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Abuse of Power in Animal Farm

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Introduction:, the rise of power:, napoleon's manipulation:, the propaganda machinery:, the exploitation of labor:, the erosion of morality:, conclusion:.

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Home Essay Samples Literature The Crucible

Abuse of Power and Manipulation in "The Crucible"

Table of contents, introduction, abigail's manipulation and deception, the influence of fear, the destruction of innocence, impact of power and manipulation, lessons for modern society, works cited:.

Miller, Arthur. ""The Crucible."" Penguin Classics, 197
Miller, A. (1953). The Crucible: A Play in Four Acts. Viking Press.
Bigsby, C. W. E. (2005). The Crucible: A Play of Power. Literature and Theology, 19(4), 328-344.
Bloom, H. (Ed.). (2008). Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Infobase Publishing.
Smith, A. (2019). The Abuse of Power and Manipulation in ""The Crucible."" Literary Devices. https://literarydevices.net/the-crucible/
Jones, M. R. (2007). Power and Manipulation in Arthur Miller's ""The Crucible."" Critical Insights: Arthur Miller, 145-162.
Williams, L. J. (2010). Authority and Manipulation in Arthur Miller's ""The Crucible."" (Master's thesis). University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Nichols, M. (Director). (1996). The Crucible [Film]. 20th Century Fox.

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Why Power Corrupts

New research digs deeper into the social science behind why power brings out the best in some people and the worst in others

Christopher Shea

“Power tends to corrupt,” said Lord Acton, the 19th-century British historian. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” His maxim has been vividly illustrated in psychological studies, notably the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, which was halted when one group of students arbitrarily assigned to serve as “prison guards” over another group began to abuse their wards.

But new scholarship is bringing fresh subtlety to psychologists’ understanding of when power leads people to take ethical shortcuts—and when it doesn’t. Indeed, for some people, power seems to bring out their best. After all, good people do win elective office, says Katherine A. DeCelles, a professor of management at the University of Toronto, and no few business executives want to do good while doing well. “When you give good people power,” DeCelles says she wondered, are they more able than others “to enact that moral identity, to do what’s right?”

In a study recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology , DeCelles and her co-authors found that the answer is yes. People’s sense of “moral identity”—the degree to which they thought it was important to their sense of self to be “caring,” “compassionate,” “fair,” “generous” and so on—shaped their responses to feelings of power.

DeCelles and her colleagues developed moral identity scores for two groups, 173 working adults and 102 undergraduates, by asking the participants to rate how important those ethically related attributes were to them. The researchers had some participants write an essay recalling an incident in which they felt powerful, while others wrote about an ordinary day. Then the participants took part in lab experiments to probe how they balanced self-interest against the common good.

The undergraduates were told they shared a pool of 500 points with other people, and they could take between zero and ten points for themselves. The more points they took, the better their odds of winning a $100 lottery. But if they took too many—there was no way of knowing what that tipping point was—the pot would empty and the lottery would be called off.

The participants who had just written about an ordinary day each took roughly 6.5 points, regardless of their moral-identity score. But among those who had been primed to think of themselves as powerful, the people with low moral-identity scores grabbed 7.5 points—and those with high moral-identity scores took only about 5.5.

In surveys, the last group showed a greater understanding of how their actions would affect other people, which is the crucial mechanism, DeCelles says. Power led them to take a broader, more communally centered perspective.

The experiment involving the adults found a similar relationship between moral identity, ethical behavior and innate aggressiveness. Assertive people who scored low on the moral-identity scale were more likely to say they’d cheated their employer in the past week than more passive types with similar moral-identity scores. But among those with high moral-identity scores, the assertive people were less likely to have cheated.

In sum, the study found, power doesn’t corrupt; it heightens pre-existing ethical tendencies. Which brings to mind another maxim, from Abraham Lincoln: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

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“Lucifer Effect” by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power Essay

The essay is an argumentative paper which discusses abuse of power and its demerits. The paper is based on the book Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo . The paper begins with an introduction which states a thesis statement. The body of the essay reveals the term ‘abuse of power’ and its political and social drawbacks. Political and social problems in Afghanistan, Tibet, Iraq, and Pakistan are discussed. The dark side of the Iraq invasion is also revealed in this essay. The essay ends with a conclusion which restates the important points and supports the thesis statement.

Argumentative essay: Abuse of power

One of the serious issues that call for the attention of the general public is the abuse of power. It has been inferred as the complete dominance of power over the weaker section by those who possess power. Abuse of power is the condition in which the person who has complete power exerts his/her supremacy over others who lack it. If there is continuous power to the authority in a country, it may lead to abuse of power. Misuse of power causes dishonesty and it becomes a threat to the society. When one who has power rejects to accept the responsibilities it is the start of an ethical immorality. Only the one who has the power will do evil and it is the basic instinct. One should discuss the question as to how a good citizen becomes a mere coward when he is in power. When one attempts to realize a person it is very difficult to understand his strange behavior very easily as the external and internal behavior of a person will be extremely different. The abuse of power becomes more dangerous when the person who has power looks his own well being without caring for his/her fellow beings. People look for only power and at the same time they lack virtue and without virtue one cannot be a good person. The person who is in power seems always blind because he is not aware of his own deeds and he does not think what will be the consequences of his misbehavior. Power is necessary for the welfare of the state but when it is misused by the authority it is abuse of power. Abuse of power is one which is there all over the world. Men in power ill-treat others around him like a puppet in his hand. But on the other side, power can make or change the world into a better one. The people who are in power are of the stern belief that they should be honored by every one. One can view a good example in the case of Adolph Hitler who misused the power because of his self-esteem. Hitler was elected as the ruler of Germany because of his honorable conduct but when he came in power he became a mere tyrant. He was a Nazi and he changed the world itself with his power. He put the prisoners in the concentration camp and treated them so brutally and millions of people were executed as per his order. All these indicate how a person with power turns gradually into a tyrant. Regarding abuse of power, one can deduce that it causes political uncertainty and social anarchy by dividing people into two layers; a dominative authority and a group of struggling people.

