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Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Political parties promote charlatans



Political parties inevitably promote charlatans and what we might generously term borderline charlatans as parliamentary candidates. Charlatans persuade and adapt easily to the latest shifts in party narratives. They play the language games better than most.

For charlatans, ideology is an adaptable narrative, so are principles and moral imperatives are not imperative. Because they must if they hope to be elected, political parties put power before integrity and charlatans offer that.

Even amid the temporary enthusiasm for a new political leader or new political party, there is still no route towards lasting integrity in the political competition for power. If charlatans are not already on board and climbing towards the top of the greasy pole, they soon will be.

But we know that.

2 comments:

dearieme said...

I enjoy the old joke "We call him a guru because it's easier to spell than charlatan."

A K Haart said...

dearieme - reminds me of the guru era we passed through a few decades ago. That chap with a fondness for Rolls Royce cars for example - a strange business that was.