Since recorded history the lust for power has caused more death and destruction on this planet than for any other reason. It may be responsible for as much as 95% of it. This resulted in more than 40 million people killed and inconceivable amounts of collateral damage. Countries have been virtually decimated from wars, their cities left smoldering in total ruin and countless millions more were affected in terrible ways, the loss of loved ones, being wounded or crippled for life, many were left homeless and starving, others raped, tortured and imprisoned... all this to sate the desires of few dozen men. Not until July of 2003 was an International Criminal Court finally created to deal with these war criminals. However it alone may prove inadequate to stop the next madman from creating another nightmare. Although weakened by George Bush and company, but even with all on board, its deterrent value may not be enough. It might give some men 'cause to pause' but for others it may be wishful thinking. Suicide has been the preferred exit for these men, of a mind never to be taken alive. Yet, hope remains, it could complicate their designs by causing some staff members and generals to abandon their posts. Assassination becomes more likely... it might work after all.

While the lust for power at all costs is indescribably wicked, it is also very curious, and strangely, seems sexually inspired. Well, that's obvious I suppose since 'lust' is attached but it's also curious why 'power lust' isn't one word. It should be, after all, 'warmonger' is one word. At any rate, we must recognize that the sexual instinct within males encompasses much more than just the sexual desire to copulate, he knows desire is not enough. Men instinctively know there are certain actions which must be taken beforehand in order to succeed. They also instinctively know there are actions necessary to hold their ground. Males instinctively try to position themselves to be in control by being more powerful, or appearing more powerful, than their counterparts. Today this is done in a variety of new ways since it is unlawful today to threaten, injure or otherwise kill the competition. Today a male must demonstrate his masculinity in different ways and to succeed in business pursuits, or appearing successful, is the most effective. However unfortunate, money or a position of power represents success to most people. Even though we should know the lust for power (power lust) is a manifestation of this all encompassing sexual instinct... let's examine it further.

Let's back up a minute to see how this might have evolved. As men have correctly assessed throughout the ages, success means a better choice of females, a multitude of females or both. Let's not deny that, it's true and a fact of nature. Beyond the pleasures of sex, whether having offspring fulfills any instinctual need for males, I'm not sure. Some men seem to want children but most don't seem to care one way or the other. Yet the sexual need, for all the reasons, is so instinctually powerful it virtually dominates and influences almost everything a male does. Within nature its preeminence is demonstrated; male animals strutting their stuff and defending their territory to ward off other males. For the strongest males, a harem of females are often kept under his control. As this may be applicable to the average human male of today...their lust for power does in fact seem sexually inspired because in their mind, success is strutting their stuff... that translates into females and invariably the case. Yet for the tyrant, sex doesn't seem to be the main reason anymore, no longer are women considered the spoils of war and carried off to a Viking ship. But because sex was the original purpose for this instinct, it will automatically apply itself irregardless. Whether or not one takes advantage of their powerful position for sex doesn't matter... it's the instincts job to drive them into a dominate position. Instinctively men will plow ahead nonetheless because the instinct doesn't know when it's not about sex. Still, the men of today often have trouble controlling this natural instinct, it sometimes results in the killing of a rival or as so often happens, a fistfight. In the mind of a male, his instincts are still thinking in terms of controlling pastures, as the bull would, while at the same time laws are telling him he must play by certain rules.

While most people might believe power lust is rare, that perhaps only a few men have this powerful drive, well, it's really a relative matter... every man is under its spell to some degree. However that doesn't matter so much anymore, it's often the breaks which determine who makes it to the top today. Although once the biggest bull did rule, today most often it's the luck of the draw. Meanwhile, those also-rans who came up short, they too desired to be the biggest bull.

Perhaps this amounts to being a double-edged sword. If achievers are guilty of this lust, and it all boils down to being sexually inspired, does that matter if in the process worthwhile things are getting done? It doesn't matter because there is no choice, sex is such an integral part of life it almost constitutes it entirely. That truth however, like all things in nature, has variables and wouldn't always apply, like say to someone really old. At any rate, without this sexual instinct man wouldn't have accomplished much of anything. Yet my reasoning behind this lust for power may only be partially correct. Sex didn't seem to be the reason for the biggest offenders like Stalin, Hitler or Edi Amin... but there is a reason, they were megalomaniacs. Megalomania is not driven by the sexual instinct like simple power lust because megalomania is a mental disorder of an extremely evil nature.

Unlike megalomania, this simple lust for power is controllable... governed by codes of ethics and honor. However since scruples can vary widely between individuals, it's a matter where one would draw the line, how underhanded one is willing to be. Since there is more than one line a leader might cross, some powerful men like Franklin D. Roosevelt seemed to have respected them all... except for perhaps his liberal escapades in respect to free enterprise. Whether his lust for power was sexually inspired, there may be evidence it was. No matter, he seemed content with the heights he achieved and sought nothing more... nor did he have the insatiable appetite of a megalomaniac. There are mixed feelings about Harry S. Truman however, some say his decision to use atomic weapons on Japan was justified, others say not. Yet if Harry did cross a line, he didn't do it to become more powerful. Even though he inherited the presidency, even his reasons to become Vice-President remains a mystery to me... he didn't seem the 'bull-in-the-pasture' type.

While we should view it natural that males will always have a bull-in-the-pasture mentality, megalomania is a different matter. It is truly a mental disorder and leaders should be psychoanalyzed often to recognize it early. Such a test should be mandated for all top leadership positions and the diagnosis of it should require their immediate removal from office. Megalomaniacs are not just a bigger bull-in-the-pasture, a rather harmless-sounding characterization, but men of evil without an ounce of compassion. How is it possible that power can be so gratifying one would do such evil things in exchange? Perhaps every leader should fear they might someday know.

A.O. Kime

Resource Box: © A.O. Kime (2003) A.O. Kime is a retired farmer and author of two books plus 70+ articles on ancient history, spiritual phenomena,  political issues, social issues and agriculture which can be seen at http://www.matrixbookstore.biz
email: allen@matrixbookstore.com