>I think most of us come from a sort of middle class, well behaved background that prevents us from conceptualizing what it means to be corrupted by power.

from the background i come from it isn't always "corrupted by power", worst/bloodiest outcomes were result of "to have enough power to change the world [or a chunk of it] to the best [as the one having the power sees it]". The unchecked/unlimited power is the main core of the issue, not the specific intentions/people it is being used for/by.