© Floris Leeuwenberg/The Cover Story/CorbisAddictive: Scientists have found power has the same effect on the brain as cocaine
The feeling of power has been found to have a similar effect on the brain to cocaine by increasing the levels of testosterone and its by-product 3-androstanediol in both men and women.
This in turn leads to raised levels of dopamine, the brain's reward system called the nucleus accumbens, which can be very addictive.
Cocaine works in a similar way, which can have varied effects from increasing alertness, confidence, energy, feelings of well-being and euphoria, but also anxiety, paranoia and restlessness.
Power has almost identical effects to cocaine and too much of it can produce too much dopamine leading to more negative effects such as arrogance and impatience.
The claims by Dr Ian Robertson may go some way to explain the outlandish and impulsive behaviour of city fatcats, tycoons and celebrities.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph today, he said: 'Baboons low down in the dominance hierarchy have lower levels of dopamine in key brain areas, but if they get 'promoted' to a higher position, then dopamine rises accordingly.
'This makes them more aggressive and sexually active, and in humans similar changes happen when people are given power.
'Conversely, demotion in a hierarchy decreases dopamine levels, increases stress and reduces cognitive function.'
He added that power has also been found to make people smarter because dopamine improves the functioning of the brain's frontal lobes.
Submissiveness and dominance also give similar effects through the same reward circuits of the brain as power and cocaine.
...but it does little to get to the heart of what it is about power that "corrupts."
Certainly the concept of corruption was considered to be a mental or spiritual concept, not a biological one.
Thus, looking at biology might expose a point of physical vulnerability, but does not really explain the mental or spiritual phenomena.
In any case, I think it would be more correct to state that "power attracts the corrupt." The morally or ethically corrupt got that way partly because they considered they lacked sufficient power to stay morally or ethically strong. Just as physical force was likely used on them in the process of convincing them of this, so they in turn desire to use it on others to protect themselves.
Thus, ability or authority to use force is seen as attractive to the corrupt, and they will tend to persuade or argue for the corrupt use of that power.
But it should be noted that, in the physical world, the ability or authority to use force is required to get anything done. Each living being owns a certain amount of this ability and authority. To some, we grant more of it. Yes, power can be used to destroy a village or wipe out a population. But it can also be used to build a bridge, or a school, or a medical clinic. It can also be used to investigate misdeeds and handle those who caused such.
It is the corrupt who we must watch out for. Whether in positions of "power" or not, they tend to turn whatever power they can influence against the game of life. It is this little trick that must be noticed and no longer agreed with.