The dirty game of politics

Throughout the ages, politicians have gained notoriety for back-biting, back-stabbing, betrayal, collusion, treachery and corruption.

When one mentions the dirty game of politics, what often comes to mind is the betrayal by Brutus when he led the assassination of Julius Caesar, who was stabbed 23 times by other senators on the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BC.

The stabbing stemmed from a conspiracy by many Roman senators against Caesar, the dictator of the Roman Republic at the time.

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Julius Caesar, Caesar uttered the words: “Et tu, Brute?”, which, translated, means: “You too, Brutus?” to imply betrayal.

For thousands of years, where politics in some or other form is practiced with conniving intent – from ancient of days to modern ideologies – there have been many moments where a “Brutus” has betrayed a “Julius Caesar”.

In politics, friends are few, enemies are many, and no one can really be trusted. Politicians will forever play this sordid art of government because, ultimately, power corrupts.

Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli once said: “Politics have no relation to morals.”

For those who don’t know, Machiavelli was an Italian historian, politician, diplomat, philosopher, humanist and writer, based in Florence during the Renaissance.

He was, for many years, an official in the Florentine Republic, with responsibilities in diplomatic and military affairs.

He was a founder of modern political science and, more specifically political ethics.

He wrote his masterpiece, The Prince, after the Medici had recovered power and he no longer held a position of responsibility in Florence.

”Machiavellianism” is a widely used negative term to characterise unscrupulous politicians of the sort Machiavelli described in The Prince.

The book itself gained enormous notoriety and wide readership, because the author seemed to be endorsing behaviour often deemed as evil and immoral.

Indeed, Machiavelli was true in his argument – when you deal with politics, morals fall by the wayside.

It reminds one of the saying by columnist Cal Thomas: “One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician’s objective. Election and power are.”

In the wake of politics, truth is left butchered, and so are morality, decency, integrity and honesty.

You have to love what another columnist, Doug Larson, said: “Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.”

I’d take my hat (if I had one) off to Mr Larson. Giving a politician such a key has proven disastrous for centuries, for the common people suffer in the wake of politicians pursuing agendas fuelled by ego and pride.

A democracy may refer to the rule of the people, but let us be honest, it doesn’t matter what political system you have in place, politicians run the show and the people of the country are left to feed on the bitter crumbs of the debacle.

So why are we talking politics? Because politics has become a circus in this country.

While people think Parliament has become entertaining, it is actually beyond embarrassing and the disorder is not amusing, but a threat to a fledgling democracy.

Is it any wonder this country is stuttering along in the mire of incompetency?

Those who are supposedly “appointed” to make critical decisions are now behaving like animals in Parliament, physically assaulting each other, while there is plenty of name calling, finger pointing, cursing and who knows what else.

We are talking about MPs who earn roughly a R1-m a year, if not more.

We don’t need clowns and cowboys making a further mockery of politics, but men and women of decency, wisdom, morality and integrity.

The EFF thinks it is their right to sit in Parliament wearing their red “suits”, and while it is good to now and then stir things up, it seems what has been forgotten is that it is not about personal pride or agenda, but the welfare of the people of this country is at stake.

Throwing punches in Parliament, as well as pointing the middle finger in such a “scared” chamber, as witnessed recently in SA, is indicative of a country slipping deeper in lawlessness and anarchy.

Surprisingly, South Africa is not the exception; across the world politicians have behaved immorally in Parliament.

There have been numerous fistfights in the Ukraine, in India an MP used pepper spray, in Canada a mayor knocked over a councillor, while there have also been nasty brawls in Taiwan, Venezuela, Turkey and Jordania. The list simply continues.

Even Machiavelli would be turning in his grave if he had to witness how politics have become a ”sport” more devious and dangerous than seen in the days of the Roman consul.