Power In The Hands Of A Select Few

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 18 July 2025 "The trouble with the world is that there's always someone who knows how to wield power better than the rest of us. " Erle Stanley Gardner Whenever I see our good-for-nothing politicians, leaders, regardless of their political dispensations, I'm reminded of the prolific American author of detective fiction, Erle Stanley Gardner's aforementioned pithy words who was born on July 17, 1889. This quote sheds light on a harsh reality of our society. It suggests that power, in the hands of a select few (oligarchy), often becomes a tool that can be masterfully manipulated to serve personal interests rather than the greater good. This quote implies that there will always be individuals who possess the ability exploit power dynamics, whether through cunning strategies, manipulation, or sheer knowledge. It serves as a reminder that the struggle for a fair distribution of power and the quest for genuine justice can be arduous, as there will always be those who skilfully manipulate their authority to further their own agendas. In Mahabharata, Vidur says that there will always be a few truly intelligent individuals who know how to wield power but the problem with them is that they're outright corrupt. Vidur further said that instead of using their distinctly superior intelligence in something good, they're misusing it in all shady and questionable activities. He mentioned the names of Duryodhan and his maternal uncle Shakuni. Though both were endowed with great intelligence, they were full of knavery. They also knew how to wield power, albeit in a dishonest manner. Russian political genius (but in a negative way), Gregori Rasputin would choose only a couple of corrupt rulers and groom them. He also believed that just a few individuals could use power in a clever manner and dictate terms to a large number of people. Political power or, for that matter, any kind of absolute power is confined only to a few individuals with the same dubious thinking and diabolical goals. Aren't we witnessing the same thing happening in the Indian political context? A few political leaders know how to wield power better than the rest of us. Otherwise, how else will you account for the rule of a political dispensation for eleven years with a couple of leaders at the helm who have been taking the country for a ride? Plato's political philosophy asserts that the extreme cunningness of a few leaders/rulers overwhelms the constructive and benign intelligence of the people. But the question is, do we even have a modicum of intelligence to be able to see through the nefarious designs of these leaders who're full of machinations? I doubt it. Don't you? ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/power-hands-select-few/d/136206 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism