I think that politics chose me today.
I was browsing through the Internet and read a very interesting quote of Max Weber; it goes like this:
“Also the early Christians knew full well the world is governed by demons and that he who lets himself in for politics, that is, for power and force as means, contracts with diabolical powers and for his action it is not true that good can follow only from good and evil only from evil, but that often the opposite is true. Anyone who fails to see this is, indeed, a political infant.”
This quote made me think of the reason why in Peru everything is always worse, why we waste opportunities, and why are we so tenacious to work for our own ruin. This quote explains it perfectly. See, I thought that true politics, not the one that is read and written about, requires a high level of intellect. After reading this quote I’ve realized that it actually has little to do with ideas, with principles and imagination, with theological views and, to put it crudely, with generosity, solidarity, and idealism. It is made almost exclusively of maneuvers, intrigues, conspiracies, agreements, paranoia, betrayal, much calculation, a lot of cynicism and all kinds of juggling. What really drives, excites and maintains a professional politician active (despite his leadership style) is power; to reach it, to remain with it or to return to occupy it. There are exceptions, of course, but that's what they are: exceptions.
Many politicians start motivated by altruistic feelings -changing society, pursuing justice, boosting development, moralizing public life-, but in that petite and pedestrian practice of daily politics, those beautiful goals cease to be. They convert in mere topics of speeches –those of an indifferent public figure-, and finally, what prevails in them is a raw appetite for power.
Indeed, it is very unlikely to be a successful politician without such obsessive attraction for power.