Does Absolute Power Corrupt Absolutely?

I have heard it said many times that "absolute power corrupts absolutely". For a long time I have bought into it, believing it to be true. It seems that in many situations that a seemingly good person gets to a position of authority, and then all of a sudden, they turn into a bad guy.

Tonight I was reading "Uprising - A Revolution of the Soul" and McManus (the author) made a good point. He said that absolute power reveals absolutely. A person who seemed to be good, but then got power did not all of a sudden turn into a bad guy, he all of a sudden had the power to do whatever seems best to him. It is more an insight into human depravity that so often when people come to power they become jerks.


But now look at God. He is the only one with true absolute power. And what does He do with it? He serves, and He is good.

So in humanity 'absolute' power shows us to be corrupt, while in God it shows Him to be good.

So to answer the question the title of this post asks... No, absolute power does not corrupt, it reveals.