The ‘Lucifer Effect’ discusses the basic question regarding the nature of human beings. When good people turn evil by doing cruel deeds, this conversion may be described as ‘Lucifer Effect’. “According to various scenarios of early Christian Church Fathers (from Cyprus, Armenia, Greece, and France), Lucifer was god’s favorite angel.” (Zimbardo). He once disobeyed God and had been thrown out from heaven to hell and he became a mere devil. It is same as the case of human being too. If the good people do some terrible actions, the after-effects will be same as Lucifer, as the society will treat them as evil. Human mind is a mixture of good and evil thoughts and by doing good activities people can overcome from their bad deeds. But when people get the power they simply forget the good quality. But the man in power does not know that it is cause of his own ruin. People are of the belief that it is the power that makes one a monster but on the contrary they are not aware of the truth that it is the people who make the power an abusive one.

On 28 April 2004 The American News agency showed some striking photographs in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The photos are heart touching as the naked Iraqi prisoners are treated in a brutal way. Zimbardo is one among the shocked persons in America after seeing these photos and being a young psychologist he performed an experiment of the psychology of imprisonment with the division of a group of apprentice students into guards and prisoners. The effect was unpredictable as the open-minded students soon changed into great sadists who torture the prisoners in a strange way. Thus he learned from the experiment that “most of us can undergo significant character transformations when we are caught up in the crucible of social forces.” (Marriott). This shows how the good people turn into evil minded. In the Book ‘Lucifer Effect’ the author explains how good people turn into evil. Zimbardo wrote this book mainly based on the 20 th century’s bad examples of the man’s inhumanity to man especially the butchery of 350,000 Chinese civilians by the Japanese at Nanking in 1937. Zimbardo is of the view that the cause of the seeds of the evil flowers in the Abu Ghraib prison is mainly by the Bush Administration who tries to win the war with terror. The book explains about the powerful situational forces which lead man to act in a worse manner indifferent to their open minded character. The students are extremely good and all are open-minded in the beginning of the experiment as mentioned in the book. They shared everything together especially the sorrows and joys but the situation changes when they are placed in the role of guards and prisoners. The noble soul became the devil’s workshop as they start to treat the prisoners in a brutal way even though they know the truth that they are not criminals. The changes that occurred in the minds of the students is mainly from the situation they are forced to play as they are of the view that guards have the power to act as they like and thus they treat the prisoners in a brutal way. When they get the power they start to use it badly and it is the abuse of power. The behavior of the guards indicates how the situation forces them to act in a worse manner and also how the good becomes bad due to course of situation. All these indicate that both the good and evil lie in the very heart of human beings and it is the situation that makes them act good and evil. Thus the book ‘Lucifer Effect’, by Philip Zimbardo is a good example which expresses the abuse of power in detail.

Analyzing abuse of power, one can see the fact that it often leads to social anarchy and it is possible to identify many examples. Abuse of power creates severe political uncertainty and crisis. The soldiers at Abu Ghraib became the victims of their superior’s egotistical behavior and they were forced to work in severe conditions. 12 hours of work in a day affected the mental and physical wellbeing of soldiers. Medias reported that the thirst for political supremacy and power led Bush administration in a world of unending cruelty and they planted the seeds of the flowers of malevolence. In many circumstances soldiers did not get proper instructions and suggestions for their work. It is a common knowledge that power is a kind of political or national strength. Whenever the power is combined with exploitation, the problem begins. Manipulative actions of the people promote unfair, pessimistic, and biased outcomes in the society. Iraq’s Gulf attack (1990-91) ended in loss of more than 100,000 civilians (First Gulf War, 1990-1991). Missiles and other modern weapons destroyed civilian territories and towns. In the journal article entitled ’The Gulf War’, Mitchell Bard shows his willingness to support the evil of power. Here the author comments about the Gulf war and its political crisis. He states; ”The Iraqi leader also made the alarming disclosure that his commanders had the freedom to launch attacks against Israel without consulting the high command if Israel attacked Iraq.” (Bard).

The Abuse of power in policy formation, law making and other administrative reforms constitutes serious social and political problems. Self intentions of a particular group or community paved the way for the violation of policies by other people. In case of the Taliban, Tibetan issue, Military administration in Pakistan and several Latin American and Afro- Asian countries, majority in these nations were forced to obey the rules and regulations of their rulers. Analyzing the history of Taliban one should be able to understand the fact that extreme fundamentalism has implemented strict rules and regulations in favor of Muslim extremists. One can see that abusing of power reached its zenith when Taliban fundamentalists took the political control of the region. The women and children in Taliban were forced to live under the shadow of severe religious rules and restrictions practiced by the fundamentalists. The cruelest face of Taliban rule was explored through their judiciary. Fundamentalist’s justice is extremely brutal and atrocious. The journal article which was published by the name, The Taliban – Horrors To Women, Children And Men gives significant information about the uncivilized culture and the violation of human rights. It says; “There is little to no chance of appealing a case before a judge and jury.” (The Taliban- Horrors to Women, Children and Men).

The exponents of traditional Muslim religion show their willingness to practice a social system which permits them to view women and children as mere subjects. Poverty and ignorance give further imprisonment to the people. Restrictions in dress, education, amusements and religious worships drag the people into the world of unending afflictions. If analyzed, can see that abuse of power has engulfed the Fundamentalist government.

Zimbardo writes about the pathetic condition of American soldiers in his masterpiece work The Lucifer Effect by Philip Zimbardo. Life in underground prisons gives horrible and fearful experiences for soldiers. The worst thing is that the majority of military officers could not know the problems of ordinary militants. In other words, their superiors are never ready to accept the realities in the warfield. Through the book Zimbardo reveals how circumstances and political environment can raise cruelty and abuse of power. Trials and punishments sometimes reached the level of personal revenge and utter selfishness.

