Amplification : Knowledge is Power

Knowledge is Power

It is true that knowledge is power. The human civilization is a proof of this saying. In the beginning of the appearance of life on earth, human beings and other animals lived in the same natural conditions, were subject to the same inimical or benign forces of nature. All animals, including humans, had to face the same troubles, received the same advantages. But in course of time, many species of animals have perished in the struggle. And though many have survived till today, some of them are on the point of extinction. On the other hand, human beings have not only survived a very long struggle with nature, but have been able to build a civilization. No other animals have done it. This is because human beings could acquire knowledge as time passed, and could put their knowledge to immediate use, and use for further and further progress and development. As a result, a big civilization, with all its infinite paraphernalia, has been built. But knowledge as power can be used for bad things as well. The weapons of war that man created with his knowledge were used in the two World Wars, for destroying life and property to an extent which was inconceivable ever before. In the early civilizations of the world, the people having knowledge virtually ruled a state, though kings or generals of army were apparently the rulers. Great kings, barons, brave knights, and the ruling princes very often could not even read and write. They had to appoint priests as their ministers. Most often, the power was nominally in their hands, but the real power was wielded by the learned and clever priests. Even today, the more civilized nations, having more knowledge,  specially knowledge in science and technology, are dominating the  less knowledgeable nations.   Human beings are comparatively weak. They cannot run like the horse, nor fly like the bird. A man is no match for an elephant, a bear, or a tiger. Yet men have subjugated all these physically  stronger animals only by virtue of the power of knowledge.