What do we really mean by POWER? Why do we need POWER? Power is the capacity to achieve a target, a goal that is well specified. In the context of the world of today, money is power. What do we mean when we say that money is power? When we say that money is power, we imply that, money can achieve anything and everything today. Whoever has money is able to get what he wants, where he wants and when he wants. Thus, is money not power?
With our society getting more and more money oriented, it is obvious that everyone runs after money, as, this will bring power in its trail. In the past, acquiring wealth was just to maintain a good and respectable standard of life but today money and only money is being sought for, it is only this that is respected, only this that is loved and only this that can buy anything at all – a strong power in itself money has become.
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Since money can buy anything, we find everything else being sacrificed at the altar of money because everything follows the trail of money.
This menace of money laundering has taken such a shape that it has seeped into every sphere of life, and politics could not be kept out of it for long. This money in the hands of politicians becomes a power to reckon with. As the politician is the highest rung of social ladder and then, with money at his back and call becomes a deadly decoction.
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This combination of money power and political power is wreaking havoc in India and the politician has taken the center stage of the drama on the political stage. People of all hues are seen struggling to get a berth in the Parliament of the centre or State, only to be able to earn a fortune in the span of five years.
Not long back politicians like Sardar Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru achieved positions by sheer good work for their people and never had to amass money to fight for their positions. With their effort for their masses they became the obvious choices for heading the country’s Parliament. This I feel, was the original way of entering into the corridors of Parliament. This, I feel, would also be the right way of getting elected to a position for, if one works for an area, there is no reason why he/she does not get elected. Where does money come in the scheme of things if worked out like this? However, things have changed drastically and politicians get elected by sheer squandering money.
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This in turn has led to the obvious entry of criminals in the field of politics. It is they who amass wealth and fight elections and also get elected. It is this unholy combination of money and power that is mainly responsible for the indiscipline, inefficiency and corruption everywhere. Those who have spent lakhs and crores for getting elected get elected and then start a fresh, amassing wealth to make up the money they spent. This continues as a vicious circle, with no solution in sight.
All the money collected and spent is a colossal waste, only if it was to be spent for the welfare of people, we would be in a much better position today. Money has completely ousted the idea of service to the constituency and, every individual interested in a political career is busy making money and that is all.
This vicious circle of getting money, spending it on elections and then again start amassing more money has given birth to the so-called criminalisation of politics, for, it is only with criminal propensities can anyone make crores and crores of money, and fritter it away. In this way criminals enter the Parliament and then very nicely make laws for others to follow. This unbeatable labyrinth has been created by money having entered politics, lock, stock and barrel. This has led to the entry of people of less caliber in the highest positions of power, at the cost of educated and highly qualified people.