Knowledge Is Power

Power may be defined as authority or control  over others. Power has always been sought by individuals and nations. In fact, history can be largely explained in terms of struggles ofindividuals, groups and narions to obtain power and the inevitable conflicts between them.

Power has been popularly thought to be military or administrative. When we think of something powerful persons we generally think of kings, ministers, dictators and high officials and so forth. Powerful nations are associated with huge armies and destructive armaments. It is commonly realized that knowledge is an important form of power and is very often the secret behind in the popular sense. This is especially so in the modern world where most of the skills are highly technical and possessed by a few.

Now-a-days military power is largely dependent on scientific knowledge. America emerged as the most powerful country after Second World War, because of its scientists, by incessant experimentation, succeeded in splitting the atom and make atom bombs. Russia and China could not afford to lag behind in this arms race. They too soon learnt how to produce these deadly weapons. A nation today cannot become strong by increasing its size of army and stockpiling of conventional weapons. It needs an army of scientists and technicians. In a sense, the most powerful people today are scientists. If a scientist invents a new weapon of enormous destructive power, the country for which he works will be stronger to that extent.

Other kind of knowledge, too, confer, a sort of power on those who possess them. Eminent doctors and highly skilled surgeons have the power to save the people from the death. It is a power greater than the power of kings and officials. Poets, novelists and artists can exercise a far reaching influence in the public mind. The writers like Rousseau and Marx have sparked off several revolutions. The editors of newspaper shape public’s opinion. They possess the power to mould the ways of thinking and living of entire generations.

“Knowledge is Power.
  Information is liberating.
  Education is the premise
  Of progress, in every society, in every family.”