Hamlet Essay On Power And Corruption

Power and Corruption

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men” (Acton, John). When people have power, they start becoming their true self. Most of the world’s leaders have had to deal with corruption, whether it was in the country or themselves, they mostly became corrupt. The majority of the time power does lead to corruption. Throughout the world there are a lot of countries plagued by corruption. These countries can’t control it because it is the government that is corrupted, and making the whole country corrupt. “Professor Fisman argues that the most accurate way to describe corruption is as an ‘equilibrium’--the result of people acting rationally within a flawed system” (Taub).In Hamlet, there are constant clues about the corruption of the state of Denmark such as “This majestical roof fretted with golden fire” (II.ii. 303). Hamlet is saying that the inside of the palace is corrupt up to the roof of it.

“The cavalcade of scandals can make it seem like the world’s politicians have suddenly become greedier en masse” (Taub). In third world countries, all the leaders care about is personal gain, and exploit their power to get what they want. This same concept is shown in Hamlet: “I like him not, nor stands it safe with us to let his madness range… And he to England shall along with you.” (III.iii. 1-4). Claudius is telling two of Hamlet’s friends to accompany Hamlet to England with a note telling England to kill Hamlet. Claudius is going to kill his nephew/son to keep his power. If Claudius wasn’t corrupt, then he wouldn’t send his nephew to be killed in order to save his own life after he killed his brother to gain the