which they are to be accountable and take control of the docket in which they have been put in charge of. In the political arena, power and leadership are largely intertwined.

There occasionally exists responsibility without power, which results in an endless blame game. For example, most government offices such as ministries are blamed for a rise in crime, although it is the police that are responsible for curbing crimes in the country, but with responsibility laid upon them without proper power, they will not carry out their duties well unless they are accorded sufficient power to curb the rising crime rates.

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In the short story “The Lessons” published in 1972 Toni Cade narrates a story of a young black girl named Sylvia and her friends from a very poor background on the outskirts of New York City, who are taken to a toy store by Miss Moore, an educated black woman, where they see outrageous toy prices. The short story brings our the reality about the rich and the poor living in two different worlds and it also brings out the social attitudes and challenges that face individuals from lower classes who tend to pursue education. Toni takes the readers through a journey of realization that only through experience and education can individuals from the lower classes face the challenges they face and improve their social status. The author shows differences in social status through the expressions of the characters that highlight the gap between the two worlds.

Toni writes the story from the protagonist’s view. From this perspective, we see a pre-teen girl who keeps to herself most of the time and whose parents are not around most of the time to give her a proper upbringing (Geyer 2013). When taken by Miss Moore to the toy store, she sees the economic inequality that engraves a rich country such as the USA in that some individuals spend money on a toy that actually adds up to some other individual’s income. At first, Sylvia is adamant on the reality that stared right in her face but with time the reality sinks in and she even starts to feel small. The author didn’t write from Miss Moore’s perspective, which may be looked at from two angles: either people who work hard at school and earn an education will be awarded with material success or children had to be shown the economic inequality for them to make drastic changes in the way they see life.

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In “The Lesson”, through Miss Moore, the children learn that there is more to life than what they have experienced in the ghetto; the protagonist, who is very tough throughout the story, also learns about economic inequality in life. The story tells a tale of poverty, wealth, and resistance The children, especially the protagonist, have a hard time believing that someone can buy a toy worth their family’s monthly income and somehow feel belittled. It is through this lesson that power and responsibility comes into play. Miss Moore gives them a background on the reality and leaves up to the children to decide how experience will impact their lives. The teenagers are given a responsibility to experience life and to learn from the experiences and it is through that experience that they will determine how they will forge forward with the experience they have acquired. Therefore, it is true to say that with responsibility comes power, with the experiences the children have been exposed to they now have power in their hands to do what is right for them. It was now their duty, which is a responsibility, to decide how the experience will shape their lives.

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“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

This story is told in third person and it is a story of a first lieutenant, Jimmy Cross, who is in love with a girl called Martha and receives letters from her. It is a story of individuals who survived the Vietnam War to live and tell the story as it was, especially Jimmy Cross who later became a father and a writer. Tim Obrien’s life is depicted through the eyes of Jimmy Cross and most of the things that Cross went through or did were also experienced by O’Brien. The work is a ground-breaking story of love, war, friendship, memory, redemptive power, and responsibility.

In the story, first lieutenant, Jimmy Cross, learned the first lessons on responsibility that comes with leadership. One of his platoon members gets killed in a sniper fire in the Vietnam War and Cross goes ahead to blame himself for the member’s death. He sees himself as having had neglected his role as the leader of the platoon group, dreaming instead of the other world full of happiness and love (Geyer 2013). When Lavender dies, Cross has to step up on his leadership role and that is when he comes to terms with his responsibility as the leader of the group. He has to distance himself from his love, Martha, and take charge of his group to avoid more lost lives.

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In his story, Obrien takes the readers into the mind of a combat soldier; he goes ahead to write what the soldiers carry with them. They carry emotional baggage of the men who might die in the line of duty, they carry with them grief, loss, terror, and longing. Jimmy Cross himself has things he carries himself; he carries the weight of responsibility, abiding guilt and the loss that comes from distancing himself from the love of his life.

The things that the soldiers carry is a story of what people carry have in their heads or in their hearts depending on the situation they are in. As to the combat soldiers, they bear a huge load of emotional baggage and even after the war they still have vivid recollections of the near-death experiences and nothing they do can erase those experiences (Obrien 1990). The story makes an appeal to young people as well, in particular those that come from broken families or those that have had bad childhoods. These bad experiences is what they carry all their lives and somehow they cannot escape that sad reality.

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Through “the things they carry” O’Brien brings out the baggage that various people carry on their shoulders as they go through life. Either a bad childhood or a broken home, somehow you have to live through that life because you have no choice but it is how you handle ‘the things you carry’ that will determine how you forge through life.

Jimmy Cross, for example, blames himself for the death of a platoon member basing his guilt on negligence due to the fact that he was busy day-dreaming of an ending of the Vietnam War. With strength, he takes up his leadership role as a responsibility to keep his men safe. The author makes his readers empathize the combat soldiers by describing details, such as the malaria tabs they carry, bibles sometimes, their fellow soldiers, so that the reader is able to put himself/herself in the combat soldier’s position and be able to feel the fear, determination to come out alive and the strength to see yet another day. The story brings out power and responsibility very clearly; the lieutenant has a responsibility to keep his group safe and through this responsibility he gets the power to make vital decisions that befit the whole team even if it involves distancing himself from the world yet to come, if he makes it to the end of the war (Geyer 2013). The soldiers, too, have a responsibility of coming out alive and taking care of one another; through this they gain the power to act accordingly. It is therefore very true that with responsibility comes power and everything depends on how individuals will want to use the power accorded to them for the betterment of the people surrounding them.