Desire for power never ends as it adds to one’s acceptability and reputation. To an extent it is an integral part of one’s social life. But abuse of power can never be justified and it will certainly lead to moral evil. Quite often, abuse of power is considered as the prime source of moral evil. It is proved that when someone refuses to accept his responsibilities, moral evils begin to exist especially to those who are exclusively under his or her direct care and control. It can be said that someone gets power when he or she has a considerable influence on the reality of others. So power should be in accordance with the social accord or conventions. One’s competence to inflict his or her will on others can be termed as abuse of power and no doubt it is unlawful. Mental dexterity, social position, physical strength, knowledge, technology, weapons, wealth, or the trust that others have in him or her can be the root cause of abuse of power. When one’s advantage or earnings depends on harming or exploiting others it can be considered as extremely unethical and it is suggested that the main principle of human ethics and morality should be to avoid the abuse of power. It should be treated seriously that the decision to adopt an ethical principle as one’s own is a solely personal one, and cannot be forced on someone. It is not possible that someone will take on a principle that is not harmonious with his or her mental configuration and this will be influenced by childhood experiences. Putting an assistant in place of conflict of interest demonstrates a complete ignorance of ethics. (Abuse of Power).

To conclude, one can infer that the abuse of power is quite common in the modern world and most of the politicians and bureaucrats use it as a weapon to get their things done. Going back to history, there had been different examples of the abuse of power that many monarchs used it well. Analyzing the abuse of power one can understand the reality that abuse of power causes dishonesty, though power is necessary for the welfare and integrity of the nation. Different examples of the abuse of power includes the dominance or supremacy possessed by Hitler and the concentration camps used for suppressing Jews, abuse of power by Saddam Hussain as the president of Iraq, brutal torture of the US Army in the Abu Ghraib jail and the fundamentalist role in Afghanistan. Finally one can see that abuse of power causes political uncertainty and social anarchy by dividing people into two layers; a dominative authority and a group of struggling people.

Works Cited

Abuse of Power. Sibling Rivalry. 2009.
Bard, Mitchell. The Gulf War . Jewish Virtual Library: A Division of the American- Israel Cooperative Enterprise. 2009. Web.
First Gulf War, 1990-1991. Australian War Memorial. 2009.
Marriott, Edward. Torture as Second Nature: The Lucifer Effect: Understanding how Good People Turn Evil . Guardian.co.uk. 2007. Web.
The Taliban- Horrors to Women, Children and Men. Information and Entertainment @ Information- Entertainment-com. 2009.
Zimbardo, Philip. Who was Lucifer and how did He Become the Devil. The Lucifer Effect. 2009.
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IvyPanda. (2021, November 10). "Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lucifer-effect-by-philip-zimbardo-abuse-of-power/

""Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power." IvyPanda , 10 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/lucifer-effect-by-philip-zimbardo-abuse-of-power/.

IvyPanda . (2021) '"Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power'. 10 November.

IvyPanda . 2021. ""Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power." November 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lucifer-effect-by-philip-zimbardo-abuse-of-power/.

1. IvyPanda . ""Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power." November 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lucifer-effect-by-philip-zimbardo-abuse-of-power/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . ""Lucifer Effect" by Philip Zimbardo: Abuse of Power." November 10, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lucifer-effect-by-philip-zimbardo-abuse-of-power/.

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Essay on Abuse Of Power

Students are often asked to write an essay on Abuse Of Power in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Abuse Of Power

Understanding power abuse.

Power abuse means when a person who has authority uses it in the wrong way. This can be a boss, a teacher, a police officer, or even a parent. They use their position to control or harm others. This is not fair or right.

Types of Power Abuse

There are many types of power abuse. Some people use their power to scare others. Some use it to get things they want, like money or favors. And some use it to hurt people, physically or emotionally. All these are forms of power abuse.

Effects of Power Abuse

Power abuse can hurt people in many ways. It can make them feel scared, sad, or angry. It can also make them feel powerless and lose their self-confidence. In some cases, it can even lead to physical harm.

Stopping Power Abuse

Stopping power abuse is not easy, but it is possible. People need to speak up when they see it happening. And those in power need to be held accountable for their actions. This means they should face consequences if they abuse their power.

Power Abuse and Society

Power abuse is not just a problem for individuals. It can also hurt society as a whole. When those in power abuse their position, it can lead to mistrust and conflict. This can make it harder for society to function properly.

250 Words Essay on Abuse Of Power

Power abuse is when someone in a position of authority uses their power wrongly. This can be in a school, a workplace, or even in a country. It happens when the person in charge uses their power to make others do things they don’t want to do or to get what they want without thinking about the effects on others.

There are many types of power abuse. One common type is bullying, where someone uses their power to hurt or scare others. Another type is corruption, where someone uses their power to gain money or goods unfairly. Discrimination is also a type of power abuse, where people are treated badly because of their race, gender, or other factors.

Power abuse can cause a lot of harm. It can make people feel scared, sad, or angry. It can also lead to people not trusting each other or the person in power. In extreme cases, power abuse can even lead to violence or war.

Preventing Power Abuse

To stop power abuse, we need to make sure that people in power are held accountable for their actions. This means that they should be punished if they abuse their power. We also need to educate people about power abuse so they can recognize it and stand up against it.

In conclusion, power abuse is a serious problem that can cause a lot of harm. But by holding people accountable and educating others, we can help to prevent it.

500 Words Essay on Abuse Of Power

Understanding power.

Power is like a tool. When in the right hands, it can build great things. But in the wrong hands, it can cause a lot of harm. Power gives a person the ability to make decisions that affect others. A teacher, a police officer, a politician, or a boss at work all have power. They can use this power for good, like helping people, or they can misuse it.

What is Abuse of Power?

Abuse of power happens when someone uses their power in a bad way. This can mean making choices that help themselves instead of others. It can also mean using their power to hurt or control people. For example, if a boss threatens to fire an employee unless they do something they’re not comfortable with, that’s an abuse of power.

Examples of Power Abuse

Abuse of power can be seen in many places. In schools, a teacher might pick on a student because they don’t like them. In the workplace, a boss might give all the good tasks to their favorite employees. In politics, a leader might use their power to make laws that only benefit them and their friends.

