The Bleeding Crown

The rise and fall of all governments are dictated by two words. Two powerful words that have spelled the end of empires from generation to generation. There have been many forms of governments. Democracies, theocracies, monarchies, dictatorships, and hybrids. But all have fallen to these two words: Power. Corrupts. Power corrupts.

First came the rule of the strong. Their reign was bloody, and their thirst for power had lead to dictatorships, the killing of leaders, and the collapse of their rule. Then came the rule of the clever. The elders had claimed they were all servants to a holy being. That being was in a cave that only the elders could enter. That being was called God. But only the elders knew, that the only thing in that cave was air. The elders had given themselves power, and like any power. It corrupted them. The elders worked their citizens like slaves, barking commands, using the power of their lies to trick the others into doing their bidding. When things went too far, tribesmen investigated. And the truth was revealed. The tribesmen assaulted the elders. And then they too, had lost the crown.

There is no way of bestowing power without corruption. Whether it be a wealthy king, or a nation of people. Republics are weak, and their leader is chosen not by intellectual choosing, but rather stereotypes and bias. Democracies easily collapse. Clever public speakers persuade the masses of unwise citizens to do as he pleases. These public speakers all find theirselves with more power than anyone else. And they instate reigns such as the one of Adolf Hitler. And the more the wielder of the crown wears it, the more others bleed.

And bleed they do. This speaker may persuade people to fight and to die for him, and to surpress those who oppose him. And if this man's power doesn't fade, wars begin. World War II was a fine example of corruption by power. A public speaker rose his way to political power, and instated a dictatorship. Dictatorship happens when the crown is worn for too long. Raul Castro, "President" of Cuba, has worn the crown for over a generation. Son of Fidel Castro, the two have brought a bloody reign. And by then, two generations of a terribly corrupt ruling, the crown has begun to embed itself into their skulls. It's becoming increasingly harder to take the crown off, and pass it down to someone else. But power corrupts.

Russia had suffered the same fate. First came the rule of monarchs. But power corrupted them. Riots broke out, so much so that they could overthrow the king, and instated a new reign of power. Communism. Once more, powerful speakers and military leaders like Lenin and Stalin had turned Russia into living hell. 6 million died under Hitler's rule. 20 million died during Stalin's rule. But the same thing happened to both of them. Power corrupts. The crown of power will always corrupt. It's just a matter of how long you wear it.

But power has to go to someone. It must. Otherwise anarchies are born. The worst kind of power. Everyone is in power. Everyone wears the crown. And everyone bleeds for it. Under even the worst dictatorships, there are laws. Good and bad, but still laws. Now, there is nothing. Power is entirely up to the people. Democracies were organized, but anarchies are chaos. Ever watch "The Purge?" Anarchies are exactly like that except this time, it doesn't end.

But who should this power be given to? Who would want this power? Who would ever want to see a head beneath this bleeding crown?