Political leadership... why?

Prestige and the opportunity for highly lucrative jobs afterwards.

Do you think there was a time when those who made it up the ranks really believed in the party they represented ?   Was only talking about this with some friends who are a generation or two above me.

 Perhaps they all start out with honest intentions but become entangled within the spectacle that we are all witnessing, The Deconstruction of Political Austerity. 

It's been said that the only person you should give power to, is the person who doesn't seek power...

Huge posted:

Prestige and the opportunity for highly lucrative jobs afterwards.

i also suspected 'prestige' but started wondering why? why would a politician have more prestige than say, someone who is genuinely and heavily involved in some charity work?

but Eloise could be on to something here mentioning 'power' -- though in a true democracy i wouldn't have thought this is really that significant -- but perhaps what i am saying is that it 'ought'not to be that important. 

Perhaps look at leaders such as DT, VP, Kim Jong Un, Jeremy Corbin, Theresa May -- (there are any more i have left out) and see if there is any common factor? 

enjoy

ken

TOBYJUG posted:

Do you think there was a time when those who made it up the ranks really believed in the party they represented ?   Was only talking about this with some friends who are a generation or two above me.

 Perhaps they all start out with honest intentions but become entangled within the spectacle that we are all witnessing, The Deconstruction of Political Austerity. 

Hmmm... dunno. At a somewhat naive level, you could say that a political leader tends to have a strong and clear vision of how the country is supposed to be run and also has the knack to balance conflicting interests. But this is immediately contradicted by numerous examples of leaders who latch on to specific interests at the disadvantage of others --leading to polarization etc.

i would have expected that being a political leader is such a hard job that those who are would not expend so much effort to stay in 'power' -- so there must be 'something' in it -- and its that something i am interested in.

enjoy

ken

ken c posted:

Perhaps look at leaders such as DT, VP, Kim Jong Un, Jeremy Corbin, Theresa May -- (there are any more i have left out) and see if there is any common factor? 

Many will call me biased, but that's one of the things I think is different with Jeremy Corbyn.  He has never really sought power.  He has always campaigned and voted based on his own conscience.  That he has now been thrust into power is not something he sought.  What he wanted was to make a difference - as much as people dislike her I would say the same is true of Diane Abbot (and likely many other politicians I am aware or unaware of)

I wonder if Trump is actually the same.  For all his flaws, I wonder if he actually does want to make a difference.  He has seen there are problems in America and does want to try to change things.  I think his lack of experience, general niavity and other flaws will mean he is unable to make any real change ... but I would be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and would accept his "heart" is in the right place - even though I disagree strongly with most of his policies.

May on the other hand, like Cameron (and Blair?) before and perhaps Johnson in the future, have had the stated ambition of becoming prime minister.

A colleague of mine used to say that we get the politicians we deserve and I think there is some truth to that. As long as obviously silly programs win elections, why be truthful? I still remember a local election in my hometown where one of the parties promised many costly measures and lowering of a single local tax. Clearly unsustainable, but good for a huge success. This party got the third highest number of seats and became a member of a conservative coalition government.

Mulberry posted:

A colleague of mine used to say that we get the politicians we deserve and I think there is some truth to that.

Majority of Americans don't think so.

given some of the corruption scandals associated with (though of course not restricted to) political leaders -- is the desire to make a fast buck one of the attractions?

when i look at TM's face, i see desperation then i being to wonder -- what is the attraction is doing a job like this -- dominance is out of the picture because clearly now, she is extremely weak.

then you look at DT -- i would hazard that the attraction for him is to feed his 'showman', 'man-of-the-moment' addiction -- there are also all sorts of question marks on his finances -- but he is one of those leaders who could well prove me wrong --- that 'polarization' is something one can take advantage of?

Then there is Kim Jong Un? Turkey's president? Venezuela? Zuma?  Mugabe?? etc etc...

enjoy

ken

Turkey's President ?  You might just find, with help from the most scrutinising third party reporting, that he's actually doing a good job. Most Turkish people are behind him and want those that used to holiday in Turkey to return.

TOBYJUG posted:

Turkey's President ?  You might just find, with help from the most scrutinising third party reporting, that he's actually doing a good job. Most Turkish people are behind him and want those that used to holiday in Turkey to return.

of course, i stand correct Tobyjug -- must have been reading 'fake news' 

enjoy

ken

here is what Ken Livingstone said when interviewed  about Grenfell fire -- i paraphrase -- most modern politicians are in it for the money and not for the people.

enjoy

ken