The Psychology of the Political Class

ShackledNation

Libertarian
Jun 16, 2011
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There are plenty of studies about the criminal mind. But what of the political mind?
Psychology of the Political Class - Frank Chodorov - Mises Daily

The ordinary citizen, who is considered normal simply because he is in the majority, lives within the law. The criminal is concerned with the breaking of the law and lives outside it. The politician is different in that his thought pattern is shaped behind the law. It is in relation to the law that these three environments are distinguishable; the mental habits acquired in each environment are necessarily indigenous to it.

Often his mind [the elected politician] will work almost like that of his constituents and seems to be absolutely "normal." Perhaps that is because his dependence on votes does not completely separate him from the world within the law; he is compelled to keep in touch with it. Yet, if you examine his thinking closely you will find that he and his constituents are worlds apart. They think of him as a man who represents their interests, while he knows in his heart of hearts that his interest is to be elected, or reelected, and toward that end he finds it convenient to make them think he is all for them; he is out to feather his own nest, always.

Quite an interesting read. If we understood the political mind, maybe we could control it better at the polls.
 

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