Here are some thoughts on power written by Guglielmo Ferrero (1871-1942). Taken from the Wanderer, May 14, 2009:
"Authority comes from above,...and legitimacy comes from below. (This)...explains why democracy cannot be legitimized without an internal spiritual unity if all the people are not in agreement both on the prinicple of legitimacy and on the great moral and religious principles of life. If that unity does not agree, the right of opposition becomes the battleground for a struggle to the death."
"The sure and certain characteristic of illegitimacy in government is this two-pronged terror--the ruler's fear of the people, and the people's fear of the ruler...
"On the other hand government devoid of fear--whatever the form, from a hereditary monarchy to a constitutional republic--is firmly embedded in the principle of legitimacy. When this prevails, confidence and unity, outward calm and inner peace, are reflected in the lives involved, whether subject or citizens."
One thing that should make us all afraid is when a government is able to use torture to keep people in check. Some Americans say we need torture to prevent terrorist attacks, but torture makes a government evil. And who is a terrorist? Some people think anyone who opposes or criticizes the government is a terrorist.
