I have wondered what Power really is.  Not the power found in a truck, or the power of a storm, no My thoughts are on the Power of man.   Again not the power that man has to build bridges, make cars, split the atom, no My thoughts are the Power man has over His fellow man.  It is not a tangible thing per se.  It is not something you can easily put your finger on, although examples of it can be seen.  The Power of a ruler with an army behind Him controlling the masses, the Power of a Dom/me over a sub with a whip in Their hand.  This is Power governed by fear.  Fear of retribution by the One holding the Power.  One quote that I found says it as such:

You see what power is - holding someone else's fear in your hand and showing it to them!      Amy Tan

In this case fear is the actual Power.  If you are afraid of a thing then He who holds that thing has Power over you.  Perhaps you are afraid of guns, I face you and claim that if you do not do as I say then I will use the gun against you then chances are pretty fair that you will do as I say.  This fear can manifest itself in any form the human psyche can conceive.  He who wishes to have the Power simply needs to recognize the fear present in the one He wishes to control then find a way to manifest that fear.

 Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.
John Steinbeck

In this quote by John Steinbeck fear and Power become directly related to corruption.  Fear will make an honest man do anything even something he knows is wrong.  This act becomes corruption.  The One holding the Power of that fear then becomes corrupt by abusing the Power and “forcing” the other to do something they would not normally do.  Perhaps the One holding the Power fears the other, knows that without His Power He would be no better than the other whom He has corrupted.

The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it.
 Lord Macaulay, review of Lucy Aikin, 'Life and Writings of Addison,' 1943

Here we can see the relationship between virtue, Power, and corruption.  A man of virtue will use His Power to aid others, not corrupt them for His own personal ends.  A Man of true virtue will offer His hand and use His Power to raise those who are lower to His own level.

The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use - of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public.
Robert F. Kennedy, 'I Remember, I Believe,' The Pursuit of Justice, 1964

It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.                              David Brin

This quote I find most interesting.  I have met Men of true and great Power.  They do not flaunt their Power, quite the opposite, they rarely speak of it.  Looking through history there are many Men who have achieved Power for the sake of Power or some “insane” notion they conceived as an excuse.  Look at Adolf Hitler.  Perhaps in the beginning His reasons were sane enough.  But who can deny the insanity that took hold in the end.