The Abuse Of Power In Caligula, Emperor Of Rome

This piece may offend some. Near the end I express views about the danger of corruption, and eventually about how people choose to extend oppression, instead of love. I do share these views, but most approve, or at least choose to approve of both, so I’m going to add a disclaimer.

Power is having control and choosing to use it to reach your goals. Some leaders have had this, and been incredibly effective, others have chosen not to use their control, and been less effective. Oppressive, selfish leaders are considered to have more power than accepting leaders that cared for the people, rather than re-election and the opinions of fellow members of the aristocracy. Power is something which leaders seek to abuse, but citizens also use, and constantly abuse to achieve.

Throughout history there have been many leaders considered to be powerful.

Those who abused power became more and more powerful, leading to autocrats and dictators becoming tyrants. Caligula, emperor of Rome, was one of their most powerful, but lacked integrity, due to his lack of morals. He wanted to make his horse consul, and spent his days abusing his power to make the lives of his fellow aristocracy miserable. He was sadistic, enjoying to torment and embarrass the nobility. There also was another emperor, Nero, who enjoyed using his power. He hated christians, burning them with oil, eventually burning down Rome and blaming the christians for it. There also was one emperor who had both power and integrity, Constantine. Constantine began the conversion of Rome to Christianity, and began ending legal persecution of the Christians. That act took his power, and he chose to use it, although this time to better a group of people, although this doesn’t extend throughout all of Rome, and those who were pagans suffered from this, it did, for a short amount of time, lessen legal persecution throughout

Rome.

Modern governments are choosing instead to spread out power. There are modern autocrats, and emperors, such as in North Korea, which has it’s power isolated into a military dictatorship. Their power comes from rule through fear, allowing them to create a powerful military state. However, there are also governments like the United States, which choose to spread power. It isn’t as spread as ancient greece, but not as powerful as autocratic governments either, because it branches out into 4 categories. The voters, comparable to the Plebeian class of Rome, made of anyone who had no nobility. Then the judicial branch, functioning to provide justice to the people, and at a federal level, the group which can challenge laws on constitutional grounds after they’ve been passed. The lawmakers, comparable to the Patrician class of Rome, makes the laws and votes on passing them. Then the Executive, considered to be the most powerful by the people, which is one person who does many things. It says no to lawmakers, and is in control of the military. While corruption is still present, in large amounts, the spread of power does make the individual significantly less powerful, limiting change, but increasing the chance that the leader doesn’t turn into someone as powerful and dangerous as Nero, Caligula, or Hitler. Power today also takes a different meaning. Power today also comes from social constructs like money and fame. Celebrities, millionaires, and billionaires are considered to have power. The lobbies are considered to be powerful, using their money to buy votes, spreading corruption through a ‘democratic’ system. Money is a symbol of power, because those with large amounts of money also tend to share traits of power, like intolerance, selfishness, a willingness to buy their way out of situations, and of course, incredibly corrupt. Those with fame also share similar traits, but are able to push their views onto others through the media, spreading corruption through the system not only into those who share their power, but into the voting class as well. While power may no longer be isolated, neither is its terrible, corrupting effects.

Power affects all individuals in different ways. Caligula chose to use it to further his own goals, although his insanity became more and more prevalent throughout his term. In the beginning, he was also a great emperor. He began ambitious plans, large building projects, and wanted to help his people. Later, however, he began to change. He began to become more delusional, desiring to make his horse consul, because he hated the consuls that much, and wanted to show off his power. He tormented his fellow nobility, finding new ways to torture them because he found it amusing. For Caligula, obtaining power was by far his worst decision, and for a short time, also rome’s worst decision. Nero chose to use it and quickly began to become corrupt himself. He hated the Christians, who didn’t follow his personal religion, that of the romans, the pantheon. He also used it to torment people, but this time the commoners. He began to use the same government sanctioned sadism, by turning christians into torches for his gardens. Nero was one of Rome’s most terrifying emperors, having all the traits of powerful individuals, down to the corrupt and sadistic nature. Constantine, however, although continuing to allow persecution of the Christians until near the end of his term, had a change of heart. He had a vision of a burning cross, and himself, converted and was baptized. He began to change the world’s dominant religion to Christianity, later leading to Constantinople, one of the larger cities of the ancient world. He had the largest empire changed to another religion, for a time ending the persecution the Christians faced.

My political slogan would be ‘Rise up’, because I feel we need a change. The people don’t need more of the same. We don’t need more and more oppressive leaders. We don’t need to set rights back hundreds of years. We need a government filled with people who desire to help the people, not their own wallets. I feel we need a government that is designed for acceptance, instead of breeding hatred, although most currently disagree. We need a government that helps the people achieve equal rights, that helps the people get education without having to spend the rest of their life in debt over obtaining such a thing. One where people don’t have to starve, where people aren’t encouraged to turn to lives of crime because of how ruined their lives have become. If I could run for any office, however, I’d choose an autocratic one. People don’t want others to be better, and would vote against this in any sort of democratic way. I’d have to be the only one in charge, or be in charge with others that share these views to get anything done.