Are Power and Ethics incompatible?

Went for a seminar on this topic tonight. One thing I like about LSE is that there are always public seminars/talks on a variety of topics that are free for all the attend... and they are really "free". :)

The debate tonight was on: what is the relationship between morality and power and what can be done to raise the ethical standards in politics?

Speakers are: Satish Kumar (editor of Resurgence magazine - Indian), Geoff Mulgan, Julia Neuberger (a rabbi - Jew) and Shirley Williams (served as leader od the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords from 2001-2004).

I attended this seminar because I always wonder whether politics and christianity are compatible. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. But I feel that there is a place for Christians in politics. Shouldn't we be the salt and light to this world? and isn't the most influencial way of doing so is to be the leader of the nation/world?

There is no answer to my questions but there are a few takeaways from the seminar:

1) Small is beautiful. Democracy works in small communities but it gets distorted when the community gets larger. There are limitations to democracy - it is inherently short-term, as parties are elected for a finite term and self-interest etc comes in when people want to maximise their power.

2) Government is like the thread in a necklace. The thread holds the beads together, but you see the beads only, and not the thread. Similarly, the people/the socitety are the beads and the government should facilitate the growth/development of the society, make it flourish but don't dominate it.

3) People in power should not always assume that they know what is the best for the people. Talk to the people. Listen to the people.

4) If Government is the servant and people are the leader, then the moral and ethical standard of the government depends on the moral standard of the people. The government is only as good as the people. Hence each of us need to play our part. We have power from within, and we can change the society in our own small ways.

5) Is there absolute moral and ethical standards? There seem to be no objective standard and it changes with time. Should we ask our politicians to disclose what their moral values and standards are?

It's interesting listening to the speakers debate on the topic and share their views. Because of their diverse background, each brings a different perspective to the discussion and I find it enlightening. Anyway, in my humble opinion, due to the sinful nature of mankind, we will never have a perfect government. But I wonder what the world will be like when we live out the biblical teachings of servant leadership, faithful stewardship and the absolute moral standards that are delightful in God's eyes. I guess, I will get to see it when Christ come again. : )