We should give power to the least fortunate

What can we learn about museum failures? Josh Williams writes, “In politics as well in the police, we have to have people who do this for advocacy, and not power-hungry.”

Some people have more power than others. Recent revelations regarding the deaths of police officers are just the latest in a long, unfortunate line. They serve as a stark reminder that those who are drawn to power are often not the most capable of enduring it.

Power attracts those who want to serve others, but it also attracts those who want to rule. One solution is to eliminate gravity entirely. This precedent is as old as democracy itself. In ancient Athens public servants were chosen by “screening”. Citizens were selected randomly from a small group of “free men” to govern their communities and rule over their fellow citizens.

Sort live. This is how modern juries are chosen. It is absurd and unfair to us today that you should be compared to twelve of our peers. Organizations such as the Sortition Foundation call for a wider application of this approach. They recommend getting rid of dry scarfs in the House of Lords. This would not be an insult to democracy. Only China can boast a larger group of unelected representatives that our peers.

We in Britain like our politicians to pretend to abstain when we elect them. There is a long-held expectation that MPs will deny that they want to become Prime Minister if asked about their ambition. Boris Johnson was a notable exception to this rule. The mayor responded to the question in 2013 by saying: “If it comes out of the scrum, he has a crack in the ball.”

He said only what other people thought, as true reluctance to politics is rare. It’s slippery and requires some climbing. We must again look back to antiquity for a precedent. Cincinnatus, an archetype of the reluctant ruler, was the archetype in ancient Rome. His first dictatorship lasted just 15 days. He saved the state and restored power, then returned to his farm. When he was summoned back to duty, he repeated his ruse, this one retaining power for only 21 more days.

Johnson made reference to Cincinnati at 10 Downing Street, the day after he resigned. Johnson said that he would return to his plow, full of ominous hints regarding a possible return. However, the comparison was not inappropriate. For one thing, Johnson’s humble ‘plow’ is the lucrative speaking circuit, reportedly earning £250,000 per speech. Johnson didn’t “return” for anything. He came back screaming and kicking. Importantly, Johnson had a markedly different attitude towards power than Cincinnatus. It was not what the Romans wanted. Johnson, a boy, wanted “king of all the world.”

If power is only available to those who want it and believe it due to them then there is a certain staff that recurs: those who encourage public schools in England.

Politics, like all public services is, is often a invitation. To ensure that everyone hears the call, there is much more to be done. Civic Future, a new organization that was founded by one Johnson’s former advisors, is doing exactly that. It draws a new generation from diverse backgrounds into politics and trains them to serve.

The good news? A shift seems to be happening in British politics. After Johnson’s appearance and Truss’ short, clownish performance in the theatre, our politics turn serious.

George Osborne recently observed that there are two sets of people in Sunak, Hunt Starmer, Starmer, and Reeves who are rationally and fairly. The political battle is now for efficiency and not showmanship. This is the right time for administrators, and not politicians. Perhaps it’s the right time to serve and not rule.

For the next election, voters will turn to those who are least likely to pursue politics to gain personal gain and most likely do so for the benefit for others. This is the standard we should set for all those we entrust power to, regardless of whether they hold high office and keep our streets safe.