Indrajit Gupta wrote:
It strikes me that this extends far deeper than just a national
leadership. Why is even our leadership at state level so poor? A
cross-section of people from the street, or from homes, or from any
statistically valid random sample will display a greater degree of
moral rectitude than our leadership.
This is in no way specific to India or to Bangalore. Why is it
seemingly generally true that political leadership anywhere is
demonstratably of a lower moral standard than the population it
purports to serve?
I can attest that this observation applies to the many levels of
government here in the US as a valid first approximation, though less so
as one approaches the most local governmental bodies.
At university, one of my professors was an advocate of the belief that
there exists a particular political personality -- a personality
disorder, if you will -- that predisposes some to seek political office
in general, and fame and power in particular.
This syndrome is observed to encompass "flexible" standards of morality,
above average levels of greed, the disbelief that they are subject to
societal rules or laws, the further disbelief that they will be held
accountable if caught (largely true, alas), and in men the tendency to
chase skirts.
This pattern is viewed by some -- myself included -- as a psychological
defect, much as pathological lying or kleptomania. Why then is it
tolerated, and even lauded?
I fear it comes down to the fairly simple point that such personalities,
unfettered by concern for any truth but their own, are at a competitive
advantage in public elections, and especially in fundraising, which has
really become the prerequisite to the former, at least here.
This combination leads to the widespread folk wisdom that "an honest man
cannot be elected". It does still happen, however, and they are
remembered largely for being ineffective, for their standards do not
permit them to engage in the mutual back-scratching (or backstabbing)
and graft that is the conventional way of business in government.
I despair of inventing a cure for the problem. I doubt that even
Parkinson's prescription would serve (seven year terms followed
immediately by public execution). General despair over this is what I
think leads to the low voter turnout here (compared to other nations).
The conclusion -- that we are inevitably being led by madmen -- is hard
to escape and hard to endure, yet it does explain much.
Bruce
