DP 3: Systems

Most systems that are supposed to be beneficial become self-serving because the head of the system does not know how to control the power. Once a person becomes the head of a system they think their intentions are pure will eventually become corrupted because, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely." Take former Philippine president Joseph Estrada for example, he was a man of the people and his slogan was, "Estrada for the poor," but when he became the president that quickly turned around, he became power hungry and he had a thirst for money, thus adding to the corruption in the Philippines, but he was impeached in 2001, 3 years after his election. There are many examples of power taking over the minds of the well-doers through out history, like in the French Revolution where Robespierre, also a man of the people, wanted to overthrow the king, then became worse than the king himself. From the words of Mr. Snyder quoting The Who, "Out with the old boss, in with the new boss, same as the old boss."

With in these "systems" power is usually centralized in one person. This condensed power allows other groups within the "system" to be casted out if these groups do not share the interests of the one in power. These outcasted groups become the oppressed of the "system". This will eventually corrupt the "system" because the one in power will control all of the power, with no checks and balances because all other opposition was previously casted out. This can make the nice guy go bad.