Responsible use of Power= Greater Power

In politics, the responsible use of power is rewarded with greater power.
Describe a specific situation in which the responsible use of power might not be rewarded with greater power. Discuss what you think determines whether or not the responsible use of power will be rewarded with greater power.
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Prominent leaders of nations can greatly impact the lives of their constituents. They make key decisions, such as deciding where public funds should be appropriated and enacting laws that ideally serve to protect citizens from harm. Unfortunately, not all politicians enter office to act in the public's best interests. They use their power to enrich themselves and their associates and amass control over resources without regard to the needs of the poor. However, in countries with more transparent systems of government, politicians are often rewarded with greater power through re-election when the people believe that they are using their power in a responsible way.

Government corruption exists in every nation--developed and developing countries alike. The extent of corruption, as well as the people's tolerance for it, varies, and undoubtedly, developed countries do not face the endemic corruption plaguing poorer countries. When a politician is perceived as honest and makes decisions according with the needs and desires of the people, his constituents will likely re-elect him. The opportunity to serve more years in office usually adds to the credibility of the politician, as well as the accompanying privilege of more power. These politicians are also able to take on leadership positions among their fellow lawmakers by serving in special committees and leading negotiations.

In developed nations, the people are more likely to find out about abuse of political power and will emphatically take measures to make sure the politician pays for his crime. When a politician misappropriates public funds, he ends up in jail. Furthermore, countless politicians have also been forced to resign or punished in the polls when their sexual misconduct has been revealed. These same allegations of adultery, "sexting," and flings with teenagers would probably gain little notice in developing countries that deal with leaders who steal public funds and associate with drug kings. However, in nations such as the US, even sexual misconduct is viewed as an irresponsible use of power and offending leaders find their political futures destroyed upon media revelations.

In developing nations, the responsible use of power is often not rewarded with greater power. This is due to the endemic nature of corruption in the system. The abuse of power is plainly accepted (by both leaders and constituents) as a normal occurrence in political affairs. Politicians may enter office with the magnanimous intention to bring the people out of poverty. Eventually, they find that surviving in office and even protecting their own physical safety means paying off the "right" people and accepting bribes. A politician that does not play the game of corruption finds himself unable to maintain his position. In these nations, voters suffer from lack of basic needs that they do not have the wherewithal or desire to challenge the system. In most cases, leaders are able to suppress any factions of opposition to their system through threat of jail time or physical harm.

Ideally, the responsible use of power is rewarded with greater power. Constituents see that the leader is acting in their best interest and then they, therefore, re-elect him back to office. Granted, voters cannot observe all actions of the politicians and the latter may get away with some misuse of power. Therefore, the reward of greater power may have a lot to do with the perception of the politician in the eyes of voters--not necessarily whether he is, in fact, using power responsibly. Furthermore, in some nations, the responsible use of power is not encouraged due to a culture of corruption where the powerful can rightfully take any means to protect their power.