294 / Power

power |ˈpou(-ə)r| noun

1 the ability to do something.

2 the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.

3 physical strength and force exerted by something or someone.

4 energy that is produced by mechanical, electrical, or other means and used to operate a device.

Particularly in the political arena, people tend to be nervous about "power." In Lord Acton's memorable phrase, "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

My thought is that we might do better, in light of this insight, to seek to make every person more powerful, rather than trying to make our institutions of government less powerful.