Why Do Political Dynasts and Dynasties Excite Such Fierce Opposition?

[CorpGovActivist]

Today's tragic news out of Pakistan is still very much in flux, but it has me wondering whether the assassin harbored deeply-held beliefs regarding the Bhutto political dynasty.

It seems to me that wherever the British parliamentary system touched, a deep distrust of such dynasties took root: from the former American colonies to the Indian Subcontinent, firsthand experience with elitist clans of lordly types seemed to burn into the collective psyches of those societies.

In the term "Boston Brahmin," the distate for the maintenance of faux Britishist Elites shared by Americans and the citizens on the Indian Subcontinent is neatly minted.

To be fair, it is only natural that many children of politicos would themselves take up the mantle of public service. Steeped in the reality of policy and politics from birth, many capably rise to take up the unfinished business of their fathers and mothers.

For example, Pitt the Elder strenuously took up the colonists' just cause in 1766, posing the rhetorical and foresightful question: "The gentleman asks, when were the colonies emancipated? http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/politics/pitt.cfm">But I desire to know, when were they made slaves."

Pitt the Younger naturally gravitated to his father's unfinished work (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pitt_the_Younger">and played a vital role in healing the breach with the colonies), yet many of his day resented the leg up he received.

No more ironic a quotable than Sir Winston Churchill has two quotes that came immediately to mind when I heard today's news:

"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result." -- The Malakand Field Force, 1898

"Politics are almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times." -- Remark, 1920

Underlying his second quote was a presumption of basic human decency that has been belied in the 20th and 21st centuries several times over: JFK, RFK, Sadat, Rabin, Bhutto, and others paid a price too uncivil for words.

- Dave

[billyskank]

1. Former American colonies distrust political dynasties?

*raises eyebrow*

[CorpGovActivist]

2. That Isn't to Say...

... that we haven't elected a few in our history, but not without deep mistrust, methinks.

- Dave

[billyskank]

3. I think a bit more deep distrust of Bush wouldn't have gone amiss.

[CorpGovActivist]

5. Amen! n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

7. I Think a Bit More Distrust...

... of the Clintons in these parts wouldn't go amiss this go-around, either.

- Dave

[killbotfactory]

4. Because they are inherently corrupt

and the more power they have, the more corrupt they are.

[CorpGovActivist]

6. I Met More Than a Few Scions...

... of political families, including more than a few true blueblood Boston Brahmins, and it seems to be a recurring theme among them that it is a very hard line not to cross.

The few who succeed in transcending their trust funds are gems, though.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Today's Unfolding Events...

... are http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ned=&q=bhutto+son+19&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d">more tragedy in the making. The lad hasn't even had a life.

: (

- Dave

[ThomWV]

9. Because dynastys ceed the point that one man's sperm is better than another's

Ego thing.

[CorpGovActivist]

10. In Matrilineal Societies...

... such as the http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cherokee+matrilineal">Cherokee, that sentiment would probably focus on the other gamete.

- Dave

[ThomWV]

11. Yep.

[PeaceNikki]

12. It can make it very difficult for the better candidate to win.

A good number of votes go to the guy or gal with better name recognition based on the name-recognition alone.

I'd encourage you to watch a documentary co-written and co-produced by a DUer:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014673/

Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?

[CorpGovActivist]

14. Preaching to the Choir...

... and I wonder if someday we'll see Chelsea Rodham-Clinton-Hyphenate running.

- Dave

[Kucinich4America]

16. If we don't put a stop to this shit now, someday we will see

Chelsea vs Jenna.

And if the electro-fraud machines still exist, Jenna will "win".

[CorpGovActivist]

17. OMG...

... I so just heard Cartman yell: "<redacted...> fight!"

- Dave

[WillyT]

13. Centuries Of Watching Power Pass From One Inbred Generation Of A Family To The Next ???

What do I win?

:bounce::evilgrin::bounce:

[CorpGovActivist]

15. Mesmerizing Emoticon Mix!

You've already given yourself the gift of an open mind, apparently.

; )

- Dave

[College Liberal]

18. Deep Mistrust

and anger are the main reasons...

[CorpGovActivist]

19. Do You Think the Failure to Fully Live up to the Noblesse Oblige...

... debt factors in, as well?

Much given, much http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=kennedy+much+given+expected">expected.

- Dave

[College Liberal]

22. Sadly, I do

My mom told me that, and i am no where near as rich or famous as the Kennedy's or the Bhutto's....

[CorpGovActivist]

23. It's a Catch-22...

... how to strike that balance? How to ensure that the little trust funders are exposed to enough real life experience to give them practical thinking to properly alloy and temper their advantages?

- Dave

[bemildred]

20. What would be different is if political homicide had stopped at some point in time.

Instead one finds it to be ubiquitous and constant from antiquity.

However, in answer to the question, unlimited multi-generational accumulation of wealth and power is by definition the creation of a class system and/or political aristocracy, an inherently un-democratic situation. That is why one ought to oppose it, and why confiscatory "death taxes" are mandatory when the accumulation reaches a certain size.

Edit: this is, by the way, the root problem with corporations, they allow unlimited private accumulation over time, since they never have to die.

[CorpGovActivist]

21. An Extremely Erudite Examination...

... of the issue.

Thank you for taking the time to weigh in!

Conversely, in the case of genuinely capable scions who - naturally attracted to the politically arena - wish to participate?

Doesn't fairness dictate that there should be no "soft attainders" prohibiting them from doing so?

- Dave

[bemildred]

24. Of course, on their own merits.

It is the inherited wealth and privilege I am addressing, and indirectly the lack of real opportunity for the rest of us. What they got from their ancestors otherwise is theirs to use.

Do you really think the current crop of "legacy" politicians is the best the USA has to offer?

[CorpGovActivist]

25. Absolutely Not. n/t