When power is abused, it can hurt people and make them feel small. It can also cause fear and stress. If a teacher is always picking on a student, that student might start to hate school. If a boss is unfair, employees might feel unhappy at work. When a leader abuses power, people can lose trust in their government.

How to Stop Power Abuse

Stopping abuse of power is not easy, but there are ways to do it. One way is to make sure everyone knows what abuse of power looks like. Education is a powerful tool against abuse. Another way is to have rules that stop people from abusing their power. For example, a school could have rules against teachers picking on students. Lastly, people can stand up against power abuse. If you see someone abusing their power, you can speak up or report it.

Abuse of power is a problem that can happen anywhere. It can hurt people and make them feel scared or unhappy. But by knowing what it looks like and how to stop it, we can make our world a fairer place. Remember, power is a tool, and like any tool, it should be used with care.

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Speaking truth to power: a conversation on Complaint! and Experiences of Power Abuse in Academia

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Swatek, A., Krawczyk, S. Speaking truth to power: a conversation on Complaint! and Experiences of Power Abuse in Academia . High Educ 87 , 1585–1592 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-023-01059-z

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Why Does Power Abuse Persist?

Table of contents.

Workplace bullying is all too common, and it leaves a negative impact on both the victim as well as the company’s culture. Power abuse fosters an environment of toxicity , and may decrease employee morale. Here’s a look at the psychology behind power abuse – and why it persists.

What is abuse of power?

Power abuse is an issue that most of us have experienced at some time, whether we acknowledge it publicly or not. Controversy and debate around this subject are constantly gaining ground and interest, especially in the workplace.

Abuse of power in the workplace may entail harassment and discrimination, which could place your business in hot water legally. Check out the business legal terms you need to know so your company is prepared.

Abusive people gain and maintain power over their victim with controlling or coercive behavior, and proceed to subject that person to psychological, physical, sexual or financial abuse. As we have seen from the media coverage of high-profile cases, this abuse can go on for years, is often ignored, and may be encouraged by those surrounding the abuser. Not taking action to stop the abuse is a form of abuse itself.

Understanding the psychology behind an abuser’s actions can help explain – but not excuse – why the abuse may continue and possibly increase.

Individuals who are abusive or have narcissistic tendencies may have a narcissistic personality disorder, or NPD. Research from the Cleveland Clinic shows that 5% of the population has NPD. Narcissists have a need to make themselves look impressive, crave admiration and power, lack empathy, and often act arrogantly. When narcissistic behavior exists, you can see an increase in power abuse cases.

In the workplace, people may abuse their power in a number of ways: by choosing to hire (or not hire) based on bias or prejudice; by creating an uncomfortable working environment; and by misusing their power in disciplinary situations. Acts of narcissism and abuse of power can create deeply dangerous and uncomfortable working conditions for employees.

An example of abuse of power includes choosing to hire or not hire based on a bias or prejudice.

Why does abuse of power persist?

Victims of abuse are often stressed and confused about their situation. This confusion can block the person’s confidence to report the issue, or they ignore it, thinking it will go away in time. It doesn’t.

Often the channel to address the issue leads to the legal department, but law firms can be a breeding ground for bully protection. Those with money or positions of power often have greater access to lawyers. They can quickly exhaust the victim’s ability to afford legal support, and they know it. The power abusers are often in a position to control the legal outcomes.

As a result, these cases often go unreported, undetected and unchallenged, because the victim feels that the threat of action could be worse than the original form of abuse. This creates a vicious cycle in which the perpetrators feel that getting away with the crime empowers them to continue their abusive behavior.

Silent supporters and ‘group shun’

Abusers like to have support for their cause. Their social skills and positions of power can compound the issues by enrolling others in “group shun.” The group – made up of the abuser and those who are weak enough to fear that if they don’t join in, they will be the next victims – acts as a pack to ostracize an individual. Bullies often seek to remain hidden behind a veil of secrecy and cowardice. They influence others to join in so that if they are detected, they can avoid blame by deflecting their behavior onto others in the group.

This issue is rarely addressed in bullying training programs in any depth. Often the individuals involved are not entirely sure what is going on. Group shun can creep over time, and because of its stealth nature, it can be hard to describe to others so that they can recognize it. The targeted individual may become paranoid or delusional, leading to a double whammy of victimization where they feel everyone else has deserted them. When you see colleagues being shunned and ostracized by peers and organizational leaders, do not enable the abuser with your silence or tacit support. The silent witness is as guilty as the perpetrators, allowing the psychological torture to continue. The enablers are perpetrators by acting as accomplices. Cowardice and lack of courage remain the motivation for this inaction. Remember, if the vicious cycle is not stopped, you may become the next victim.

How does abuse of power happen in the workplace?

In a working environment, the abuse of power against staff can manifest in various harmful ways. Abuse usually stems from an individual who holds power (i.e., a boss, executive or manager). These individuals can apply pressure and bully or coerce their employees into difficult or stressful situations . Those who have been with the company for a short period, have an associate-level title, or are from a marginalized background can experience further acts of harassment and discomfort from their superiors. Those who abuse their power may surround themselves with other individuals of power or people prone to agreeing with them, lowering the chance for helpful feedback and behavior callouts.

Power-based harassment can include: threatening an employee by telling them they could lose their job, shifting blame, putting their own interests before the betterment of the staff and company, and other acts of harm. When a person with workplace privileges misuses their power, they can humiliate, threaten or mock staff members. These types of abusive acts of power can further cause work-based trauma.

Staff experiencing abuse of power may be stressed, put under immense pressure, and feel increased distrust toward their job or work colleagues. Overall, abuse of power can lower employee morale, increase employee turnover, and decrease productivity. When companies do not put their employees’ well-being and mental health first, it not only detrimentally hurts staff but also the company as a whole. To avoid employee burnout and mental health trauma, consider how people with power in a workplace can best advocate for those who may be experiencing power abuse.

