Lots of people are driven to be rich and important. Usually, they convince themselves that, by being so, the world will be a better place. Sometimes, they are right.
Some work to find power, riches, and fame in government. That’s become much more lucrative than trying to establish a little kingdom in the shrinking private sector. Those who gravitate to government soon realize that, more than anything, they need obedient peasants. Those in government realize that the peasants of our time are those who can be kept so obedient that they cannot take meaningful action against increasing taxation/slavery.
The most extreme lovers of power, like the Castro brothers and similar tyrants, will tax whole nations so viciously that they are reduced, first, to abject poverty; then to enslavement. Other power-addicts will applaud. The dukes and earls of old have been replaced with commissars, commissioners, and “Presidents for Life”.
The western world usually does not have such total tyrants. Power-seekers in the western countries are limited by the large number of Christians. They are driven by lesser demons and make do with the lesser crumbs. But, some of them admire their more vicious counterparts at every opportunity. Power-worshippers like Jimmy Carter make periodic pilgrimages to tyrants like the Castro brothers. They admire what they have done, and tell the world how “capable and concerned” even the most bloodthirsty such tyrants are.
“By their fruits, ye shall know them.” is a helpful thing to remember. So is “Birds of a feather gather together.” When our leaders say nice things about mass murderers and imprisoners, we peasants should start to worry.
