When I think of veto power, I think of how it will look in a society when one person has the final say. Honestly, some level of power that comes with leadership is quite interesting, and that's what veto power is all about.
So when a leader has the power, such a leader has the authority to say no to a decision that other bodies in the government have said yes to...really interesting. What a power indeed!
And I ask, should one person possess this kind of power and authority?Let's assume there is an issue in a group and all decisions have been taken and voted for. Suddenly, one person just wakes up one day to say no to such an agreement that was reached, and it stands because of power .
I understand that there are reasons veto power exists. There is a need in leadership for someone to have the ability to prevent harmful decisions and unfavorable plans for the entire body, and when there is a cross-check, such as this, it can be averted. There is also another side to this: what if the so-called person with veto power is the one making the bad decision? Think about it.
To me, I feel power is dangerous when we lack checks that are meaningful, not necessarily when someone has the power. Just imagine that a leader has such power to carry a decision, and the people affected by that can't do anything. In that situation, anything goes, and it's unhealthy.
This kind of thing doesn't only happen in our government; bringing it down to smaller firms and organizations, we commonly see where a boss believes that his decision is final, irrespective of how it affects the staff. Parents too sometimes, we feel we have the authority to make strict rules for our children, and they have no say but to dance to our tunes even when they feel hurt and uncomfortable within, and the list continues....
Leadership is vital, but when it lacks accountability, then it's an issue. We should not necessarily focus on whether veto power exists or not but focus on who oversees the person with a veto power that avert the yes of many. This is because leaders are humans too and can always make mistakes and misinterpret situations or even act under emotions. Maybe this is why a higher authority to cross-check the final decision is vital as well because a leader doesn't mean the person should always be right.
By the time we understand that leadership entails clear accountability, we will know the importance of giving room to corrections and discussion as a leader before saying a final no or yes.
I will leave you with this question too to know what you think. Should one person have the authority to avert the decisions of many, or do you think it can create abuse of any form? Maybe I should also ask if you have ever experienced where one person changed a decision you were involved in to make and how you felt about it.
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