Politicians who enter the arena of power with a vendetta may last a long time, but they seldom end up well. These people are a key source of poor governance, and they drive corruption and iniquity with their disruptive style of leadership. In other words, Julius Caesar is wise to quit the politics of revenge.
One of the drawbacks of the game of power is how easily the politician can make enemies. A politician ignores his or her enemies at their peril. Ultimately, the enemies both inside and outside the camp are the nemesis of the politician’s dreams of power.
The first chief minister of the Virgin Islands, H. Lavity Stoutt, stated once upon a time that “one enemy is one too many.” He was correct.
The politician who has an agenda of “getting back” at specific folk for this or that reason follows a singular path. They are a micro-manager. That means their policy management is poor. A reluctance to delegate power is a giveaway pointing to trouble down the road.
Diplomacy
The vengeful politician is not a diplomat. Diplomacy is crucial in a modern democracy, however. Compromise is part of the power matrix. Diplomacy and compromise are siblings.
The politician seeking revenge loves the politics of exclusion. Divide and rule is their game plan. This type of politician loves the clique. He or she enjoys playing one person against another or one section of the community against the other. Ultimately, that tactic alienates a person or group, which the becomes another source of opposition.
The politics of marginalisation is another device used by the vendetta-seeking politician. In a system where it is difficult to sack the object of the politician’s dislike or hatred, the next best option is to marginalise the victim. This is a waste of taxpayer cash, and the marginalised frequently outlasts the politician in office in any event.
The vindictive politician is the classic “Jekyll and Hyde.” They possess two faces and are adept at presenting a pleasant face to friend and an ugly face to foe. It is easy to read these people. Eventually, that ugly side overrides the friendlier side, and their enemies become as cantankerous as the bad-acting politician.
‘Bad politics’
Victimisation is bad politics in a small community especially. Word gets around. In four to five years, the politician needs to return to Jack and Jill Voter if they want to return to office. An angry Jack or Jill will view the polling booth as the place of “payback.” Angry Jack is also the source of discontent that mushrooms into a mob against Julius Caesar at an election.
A pool of enemies makes that proposition of return after an election much harder for the politician. The maxim is wholly appropriate for Julius Caesar if he is wise: “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.”
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