Power And Corruption: Inequality Of Power

Power and Corruption Another major issue that Aquino discussed in his SONA was corruption and the inherent inequality of power. First, he discussed the numerous cases of corruption that occurred during the Arroyo administration. He then identified corruption as the root of people’s suffering, stating, “Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.” In response to this, his administration implemented long-term solutions to end corruption. He also emphasized the importance of passing the Anti-Dynasty Law in order to prevent certain individuals or families from gaining too much power. This can be related to Aristotle’s belief that the best ruler is a problem solver. Aristotle was chiefly concerned with finding the best and easily attainable political community, in the sense that it would help people get the best possible life (78). He also considered poverty as “the parent of revolution and crime” (80). He would, then, be in favor of how Aquino was searching for and implementing ways to solve poverty.

Both of them believed that the state, since it was the highest community, was greater than the family and other individual interests; it was concerned with achieving what was good for the entire state and demanded the loyalty of everybody under it (76). Corruption, on the other hand, is concerned with satisfying individual interests, not the common good. It allows certain individuals to act as if they are above the state. It goes against Plato’s principle of the objective good, which states that every citizen should have his own equitable place and property in society. It goes against Aristotle’s belief that the law, not individuals, must be supreme