Do You Vote? Then Learn the Game of Favours

Marriage à la Mode by William Hogarth

If you are a voter; if you are thinking about going into politics or if you are simply a politicoholic like me...this article is for you. But if you do not grasp the privilege of living in democracy (by not voting); if you beguile yourself into thinking that you can escape politics or if you are simply politically sober...this article may not interest you.

Politics is not easy. Once you are trapped in this entangled web of constant strategy, plot, negotiation, communication, disinformation, misconception, deception, delusion, paranoia and suspicion; you need to learn the name of game: favours.

The electorate, all over the globe, has been disenchanted with politicians for many decades. For this set of people, politics is dirty and politicians are all corrupt - therefore they wait for the political Messiah to come and take them out of their misery. They want an ideologist; but is it enough to acknowledge the social needs and aspirations of the People?
An ideologist is a politician who inspires and understands the people, who pledges to fight for them and, who promises to do everything in his power to improve their life - a politician like that is loved by the electorate; is protected by them with all their might; and is viewed as the safe deposit of all their hopes and dreams. How romantic!

This sort of politician may have the best intentions (and many are truly sincere in their course of action) but then; in the process of raising funds, of garnering support, of planting the seeds of influence and of building his team; he quickly finds out that his ideology and sincere social concerns must be set aside otherwise he won't be able to get where he needs to in order to "change the system".
Raising funds for the political campaign implies promising X and Y to those who write the checks. Garnering support implies promising policies, job positions (to A, B...Z), access to social events etc. Planting the seeds of influence implies an implacable sort of favour, like "You scratch mine, I scratch yours". Building a team implies making sure that those people are always happy (lest they expose all the strategic dirt, one day)...

If the politician is fortunate enough to get into the intended office; things get even more intricate because the promises made must now be delivered (and many times in detriment of those who romantically elected him and, of himself). By this time, ideology must be carefully reviewed in the face of the interests of those who invested in him; for fear that all his political steps are either stalled or blocked, due to his "ingratitude". No, politics is not easy at all and that is why politicians are like scientists: they enter office with dark hair and leave it with a white head.

If you are a voter; if you are thinking about going into politics or if you are simply a politicoholic like me...you will try to understand who surrounds the political candidates; who is behind them; who is working with and for them; who finances them and who is connected to them, before casting your vote because when you elect a politician you also elect his entourage and its interests.