Professional Politicians vs. Citizen Politicians

The untimely passing of the leader of Canada's official opposition and the NDP, Jack Layton today reminded me of this issue.   As much as Jack was an honourable man and a skillful politician,  he represented what I believe is one of the fundamental political problems in the West these days.  Of his too brief 61 years,  half were spent as a politician.  His employment outside politics was less than a decade as a university professor.   A someway dated but prescient letter to the editor of the New York Times back in 1989 here said it marvellously:

"The founders of our system envisioned citizens who would take a leave from their jobs and lives, ''lend'' their experience to the business of government and then return to private life. Through career politicians we have allowed a culture of access, influence and self-interest to grow up."  

Now lets keep in mind that this was one of the founding differences between the U.S. and Canada.   Canada, though, has moved further towards the original American model of citizen politicians and America toward the professional politician pattern.     There is more political turnover in Canada than in the U.S.   It doesn't cost as much here to mount a political campaign.  There are, however, tendencies.   And they are dangerous.    An elite can develop and both self-perpetuate.

As much as I liked Jack,  he represented what I see as a political scourge,  the professional politician.

Now certainly there are advantages to professional politicians.  They know their way around.   They become skilled in the ways of government and politics.     The trouble is implicit in this.     After ten years or more, there is not much else they can do and so it becomes in their own interest to ensure that they remain.  They may depart one level of government (either by their own choice or the electorate's) and then entrench themselves at another level.      What happens is that they become detached from ordinary life.   How can you represent ordinary people (those without fat pensions and benefits, for example, or those who must meet a payroll) when it has been years since you were one of them?

They may pretend to be ordinary, but it reminds me of George Bush Sr. on encountering a cashier's scanner at a supermarket some years ago and being astonished at such technology.  Where had he been all those years?

It is the job of the civil service to provide the continuity and stability in government.   It is the job of politicians to lead and represent the people as they do so.     They should be both responsive and forward looking.    But not self-interested.    You ought to enter politics later in life as a way of giving back to society, of sharing your talents, experience and ideas.     The people can either support you or reject you.

Unfortunately,   Barack Obama is a classic professional politician.   Consider his resume.   His success is buttressed by his immense talent as a public speaker.    He was able to ride the Web 2.0 wave supported by the second scourge of 21st century politics, the cult of personality, as was Jack Layton.

Here is an interesting discussion on the issue of career vs. citizen politicians.  It is from last year and the context is American, but the dialogue is very enlightening.