Politicians Love of Humanity and Public Causes, of the Poor and of Ideals of Better Societies

There is genuine love in politics: the love of public causes, of the poor, of ideals of more perfect societies. There are many revolutions inspired by principles of brotherly love, and we shouldn’t doubt the good intentions of many politicians. As Morin wrote:


It’s countless the political acts inspired by the love to citizenship and to humanity, and by the will to found a better world.
E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, As Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo


But as he also says:


As in the Goethe tragedy, where the good intentions of Faust causes the loss of Margarita, and the bad actions of Mephistopheles ends by saving her, also in politics the hell is full of good intentions.
E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, As Grandes Questões Do Nosso Tempo


And why, we may ask? 


The reasons are very diverse, obviously. Yet there is a powerful and general explanation: the nature of our loves, and the nature of the loves present in the politician’s hearts (when they exist and are not just trivial rhetoric). 


In fact, love isn’t a simple pure thing. Often it is mingled with pride, and vanity. Or mixed with ideas and utopias, or with ignorance of what men are and how our societies and economics work (which are other forms of love of ideas). 


And that – when applied to politicians – is a powerful step to failure. It quickly empties the political love, and closes each man in his world and his interests and ideas - which is, after all, the more natural human condition…