Science

How Power Corrupts

The news abounds with stories of powerful men behaving badly. It’s a depressing yet predictable spectacle – those in positions of power can’t help but help themselves to the help. They scream at underlings and have sex with the secretaries; they assault hotel maids (or at least are accused of such) and sleep with the nanny. The question, of course, is what motivates this awful behavior? Why does power corrupt?