Power can be expressed in many ways: through grandeur or aggression, but also in much more subtle forms.
How someone expresses their power says something about them. Some people feel they need to display their power overtly, while others prefer to be less explicit. Let us call the first form 'hard power' and the subtle form 'soft power'.
In the old days, the political power of kings and emperors was expressed in the grandest possible ways. Magnificence was a way to keep the people in awe. They built large palaces to show their power, and the people were taxed heavily to provide for such expenses.
Since the concept of 'citizen' had not yet been developed, kings and emperors ruled the people as lord and master. The people were mere subjects, who, indeed, were subjugated.
Today, those in political power are no longer seen to be there because of some divine right to rule. They attained power through a process and are there to serve the people and be accountable to them.
It has become inappropriate for politicians and the governments they run to spend a lot of money on themselves, including through the construction of massive offices at great expense. After all, the land and money needed for such projects belong to the nation and its people.
Modern governments and politicians, therefore, need to show a degree of modesty in how they portray their power. It is from this important perspective that we in Hong Kong should assess Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's plan to build a new 'landmark' office at Tamar.
