Also known as mightism, power ethics in

general, claims that might is right. Ang lakas o

kapangyarihan ay siyang wasto. Might in this
context is take as force, strength, and capacity
to rule. It also means power, influence,
control, and domination.
 Plato mentioned the mightistic views of Thrasymachus,
thus sophist, in one of his Dialogues.Whenever and act
promotes the interest of the stronger, it is just and right; and
any act that weakens him or her is wrong and unjust. Ruler
and the strong ones dictate what is just or unjust, what is
right and wrong. The weak ones or the subordinates have
no choice but to obey and to follow. Regarded as morally
wrong are acts of disobedience, resistance, revolt, and
disloyalty to the ruler.
 Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), a German
philosopher and poet, is credited for the development
of power ethics in modern philosophy. He taught that
inherent in every individual, regardless of race and
clime, is the will to power or the will to dominate.
Nakaukit sa kalikasan ng bawat tao ang pagnanasang
maging makapangyarihan.
 The culmination of the full development of man’s will to power is the
state of super humans or overmen (ubermensch). This explains why
many call Nietzsche the superhuman philosopher. In this regard, he
dared all men to develop their will to power at all costs in order to
attain the state of supermen. Real progress, in Nietzsche’s view, will
come through the cultivation of the superior race of men and not by
raising the weak and emancipating the masses. The superior men must
rise above the masses and not sympathize with them. There exists a
tremendous obstacle, however, in the development and maturation of
man’s will to power, namely, religion.
 In religion, especially Christianity, man relates himself to God who is
conceived at the creator, the king, the lord, and the master; whereas man is
the helpless creature, the submissive subject, the docile servant, and the
uncomplaining slave. In this man-God relationship, according to Nietzsche,
man loses his power of reason, and most of all, his will to power. Religion
then must be abolished and destroyed. Kailangang ibagsak at lipunin ang
relihiyon, sapagkat ito ay malaking hadlang sa paguunlad ng sangkatauhan. For
God must die if man is to attain the state of supermen. If necessary, God
must be killed, in order to liberate man. This again explains why Nietzsche
is also known as God’s murderer or the philosopher who killed God
(Hakim 1992:659-670).
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), Italian politician and political thinker,
is famous for his doctrine of power and government. . Machiavelli’s
teachings on power ethics revolve around certain dos and don’ts on
how a prince, or any ruler, for that matter, can perpetuate himself in
power. They are now known as the Machiavellian principles, which
will be described subsequently. The ruler should resort to both law
and force to govern the people. If law roves ineffectual, then force is
called for if only to maintain peace and order. “Sa pangangasiwa ng
bansa ay maaaring gumamit ng batas at puwersa ang isang pinuno;
kung hindi epektibo ang batas, kailangan daanin niya sa dahas upang
mapanatili ang kaayusan at kapayapaan”.
 In short, one may use evil means in order to attain good ends. There
are three possible ways whereby one may gain political power: by
being born into it, by being a child of fortune, or by acquiring it
through deceit and conquest, Hence, one can use deceit and treachery
in order to acquire political power, And since power will be attained
by treachery with assistance of cobelligerents, it will become necessary
to eliminate them, Their elimination is necessary to avert power
struggle among themselves and against the ruler. “Upang matiyak ang
kapanatagan o seguridad ng pamahalaan, kailangan lipulin ang lahat
ng kalaban at sinumang tahasang sumasalungat sa
maykapangyarihan”.
 A ruler’s relationship with his subjects and subordinates should be
limited to the extent that is necessary to maintain ful personal power.
He must develop a hypocritical and vacillating personality by
appearing to be merciful, religious, generous, humble, and humane in
order to build up an exemplary, excellent public image; although he
must act and decide contrary to these traits. “Ang magaling na pinuno
ay marunong magbalatkayo”. In short, he must pretend to be good but
act otherwise, Only a few perceptive individuals will perhaps discover
his real character but they will not dare to protest or come to the open
for fear of extinction. In such a situation the ruler will continue to
wield the balance of power.
Marxism, founded by Karl Marx (1818-1883), a German
revolutionary socialist, social and economic theorist, is
a socio-philosophical doctrine which believes in the
eternity of matter. Matter was the first thing in
existence. Matter is endowed with self-motion or
inherent motion; it is self-moving. There can be no
matter without motion and no motion without matter
(Burns 1935; 539). Motionless matter is an illusion.
 Labor separates humans from animals. When men started
to work, they felt the need to organize themselves; thus the
first form of tribal society was instituted. The formation of
society was necessitated by the human instinct of survival
as well as the exigency of human labor. Men had to group
and organize themselves together so as to protect
themselves against preying animals and other external
forces. They had to work in order to sustain themselves
and to continue living.
 Marx was the first thinker to discern the significance of
work for man’s humanization. Through labor, man realizes
and humanizes himself; that is to say, man becomes man
through labor. Ang tao ay magiging tao sa pamamagitan ng
paggawa. For this reason, labor is the only way by which
man comes to be a man. Labor is the self-expression of
man: hence, it is the ultimate clue for the Marxist. Man has
no other reality but his self-realization through labor.
 For Marx the Marxists the ultimate meaning of life, or the
finality of human existence, is not found in the principles of
religion. In fact, religious principles only aggravate human
suffering. For religion is nothing but an instrument of
oppression. This also explains why the Marxists consider
religion as “The opium of the people” (Communist
Manifesto).Whenever an individual smokes opium. He
tends to forget his problems in life, even as he feels as if he
floating in the air without resentments, concerns, and
worries.
 Religion is the iron chains which are tightly tied to man. Man must
extricate himself from these chains in order to be free. And Marx
believes that when man becomes fully free, then he will not need
religion anymore; there will be no need to believe in God. For him and
the Marxists, the ultimate meaning of life is attainable only in a
classless society where we shall experience true freedom, justice, and
equality, for in that society there will be “From each according to his
ability and for each according to his needs.” Most of all, religion as an
instrument of oppression will then become unnecessary. It will just
fade away form man’s concern and awareness. Finally, it will be the
full birth of man and the death of God.