Prioritize your employees’ mental health and well-being by listening to their feedback – especially those who may be experiencing a supervisor’s abuse of power.

How can you stop abuse of power in the workplace?

Stopping power abuse and bullying in the workplace means implementing education and enacting support systems at an organizational level. Simply having a policy in place doesn’t always help – where policies do exist, they are often ignored or ineffective.

Consider the following tools to stop the abuse of power in the workplace:

Intervention levels. Have operations systems that allow space for employees to discuss grievances or abuses with executive staff or HR.
Code of conduct. Develop manuals and handbooks alongside an HR team to best protect the rights, boundaries and health of employees.
Disciplinary measures. When preventative solutions are no longer protecting employees, have steps in place to stop and confront workplace abuses.
Support systems. Create spaces where employees are able to safely share their experiences. This can be in the form of affinity groups, human resources, staff surveys and more.

Stop bullying and abuse of power at an organizational level by holding training, performing interventions and enacting disciplinary measures.

When regulation fails, we need to revert to character, and herein lies the ethical challenge. Character is borne out of moral virtue, courage and honor. In this case, we need to ensure we are building employees of character – those who have the courage to stand up for others, and themselves, and courage from organizations to reward those who do.

The culture of an organization must have systems in place to encourage employees to be aware of behaviors or influences that may not be acceptable, as well as speak up about those behaviors. Organizational leaders, regulators and business schools need to step up, enforce policies, be aware, and understand the implications and risks of what is going on in their own organizations and the liabilities that they face. Individuals need to show courage not to participate, to call out bad behavior, and when faced with the situation themselves, have the language to articulate what is going on clearly.

Character is an undertaught and underrepresented ethical trait in our executive education programs. It is the foundation of good leadership. Bring back character, and the need for articles like this may diminish.

Additional reporting by Sean Peek.

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Power Abuse and the Means to Avoid It

Despite numerous attempts to control the actions of those beholding power, power abuse remains one of the notorious elements of everyday reality. On the one hand, corruption is an inevitable stage of evolution of a regular person who suddenly gained too much power to be able to refrain from using it for his/her own interests. On the other hand, a number of techniques that may help one avoid abusing power have been developed. According to Zimbardo, the ethics of leader’s choices may be enhanced by introducing diversity into workplace, therefore, allowing for the reinforcement of corporate values and, thus, improvements in the leader’s idea of what his/her power entitles him/her to do.

Introduction

In large companies and corporations, people at the helm often have to face the temptation to abuse their powers and cross the border between ethical and unethical. With the availability of the information, the opportunity to control people and the power to make decisions that the fate of the company often depends on, leaders and managers often succumb to abusing their powers and exploiting the resources that, quite frankly, should be used from the benefit of the company (Bruhn, 2009).

While the given phenomenon can be attributed to the specifics of human nature and, therefore, is extremely hard to fight, it can be assumed that, by introducing the principles of human diversity and sense of responsibility into the company managers’ organizational behavior, one can possibly bring the rates of corruption within an organization to bearable rates.

Personal Experience: When Leader’s Organizational Behavior Leaves Much to Be Desired

In my personal experience, I have encountered the situations in which company managers abused their powers, and in each case, not only the dishonesty of these managers, but also the faults in the representation of the company’s values and ethics. I used to work for a recycling company that provided raw recycled material for partner companies and services to the people and companies who needed to dispose of different types of waste (domestic waste, industrial waste, etc.).

Because of the laissez-faire leadership style adopted by the company leader, managers often abused their power and resorted to fraud, mainly tax fiddling and stealing from the company’s budget for technology, to get extra money. This was the case described by Rhode, when “ironically, public immorality seems to be less tarnishing than private immorality despite the extent of the consequences” (Rhode, 2006, p. 123). If the managers had displayed immoral viewpoints in any other sphere, they would have been tolerated; however, in public sphere, this behavior was given a very hostile reception.

Power and Self Interest without Restrain: Corruption at Its Worst

Actually, when analyzing the reasons for corruption to exist, one should take a closer look at the hierarchy of human needs and realize that, while the need for recognition at work and personal achievements land rather high on the list of people’s priorities, bare necessities, i.e., food and shelter, still remain the key ones. Therefore, the very phenomenon of corruption, in fact, can be explained easily; moreover, it is fully justifiable based on the specifics of human nature (Calabrese, 2003). The given fact does not make corruption any less despicable; however, it clearly points at the difficulties in reducing its rates in an ordinary company, not to mention the process of eliminating the possibility of corruption (Bondy, 2008).

From Zimbardo’s Point of View: Human Diversity and the Sense of Responsibility

It would be a mistake, though, to attribute the efficacy of moral leadership solely to the rates of diversity within a company (Frederiksen, 2010). While being a relatively important aspect of shaping a company’s set of moral values (Pies, Beckmann, & Hielscher, 2010), it still addresses only one aspect of leadership style evolution, i.e., the leader’s ability to avoid judging people based on common stereotypes. Arguably, human diversity also allows for incorporating more ethical principles into the company’s ethical code, therefore, providing solutions for possible ethical dilemmas that may emerge once two or more cultures collide.

Such conflicts, in fact, are very common for the companies that are only starting to expand ad, hence, have little experience of contacting with the companies belonging to the people of different culture and traditions. In my own experience, after several employees from a different cultural background had been accepted for working in the organization, the company manager started displaying willingness to introduce the principles of the Asian culture into the company’s organizational behavior.

More to the point, organizational clarity and honesty, a trademark of the Japanese culture, which the new employee belonged to, seemed to affect the leader’s behavior as well, reducing the corruption rates a few notches. However, it was still not enough to bring the rates of corruption down significantly, which was why another method suggested by Zimbardo was utilized.

Defined as sense of responsibility (Zimbargo, 2006), the given method works from the inside, in contrast to the rest of the approaches, which presuppose an outside influence on the wrongdoer. It should be stressed, though, that sense of responsibility is not acquired easily and definitely demands considerable time to bring fruitful results. In contrast to the method of introducing cultural and human diversity into the company, where the manager in question is influenced by the people around him and, therefore, has no other options but to evolve, sense of responsibility presupposes a conscious recognition of the necessity to follow specific rules.

