What is this thing called “power”? According to one view, “power is the ultimate aphrodisiac,” and that is a big part of why some people are tempted to run for political office. Many people are addicted to political power.
During the era of kings, the process of passing the crown to the next generation often entailed the shedding of blood, as siblings fought each other for power.
Still, dynasties are also overturned in the end. In the democratic era, obtaining power through elections is also tempting, but there is no need for blood, as the public bestow power by making their voices heard in elections.
As for the US presidential election, the Republican Party’s winning candidate, Donald Trump, and the Democratic Party’s losing candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, were portrayed as a “villain” and a “hypocrite” respectively. Trump, a controversial tycoon, was elected president in his first venture into the political arena. This shows that many Americans are unhappy with the US’ elitist politics.
For some states in the US Midwest that have not benefited substantially from globalization, voters have taken aim at immigrants they say do not identify with the US, as implied by a collection of poems by immigrant poets on Americans who still do not identify as citizens. However, they also complain about immigrants who do identify as citizens because they can share in the US’ benefits. The US might be referred to as a “melting pot,” but it also has its share of ethnic problems.
In South Korea, more than 1 million protesters took to the streets, demanding that South Korean President Park Geun-hye step down over the influence of a friend who is a member of a religious sect. Park is the daughter of late military dictator Park Chung-hee. Issues raised by her victory over independent candidate Ahn Cheol-soo in the 2012 presidential election revealed the conservative and even reactionary nature of South Korean society. Perhaps such issues are also part of the reason Clinton’s run for the White House was unsuccessful, which would imply that female leaders still face many problems being accepted.
Democracy is a symbol of progressiveness, but the essence of politics remains unchanged — power. Under the US presidential system, the president and Congress counterbalance each other directly. Under the South Korean presidential system, which is similar to the Taiwanese system, the president appoints an unelected prime minister, who is responsible for dealing with the legislature. In constitutional monarchies, the leader of the majority party serves as prime minister or premier. However, in France, both the president and the prime minister are elected, and so voters are the direct source of power for both. The different approaches to power differ between democratic systems, as do the problems that exist in each system, but power is the root cause of these problems.
By not bestowing real power on emperors or kings, constitutional monarchies are able to maintain a traditional political system. By separating national symbols from ruling power, it is unlikely that political chaos will hurt the state apparatus. It is difficult for the presidents of Taiwan and South Korea to rid themselves of the burden of Oriental authoritarian rule. Both systems are designed to maintain some traits of constitutional monarchies, while also enjoying the very real power to rule.
People used to believe in the “divine right of kings,” but the majority view nowadays is that power is given by the people. However, power is power after all. It is still an aphrodisiac that many people are obsessed with. It is a good thing if people use their power to achieve something and not so good if they achieve nothing with it. It is even worse if they abuse their power.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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