The Hindu Business Line : No to politicians

AS A survey, it is not earthshaking nor unusual. Such surveys are hardy annuals, and hold no startling discoveries. They only prove the age-old adage: The more things change, the more they are the same. But still, they are good grist to the gossip mill and help the populace while away its time pleasurably.

Let us in that festive spirit welcome the latest findings on the place of politicians in a survey of 50,000 or so respondents polled in 60 countries. It claims to reflect the opinion of 1.2 billion people and was conducted by Gallup International for the World Economic Forum, based in Davos in Switzerland. I must first administer the statutory warning: Do not get keyed up for any surprises, for there are none. From here on, nothing is mine own and everything is from the results of the survey published in The Guardian for your edification:

Two out of three people considered their leaders to be dishonest while just over half saw them as unethical. Worldwide 63 per cent of respondents said their political leaders were dishonest, 60 per cent said they had too much power, and 52 per cent said they were unethical.

Distrust was higher among those in Latin America, Asia and Africa than Europe or North America. Germany is the most pessimistic country in the world and one of the most critical of its political and business elites.

Three out of four Germans had little confidence in their political leaders, while in the Netherlands, the figure was one in 10. Nine out of 10 Poles think their politicians are dishonest, much higher than anywhere else in Europe and double the regional average. A high 72 per cent of Britons believed that "politicians respond to people more powerful than themselves", whereas only 58 per cent. of the people in western Europe had a similar opinion.

All over the world women are gloomier than men, 46 per cent of female to 43 per cent of male respondents saying future generations will have it worse.

It is not clear from the news report whether India was one of the countries surveyed. Perhaps not, because, if it were, the percentages would have been steeper on every count.

But then is it fair to single out politicians when they and the rest of the people are from the same cultural stock? Do each of them not hold the mirror to the other?