The Shapeshifter allegory introduced in Kanye West and Jay-Z's song "No Church in the Wild" fully describes the cycle of power—at least as exercised by the West.
Human being in a Mob. For the individual, being part of a Mob is the absolute state of powerlessness. Yet, the Mob as a whole holds immense power over every individual that comprises it. Thus, the initial step for the shape shifter to acquire power is to become the Mob.
What's a Mob to a King? The Shapeshifter who wants to go even further—holding power not just over individuals, but over entire Mobs—must shift into a King. A King is an individual who has transcended the Mobs and is capable of guiding and directing them.
What's a King to a God? Naturally, Mobs are capable of producing more than one King. While these Kings inevitably fight it out, the Shapeshifter knows that shifting into a God grants it power over all Kings.
What's a God to a Non-Believer? Even Godhood is not immune to competition or conflict. Therefore, the Shapeshifter finally discovers that the ultimate form of existence in this realm is to exist as a human being—specifically, the kind of Non-Believer over whom Gods have no jurisdiction.
But what is a Non-Believer to a Mob?
And the cycle starts again.