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Power and responsibility should always go together; without responsibility one cannot have power and if one has power, the individual must have the responsibility so as s/he can be accountable for the activities he/she engages in. In the first short story described above, power and responsibility are crucial for Sylvia: she is a pre-teen who comes from a ghetto, and the economic inequality is so evident in her eyes that she realizes that what the toy costs is what her family actually earns as a monthly income. She is then accorded the duty and responsibility to determine how the experience will affect her view on life and it gives her power to act accordingly. In O’Brien’s story, “The things they carried”, Mr. Cross blames himself for the death of one of his soldiers and cites negligence, he then takes his leadership role as a responsibility and this gives him power to act with accountability and determination to keep his men safe. Power and responsibility, therefore, should work hand in hand. Without this tandem, in a world where one exists without the other, as in the case of the police officers referred to in the beginning, there tends to be severe underachievement.

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Power and Responsibility Essay Example
4. 📌Published: 13 April 2021. Power and Responsibility are two sides of the same coin. Power and responsibility are important elements that decide the ethical aspect, accountability and acceptability of one's actions. Being a leader is not about power, but the responsibility that comes with said power. Most leaders believe that being in ...
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1. Self-Awareness: Being aware of one's values, goals, and priorities is the first step towards personal responsibility. It requires introspection and a deep understanding of oneself. 2. Accountability: Personal responsibility means acknowledging that one's actions, decisions, and behaviors have consequences.
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Taking responsibility for people's future lives, possible failure of the decisions, and performing in the interests of his citizens make a true leader great. We will write a custom essay on your topic a custom Essay on With Great Power Comes Great Responsibilities. 808 writers online .
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A responsibility essay is, therefore, one that shows a person's grasp of the outcome, which can be caused by his/her actions. In a broad sense, it means that there is a situation at hand, and how it is going to be handled by the person is critical to the final results. No one is born with this sense of responsibility.
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1619 Words. 7 Pages. Open Document. The Effects of Power on Responsibility. Power and responsibility have a complex relationship that is connected by factors such as a person's morals and ethics, personality, and under what conditions the person was raised. In a world where power can be found in many forms and in many places, the use and ...
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Essay On Power And Responsibility. 800 Words4 Pages. Power is a complicated and complex issue. The concept of power is that of being able to influence the actions or decisions of another group and people and eventually direct their behavior to guide the course and outcome of events. He who has the power can influence others and are privileged ...
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Explain why you consider yourself a responsible human being . Discuss the strong and weak points of the personal responsibility concept. People's responsibility for inhumane acts . Describe different points of view on the concept of responsibility . Analyze the concept of responsibility from ethical point of view.
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Social responsibilities are vital and play an enormous role in every aspect of human life. Consequently, individuals must live in a wealthy and expanding society, and they must be mindful of both domestic and international responsibilities ("Roles and Actions"). "Millions" by Sonja Larsen, "Cranes Fly South" by Edward McCourt and ...
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Power and responsibility have a complex relationship that is connected by factors such as a person's morals and ethics, personality, and under what conditions the person was raised. In a world where power can be found in many forms and in many places, the use and abuse of power can be seen regularly. Power is not just being the CEO of a ...
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The relationship between responsibility and power is created in the question the Ethics teacher asked the students. The student narrator of the poem says that their ethics teacher asked them a difficult question, "if there were a fire in a museum which would you save, a Rembrandt painting or an old woman who hadn't many years left anyhow?"
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The reader should get all his questions answered in the body. Summarize With a Logical Conclusion. If asked, a majority of students would tell you that the conclusion is not that important. However, contrary to that popular belief, the end is as important as the title, intro, and body. The responsibility essays for students should: Be brief and ...
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Abstract. This paper critically reviews the popular proposition that 'power breeds responsibility'. It first explains why this proposition is intuitively appealing. Particularly in situations ...
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It is possible that a person gains power through a responsibility. People give a power, which makes people responsible. In the society, people in power are expected to balance authority and responsibility. The society expects much from the people in power. The great expectation from the society pushes the people in power to act responsibly.
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In contrast, Thomas Hobbes (2000:96) placed stronger emphasis on freedom by viewing liberty as the absence of constraints or impediments to action. This means that people have freedom to act in the space where law is silent. Therefore, it is the sovereign power's responsibility to provide the framework for peace and security.
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Check out this awesome Essays On Power And Responsibility From Filed Experts for writing techniques and actionable ideas. Regardless of the topic, subject or complexity, we can help you write any paper!
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An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley deals with the theme of power which is conveyed as; an ability to influence the behaviour of others or events, this is demonstrated through the speech and actions of the characters. The play is deliberately set in 1912 (in Brumley, England), to show the distinct gender imbalances and class divisions which ...
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The underlying principle being people who have acquired power, i.e. , knowledge (expert power) or economic power, ought to help the poor. Buddha when enlightened and blessed with power in the form of knowledge and expertise realized his responsibility and decided to spread the knowledge he had acquired. Social context.
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Power, Responsibility, and Leadership. Geyer has stated (224) that more often than not leadership is confused to be power, but in the real sense, leadership is not necessarily power, but rather responsibility to serve the people that look up to you and it is only when the leader has recognized the responsibility that comes with leadership when power streams in. Too many leaders confuse ...
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5. What It’s like to Feel Responsible for Everything by Duncan Riach