With great power comes great responsibility

Power and responsibility duo terms are very much related to each other. There are multifarious powers, some install responsibilities and entrust exceptional obligations and other can be devastating, outrageous and exterminate the human race at the drop of a hat. Legitimate and justified use of power assign a great deal of accountability, answerability and transparency will take care of the rest. Power in one hand or critical power is always sword of damocles hanging over the masses. It can be the weapon of mass destruction in arbitrariness. Sagacious and judicious use of power comply by legal norms beget a social and humane responsibility. The aphorism 'Great power spawn great responsibility;' not just embraces the political power but more than it.

Power of a teacher in society is very influential. They have intellectual power - 'power of brain'  to transform society by training the little minds of the society.Teacher's power and prestige install a sense of great responsibilities. He/She is not only responsible to teach the students but also to teach the ignorant as much as possible. Social responsibility can never be achieved by single entity of power. Teacher's power is limited so his responsibilities. To achieve something big we need a greater power. Doctor, engineer entrepreneurs all have potency to make great change in the society. All can contribute to alleviate penury and indigence in the society. As law in action is justice in the same way power in action is responsibility. If ends are justifying the means power has accomplished its role. It should not be the point of contention whether the exercised power is legitimate or illegitimate, if it is for the human welfare and benign for the human race and do not infringe upon the rights of other is amenable. Power generated by fear often creates anxiety, restlessness and discontent among the layman. Thus drawing power by such means can never connect with responsibility. As power acquired by consent of the society knows social responsibilities. Business class have economic power which they are fulfilled by so called CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). In this era of nuclear power, USA's hegemony can be realized  bythe third world countries very easily. Although America has stranglehold over the rest of the world as far as economic and muscle power is concern, but no one can deny its responsibilities in enforcing the laws of terrorism. Terrorism is a cancer for the developing nations like India, the onus rest on USA to fight it conjointly with other nations to nip this evil before it could destruct the humanity.

Power of an actor can influence the society in both positive as well as negative way. His responsibility is to be a paragon of probity and proliferate the rational thinking in the society through his/her acting. Rational authority can become a potent instrument in annihilation of many social evils such as dowry system, child marriages, subdued and suppressed voices of the women, child labour, male chauvinism etc. Religious institutions have Exuberant power. They draw powers from the people of that particular religion. But the religious leaders have great responsibility to put them on impeccable track without personal advantage. In many cases communal clashes sprouted out of fanatic and bigoted ideology of religious leaders. Their responsibility is to make the people of that religion cognizant of the 'true religion', not 'misinterpreted one'. In this 21st century when the globalization is in its acme. Interconnectedness is enhancing very rapidly. Once Einstein had remarked that ' "Peace can not be kept by force , it can only be achieved by understanding." Even today most of the people around the world are God-fearing. And it is the duty, obligation, and responsibility of the religious gurus to maintain peace and order in the world. Power of the army is not less and their responsibility is to protect the nation from outside forces .Political leaders seek power from the citizens who voted them to any post. Responsibility of political leader is to provide the entitlements of the people and provide them bare essential to lead a prosperous life. Making rhetoric and diving the people on religious and caste lines should not be their business. Leaders are voted to power not to disappoint the citizens but to create enough infrastructure so that development can take place. Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.

As a responsible citizens of free India and the autonomy which the citizens enjoy begets a tantamount responsibility in the form of 'fundamental duties'. The constitution of India empowers us to rule ourselves as the preamble starts with the words " We the people of India ......" entrust a great power to us and we are indebted to accomplish all the responsibilities. Great power always comes with enormous freedom, this freedom sometimes goes undefined Its misinterpretation can lead to a havoc. Power takes an ugly face when it is in the tyrannical hand. Sagacious and judicious use of great power always accompanied with great responsibility.

BY:- Tanveer Ashraf