By Ismail Warsame
Opinion Columnist
Politicians have difficult decisions to make that is almost always incompatible with being nice or fair to all. Politicians cannot please everybody as it is practically impossible to do so. On the one hand, if a politician in power tries to show soft public image, political opponents and vast number of the population take it as weakness. On the other hand, if a politician plays taugh all the time, that politician is perceived as cruel. There is a fine line to walk here. Historically, a leader of men was considered a warrior, among multiple other characteristics.
The bulk of the population in any nation is ignorant and irrational. They are all bad in abstract thinking. Mostly, they are visual and judge things through images, not by deliberation and critical thinking. They see better such things as construction of roads, bridges etc rather than listening policy objectives and vision for the future. They mostly take things in through personal, group and tribal interests.
In terms of leadership, they hate and respect might and power equally. Being nice to them doesn’t necessarily pay dividends or political capital to a politician, but being taugh with them earns one both respect and hatred. Sometimes they want to witness awe and sheer power. As Niccolò Machiavelli advised in his 16th Century classic book, The Prince, for a politician, it is better to be feared than loved. This is the choice of a politician in a position of power or leadership. There is nothing nice about sheer power and therefore nothing nice about real politics. Administration of Justice for all is an empty expression that cannot be achieved fully in a society. The concept of justice is relative. It is good politics, though, to strive to achieve justice for as many people as possible in a society, but there is no absolute social justice for all. Be realistic.
Deceptions, lies and political manipulations etc, sometimes with good intentions, all come with the job of a politician in power. To think politics otherwise is ultimate naivety. But understand that nobody says that politics is inherently dishonest – it is just the nature of politics and being a politician, who is often confronted to decide between death and life scenarios.
Warsame Policy & Media Network (WAPMEN) 