Debate Topic: Is Wikileaks overall more harmful or more beneficial to society?

Wikileaks is basically a website where people everywhere can go online to see the latest news. It is a site meant to leak the truth out. They have “We help you safely get the truth out” in big blue font on their homepage. Many people consider Wikileaks as bad because it reveals stuff that wasn’t meant to be revealed. Well, I think that it is beneficial to society: our democratic society, and societies ruled by corrupted governments.

            America is a free country where the government is ruled by the people, a democratic government. The topic of whether or not political power corrupts those who attains it is related to this debate. If it is a government ruled by the people, then the people should at least know everything that the government is doing. There are no secret from the government and the people. Wikileaks helps keep the government in check. Our government would not be a democracy if the government has their own agenda and the people know nothing about it. It is helpful to us because we are in charge of our country and our government.

            Moreover, in other countries, it might also be helpful too because it gives a little confidence to the people to stand up for themselves and to do something about their corrupted government. It might also be a site that inspires people to keep their corrupted government in check. Just like the recent event of people setting themselves on fire and starting a rebellion because the news of their government was leaked out online. News of how corrupted the government was had been revealed and it angered many people. They couldn’t take it anymore to the point that one person set himself on fire. This might seem bad, but it revealed the truth that wasn’t meant to be kept a secret forever. If the truth wasn’t heard and people continued with their life, many people might suffer to death. It’s better to have people keep their government in check early than later. Worse things could’ve happened to those people if the corrupted government continues to rule. All in all, I think that Wikileaks is helpful to society in maintaining peace and giving people power and confidence.

Power Corruption

 In my opinion, I think that those who obtain political power can eventually be corrupted but in the end, it depends on the individual. In history, it's true that many people who obtain power slowly becomes corrupted. An example would be Mao. Once he became the ruler of China, he tortured his own people and ruled with an iron fist. Even if one already holds power, due to human selfishness of wanting more, they would try to obtain stronger power, which is to take over neighboring countries.

Even though people do misuse the power, there are also people who don't. An example would be the George Washington. He led America to freedom from the British Empire, and gain the trust of many Americans. He could've took over and start the rule of tyranny, after all, he had everything he needs: trust of the military. Even though he could've, he didn't. Instead, when war is over, he went back to farming and stayed true to his loyalty in wanting a free America.

It varies from individuals whether or not they will be corrupted. Obtaining too much power can be a bad thing because it is hard to control and it leads to overconfidence. Holding an extreme amount of power is a huge responsibilities because it leads to arrogance and wanting more control.

I think George Orwell might agree with me that there are some people who attains political power can misuse it. When one holds power, they live a luxurious life while others who are less powerful will have to work day and night just to provide a meal.

“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing ... He sets them to work, he gives back to the bare minimum that will prevent from starving, and the rest he keeps to himself,”(Orwell 29).

Human nature itself is cruel. Selfish desire to be better than the rest, to be powerful, and to be the boss of everyone. Tyrants holds power and they misuse it. They live in a luxurious life from all the hard work that thousands of people worked for to provide their families a roof to live under. Having power makes tyrants lazy only wanting to give out order and not work.