I can't remember who said it, and I am definitely paraphrasing this, but it goes something like: the people who put themselves up to govern the rest of us are typically not the sort of people we'd want governing us.
I've noticed just on a micro level, when former colleagues move into managerial positions, even if initally for "good" reasons, they end up making decisions about the rest of us that they used to sit in my office and complain about previously!
I think in the end it is the power that attracts most people to want to govern others. And if you are the sort of person who wants power over others you will compromise at some point, big or small, to maintain that power.
As Groucho Marx said: "These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others."
The trick for me with politics is to find the party with a philosophy that matches as closely as possible with my view of the world. That sort of worked for a while, but either I have gotten more cynical or the political parties have, or both: because it seems to me that all the major parties completely subscribe to Marx's quote. Today it seems they'll do anything to keep power, including completely going against everything they have traditionally stood for.
And I think, not to be a doomsayer or anything, that we are seeing the cracks starting to appear globally and economically of that "power at all costs" nationalistic approach to politics. No tough love anymore, people don't want to hear that.
We get the governments we deserve. Especially in a (supposed) democracy. I say supposed because economics, money, corporate power all corrupt true democracy as it is defined on paper.
Rant over.
James.