It’s very clear that the leaders, cadres and members of the Patriotic Front are gripped by fear of losing power.
And fear of losing power is a terrible thing because it corrupts those who wield it.
Being in power offered them access to numerous tangible and intangible benefits. Fear of losing all these things might therefore initiate in them behavioural responses aimed at capitalising on those benefits while it is still possible. Therefore, fear of losing power may sway them to engage in self-serving behaviour.
This is understandable given the current highly competitive and rivalry political environment that foster opportunistic self-interested behaviour.
It is not really power that is corrupting them, but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it.
Let’s not forget that power entails having the discretion and the means to asymmetrically enforce one’s will over others. Evidently, having power engenders numerous benefits: it implies having control over one’s own and others’ resources and it frees the individual from the influence of external forces.
Not surprisingly, power is valued by many; hence, people tend to seek it, whether it be in the organisational or larger societal context. Moreover, once they have it, they are generally not willing to let it go.
Understanding the potential effects of Patriotic Front leaders, cadres and members’ fear of power loss is important, because their fear of losing current perks and benefits may lead them to engage in behaviours that could negatively impact society.
Fear of power loss may prompt them to engage in self-serving behaviour by prioritising their self-interest at the expense of others’ interests.
Power implies being able to affect the environment or others at will. Those with power have more control over valued resources than those without power. Those endowed with power can act relatively autonomously and therefore do not have to rely on others to obtain rewards or avoid punishments.
In contrast, those without power are subject to more constraints and have to rely on others to attain valued outcomes or to avoid undesirable outcomes.
Looking at power in this way, one can understand why there’s so much fear and desperation in the Patriotic Front.