> There's something about political power that seems to attract the scummiest of people even if there are enough competent people capable of leading But that i

> There's something about political power that seems to attract the scummiest of people even if there are enough competent people capable of leading But that is a simple law. If there are not heavy (legal, cultural) constraints and scummy behavior can get more power rewards than honest behavior (which is often the case, especially for quick power grabs), then rather reasonably any honest politician will be displaced by a dishonest one. The only limits are cultural. And even them are based on the fact that in our time a country with a functioning legal system and democratic rulers tends to thrive more than a dark tyrannical regime so the cake itself is bigger.