In other words, sense of responsibility presupposes that a person acknowledges the reasonability of certain ethical restrictions and abstains from breaking the existing code of ethics not because of his/her fear of punishment, but because (s)he understands what this code is required for. In addition, it is required that the managers should be able to balance between maintaining general welfare and private wealth (Windsor, 2006).

In the context of my workplace environment, introducing managers to the sense of responsibility appeared to be successful because of the reconsideration of the company’s ethics and the change of leadership strategy adopted by the head of the company. Instead of utilizing the laissez-faire approach, which gave managers impressive freedom yet did not presuppose that they should be under the influence of any ethical principles, Mr. Hutchinson decided to adopt transformational leadership style.

By appealing to the managers’ needs and introducing a model of appropriate behavior to them, Mr. Hutchinson managed to reinvent their perception of corporate responsibility, therefore, shaping their idea of what they should use their power for and enhancing the learning of other shared practices and beliefs, as Hartman and DesJardins define culture (Hartman & DesJardins, 2011, p. 162).

Corruption among company leaders and managers is a part and parcel of everyday reality in the modern world of business and entrepreneurship. The given phenomenon can be explained with the help of the hierarchy of needs and dealt with with the help of change in corporate ethics and organizational behavior, as well as redefinition of the leadership style adopted by the head of the company.

Reference List

Bondy, K. (2008). The paradox of power in CSR: A case study on implementation. Journal of Business Ethics, 82 (2), 307-323.

Bruhn, J. G., (2009). The functionality of gray area ethics in organizations. The Journal of Business Ethics, 89 (2), 205-214.

Calabrese, R. L. (2003). The ethical imperative to lead change: Overcoming the resistance to change. The International Journal of Educational Management, 17 (1), 7-13.

Frederiksen, C. (2010). The relation between policies concerning corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philosophical moral theories – An empirical investigation. Journal of Business Ethics, 93 (3), 357-371.

Hartman, L. P. & DesJardins, J. R. (2011). Business ethics: Decision-making for personal integrity and social responsibility (2 nd ed.) . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Rhode, D. L. (2006). Moral leadership: The theory and practice of power, judgment, and policy . San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Windsor, D. (2006). Corporate social responsibility: Three key approaches . Journal of Management Studies, 43 (1), 93–114.

Zimbargo, P. (2006). The psychology of power: To the person? To the situation? To the system? In D. L. Rhode & W. Bennis (Eds.,) Moral leadership: The theory and practice of power, judgment and policy (pp. 129–159) . S an Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

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Introduction To Abuse

Introduction to Abuse

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What is Abuse?

Physical and sexual abuse greatly exacerbate the risk of substance use disorders . Abuse has particularly far-reaching effects when it occurs during childhood. Please learn more about treatment here .

Types of Abuse
Verbal: They may verbally abuse them by calling them names, tell them they are stupid, have no worth or will not amount to anything on their own.
Physical: They may become physically violent, inflicting pain, bruises, broken bones and other physical wounds (visible and hidden both).
Sexual: They may rape or sexually assault their victims.
Negligence: Alternatively they may neglect dependent victims, disavowing any responsibilities they may have towards those victims, and causing damage through lack of action rather than through a harmful, manipulative action itself.

Abuse is a commonplace event in modern times, taking on many different forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse, occurring in many different contexts, including the home (domestic violence, spouse rape, incest), the workplace (sexual harassment), and in institutional (elder abuse, bullying) and religious and community (hate crime) settings. It touches victims across the lifespan from children through elders. Abuse is a serious social and cultural problem affecting everyone whether as a victim of abuse, a perpetrator, a friend or confidant of an abused person looking for ways to be helpful, or simply as someone who is angered by injustice and wants to work for positive change.

If you are currently being abused, or have been abused in the past, you should know that you do not suffer alone. Right now millions of people around the world struggle to maintain dignity, safety and self-worth in the face of ongoing abuse. Millions more people struggle to recover from wounds they have sustained during past abuse. You should also know that help is available for victims of abuse, although it is not always easy to access. Community abuse resources (such as domestic violence shelters), mental health professionals, law enforcement, and various other organizations, websites and printed resources can provide instruction and assistance for people who need help removing themselves from abusive situations.

Victims of abuse often find themselves dealing with serious psychological and physical consequences of having been abused. There are various forms of counseling, psychotherapy, medical and self-help resources available for people who have been abused and want assistance and support for managing problems and issues they have developed as a result of being abused Such post-abuse issues are sometimes called 'abuse sequela' by health professionals. While no therapy is capable of erasing the effects of abuse, such resources can provide real and meaningful assistance in helping to minimize the negative effects of abuse. Helpful abuse-related resources can be found throughout this document, in the appendix of abuse-related resources provided at the end of this document, and in the lists of other (non-document) resources collected within this abuse topic center.

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Some people aren't sure if they are being or have been abused. They may know that they have been harmed, but they may think that they deserved that harm, for instance, or perhaps think instead that some degree of harm is acceptable or reasonable, or just inevitable. Though it is not possible for us to give you a definite answer to any questions you may have about what is abuse and what is not abuse, consider that people who haven't been abused don't tend to spend much time wondering whether they have been abused, while a many people who have been abused (or are being abused) do wonder about it. If you are upset enough to wonder about it, it is likely (although not definite) that you have been abused. We'll explore the definition of abuse in greater detail later in this document.

