Essays in Idleness

The worst feature of “democracy” is that it sometimes gives “the people” what they want. That this will not be good for them is generally agreed by all the politicians, across the spectrum from left to right; their need to be discreet about this is easily understood, however. Of course, few are wise or clever enough to know what they are talking about, regardless of the topic; but all at least understand pain, and try to avoid it. Thus, when the people ask for something, directly — even if it is for their leaders to stop monstrously lying to them — they eventually get what they want.

Except, often there is conflict between what might be desirable for the people, and what might be good for their masters. The politician’s principal interest is in wealth and power for himself, and this is made much easier for him, after all, than for anyone who must earn his living, given the limitless supply of tax money. He must only win his first election; re-election should be automatic, once he has control of the levers.

This is why Trump is such an unusual politician: for he was already filthy, stinking rich before he even ran for the top office. He was in a position to just give the people what they wanted, out of the goodness of his heart.

In an aristocratic system, in which the appointive holders of public offices begin as members of a class well above that of the commoners; or a monarchy, where the King is born far, far above them — there is less con, for the rulers have little to gain from it. (That is why politicians should never be paid, and why they should be punished severely whenever their hands are caught in the till.)

The people, to be sure, will not get what they want from this, but so what? Often they get what is good for them, instead.