THE ABUSE OF POWER

It was John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (just call him John) who famously wrote 

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."

The avenues of history are littered with them.

There were cuddly types like Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Roman Emperor from 54 to 68 C.E who was guilty of many murders, including his wife’s. 

Or everyone's favourite Francisco Pizarro who, along with his brothers, personify the very worst manifestation of the “Conquistadors.” Their pillage and rape of the west coast of South America destroyed the indigenous culture and looted it of its vast wealth.

Lest you think that these lovelies were all male we have Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed who has been labelled the most prolific female serial killer in history and is remembered as the "Blood Countess."

Now we can add as a footnote to the list, the name of Jimmy Savile, who although he didn't murder anyone as far as we know, used his celebrity status as a power to procure and molest young girls and women.

The chilling thought is that in the case of each of these people, others either assisted or turned a blind eye to their wicked deeds.