Additional Abuse Articles

Definition of Abuse
After the Abuse Has Ended
Fear of Remembering Abuse
Effects of Abuse
Sexual Abuse and its Effects on Relationships
Types of Abuse and Examples
Why do People Abuse Others?
Long Term Effects of Bullying

Additional Resources

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‘The Magdalene Sisters’ as an Illustrated Abuse Primer
Abuse – If You Have Been Assaulted or Raped…
Abuse Defined
Abuse Reporting Resources
An Abuse Victim’s Story: Beaten By Boyfriend, Then Burned By The Court
Bullying and Peer Abuse
Changing Attitudes About Abuse
Child Sexual Abuse and Assault (Rape)
Childhood Sex Abuse of Girls: Implications For Adulthood
Domestic Settings of Abuse
Elder Care Abuse
How Does the Child Welfare System Work?
If You Are a Third Party to Abuse…
If You Are An Abuser…
If You or Your Children Are Currently Experiencing Abuse…
Limiting Children’s Risk of Sexual Abuse
Post-Abuse Vulnerabilities
Preventing Abuse
Recognizing Abuse
Sexual Abuse Warning Signs
Sexual Assault
Signs and Symptoms of Child Sexual Abuse
The Bystander Effect, What Would You Do?
The Long Term Effects of Bullying
When Children Are Beaten, The Aftermath
Why Do Adults Stay In Abusive Relationships?
Why Do People Abuse?
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Mens Health
What Is Addiction?
Signs, Symptoms, & Effects Of Addiction
What Causes Addiction?
Mental Health, Dual-Diagnosis, & Behavioral Addictions
Addiction Treatment
Addiction Recovery
Information On Specific Drugs
Homosexuality And Bisexuality
Internet Addiction
Childhood Mental Disorders
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
Depression: Major Depression & Unipolar Varieties
Eating Disorders
Childhood Mental Disorders And Illnesses
Dissociative Disorders
Impulse Control Disorders
Internet Addiction And Media Issues
Intellectual Disabilities
Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Schizophrenia
Somatic Symptom And Related Disorders
Tourettes And Other Tic Disorders
Physical Mental Illness Flipbook
Suicide Rates Vector Map
Alzheimers Disease And Other Cognitive Disorders
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Colds And Flu
Crohns Disease / Irritable Bowel
Heart Disease
High Blood Pressure
Memory Problems
Men's Health
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Sleep Disorders
Women's Health
Anger Management
Mindfulness
Stress Reduction And Management
Weight Loss
Disabilities
Domestic Violence And Rape
Family & Relationship Issues
Grief & Bereavement Issues
Pain Management
Relationship Problems
Self Esteem
Terrorism & War
Health Insurance
Health Policy & Advocacy
Health Sciences
Mental Health Professions
Alternative Mental Health Medicine
Medications
Psychological Testing
Psychotherapy
Virtual Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment
Child Development And Parenting: Infants
Child Development And Parenting: Early Childhood
Sexuality & Sexual Problems
Homosexuality & Bisexuality
Aging & Geriatrics
Death & Dying
Physical Development: Motor Development
Vygotsky's Social Developmental Emphasis
Bullying & Peer Abuse
Family And Relationship Issues
Grief And Bereavement

Abuse of Power Essay

The willingness in CIA agents, the average working person, students and everyone in between to abuse their power given the situation is a shocking fact to most. Although, most people feel they could never hurt others or abuse their power, time and time again both science and history tell us otherwise. The things people are willing to do to others when given a position of power would shock and disturb most people. But it has become apparent, that given the right justification for their actions, and placed in the right situation, good people are willing to abuse their power and do unthinkable things.

If people can justify their actions they are willing to do things they claim they would never do. Most people don’t believe they would ever willingly hurt someone, but it has been proven through experiments such as the Milgram Experiment, that people are willing to do so given the right justification. In this experiment people were told to administer shocks to a person on the other side of the glass every time they answered a question wrong (the volts per shock increased until the person started to scream, beg, or die). The person later was revealed to be an actor, who wasn’t actually being shocked, but at the time the test subjects didn’t know this. During the experiment ‘nearly every participant paused, and most turned to the experimenter to indicate verbally or nonverbally their reluctance to continue,’ (Burger). This is because they know what they are doing is wrong. But, if they can tell themselves that someone is making them do it, it’s not real, or it’s for the better good, then they can suddenly do the previously thought to be unthinkable. All because they can shift the blame or justify their actions. When “a hesitant volunteer asked, what would happen if something were to happen to that person, at which point the authority hastily replied, ‘I’m responsible if anything happens.’ This answer appeared to relieve the volunteer, who continued administering the shocks” (Jaeger). This is because they can now shift the blame from themselves, and say that what happens isn’t their fault, and they are not the cause of these things.

Given the right situation people are willing to do bad things. The best example of this is found in the Stanford Prison Experiment. In this experiment twenty four college men were assessed as mentally sound, and then assigned at random the role of prison guard and prisoner (What the Creator). They were told that during the next fourteen days they needed to realistically live the lives of prison guards or prisoners. But the experiment turned sour fast, as the guards quickly started to abuse their power. Within two days multiple prisoners had mental breakdowns, and this fictional world for the experiment became too real. The two week experiment was cut short after just six days. This poses some questions, such as:

What kind of guard would I have been? What kind of prisoner? How could people do this, what are other situations in everyday life where people do this? It is really about abuse of power, so you want people to ask what happens when people get in positions of power, like a boss; it makes you think about bullies. It ought to trigger lots of reflection (What the Creator).

That most people are reluctant to challenge and confront authority figures who abuse their power … in many cases, lower-level employees engage in bad behavior. In the corporate world, specifically, people may feel inclined to act against their better judgment to obey a supervisor, manager, or senior-level executive. Such behavior may be driven out of fear of losing one’s job if they challenge authority, or simply out of a desire to please (Jaeger).

It is really important to understand these crazy abuses of power do not just occur in psychological experiments. Abuses of power happen all the time form in business, to schools, all the way to the government and law enforcement. So, “an organization like the CIA can create a system in which decent humans inflict pain on strangers. The social good: fighting the war on terror. The authority figure: CIA higher-ups who told personnel to continue enhanced interrogations despite doubts” (Resnick). Anyone can become this abusive with their power. There doesn’t seem to just be one type of mindset that evolves into this, everyone has the potential.

So in conclusion, what allows people to abuse their power is the perfect balance of the right situation mixed with a justification of their actions that that can shift any blame onto. When people have something they can shift the blame to they don’t feel like they they are responsible for something bad. They feel like they did the right thing, or it wasn’t their fault (depending on their personal reasoning). Not only do people need a good justification for themselves, but they first need to be placed in a situation that will allow them to abuse their power. This situation could be anything, from a role in an experiment, to a federal prison guard, or even just a manager at a standard job. But if they are placed in the right situation where they can abuse their power, and can justify their actions, good everyday people will abuse their power.

Works Cited

Biddle, Craig. ‘Intelligent Disobedience: Doing Right When What You’re Told to Do Is Wrong.’ The Objective Standard, Winter 2017, p. 95+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A522760161/GPS?u=j043907002&sid=GPS&xid=5783bb2f. Accessed 17 Oct. 2018.
Jaeger, Jaclyn. ‘Milgram’s compliance legacy: Good behavior comes from constant reinforcement by a voice of authority, because most people actually need permission to do the right thing.’ Compliance Week, June 2017, p. 68. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A535031119/GPS?u=j043907002&sid=GPS&xid=2dac80ba. Accessed 17 Oct. 2018.
Resnick, Brian. ‘Why Torture?’ Nationaljournal.com, 10 Dec. 2014. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A393059859/GPS?u=j043907002&sid=GPS&xid=d905b50d. Accessed 17 Oct. 2018.
‘What the Creator of the Stanford Prison Experiment Thinks of the New Film About It.’ Science of Us, 23 July 2015. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A507891050/ITOF?u=j043907002&sid=ITOF&xid=0b4515e1. Accessed 16 Oct. 2018.

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Macbeth ‘Power’ Essay [Draft]

How does one get an essay done from the entire play? The answer lies in taking key scenes, getting them into a Word document and then highlighting, in yellow, the relevant short quotes that fit the need of the essay when it is done. Once you have the highlighted quotes, you then delete the rest, leaving gaps between the quotes, so you can develop links between the words spoken by one character or another.

I did this and then put an essay together for you, to show you how it is done, but being the creative writer and thinker that I am, ended up with nearly 1300 words. I think it was 1296 words to be precise. So, I had to edit the file and take out relevant bits. What began by using 3 key scenes, then became an essay using 2 key scenes, leading to an essay of 840 words. Now technically, that is 15 words over the 10% limit AQA sets for Controlled Assessments, but if that happens to you, fear not.

Here is the essay in its fullness……..enjoy and try to emulate this.

Explore the ways that power is presented in Macbeth, with reference to the power that Lady Macbeth has over her husband.

Power exists within all relationships and is usually portrayed in fiction as patriarchal, but what the Bard is famous for as a playwright, is subverting the accepted norm and bringing to the attention of the public new ideas relating to the power relationships that exist. His play, Macbeth, about the Scottish tyrant King who is affected by witchcraft and the inward desires of his own wife’s evil intentions, is a good example of this power that exists in such relationships, even regal ones.

In Act 1, Scene 5, after Macbeth has been visited by the three witches on the heath, he writes a letter to his wife back at his castle. When she receives it, the audience begin to see where the power lays in their relationship. When she says “Glamis thou art, and Cawdor; and shalt be what thou art promised” she is expressing her desires to see her husband crowned King, but there is a problem; the present King, Duncan, is alive and well, so she begins to plot his demise. But as she does so she knows that her husband is a man who is “too full o’ the milk of human kindness” to undertake such a task as killing the King.

Shakespeare is using the language of kindness to describe Macbeth but follows this up with Lady Macbeth summoning evil spirits to aid her in her quest for her husband to become King. She says “come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top-full of direst cruelty!” Never could words uttered by any character in fiction be any more powerful than these, for she is asking for evil spirits to appear before her and make her utterly evil in every way. She wants to kill the King and feel no remorse. She wants to direct and urge her husband in the act of murder and treason because of her lust for power.

When Macbeth returns to the castle and is unsure of the plan to take over the throne, it is Lady Macbeth who tells him to “bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue: look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t” when the King arrives. She is telling Macbeth that he must appear to the King as friendly and unassuming; deceptive so as to gain power. What becomes evident is that power does corrupt, even if it is in the sense of the chance of power corrupting someone who is vulnerable to temptation.

Later, in Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth doubts if he can murder the King. His soliloquy, spoken to the audience, leaves them in no doubt at all about his state of mind. He knows that he is the King’s “kinsman and his subject,” that he is related to the King as well as fond of him and this makes the act of murder harder for Macbeth to endure. He knows that Duncan “hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been so clear in his great office” and so, says that he “will proceed no further in this business.”

At this point, Macbeth is withering under the pressure of his wife’s plan, so she has to control him. She has to be the driving force in the relationship and asks “art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou art in desire?” This shows the difference between Lady Macbeth and her husband, for just as much as he is unwilling to commit murder, she would take her baby and “while it was smiling in [her] face, have pluck’d [her] nipple from his boneless gums, and dash’d the brains out” in order to summon up the will to kill the King.

Clearly, Lady Macbeth is being controlled and is also the controlling influence over Macbeth in this play. This is further worked out as she then tells him to “screw [his] courage to the sticking-place,” so that they [will] not fail.” At this point the audience hear and see that Macbeth has been persuaded to kill, which will ultimately bring about the downfall of himself and his wife, through tyrannical leadership and revenge from Macduff and the breaking of Lady Macbeth’s mind, leading to suicide.

What is evident throughout this play is the way that Shakespeare subverts the role of the woman, creating a woman who is manipulative of her husband, in complete control of him and someone who can drive him forward, through the depths of temptation to the most hideous act of all; murder. The act of regicide becomes the catalyst for the play to continue through the reign of Macbeth, the tyrant King, to his demise at the hands of Macduff and the subsequent crowning of the next King, Malcolm of Scotland. What Shakespeare has done here is merge history with tragedy; the tragic loss of power and control and the tragedy that awaits anyone in power, for as the saying goes, “power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

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Macbeth ‘Power’ Essay [Draft]

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