In defense of politics and politicians

A truck driver and even an unskilled construction worker enjoy almost twice as much prestige as politicians, who are among the lowest-rated professions. Only so-called influencers and youtubers enjoy less respect (Survey “Ranking of prestige of professions and specialties” 2025 SW Research). This fact is not surprising, it is taken for granted, even expected. We would be surprised if politicians were ranked first in terms of trust. If we want a better political class then we should change our expectations and the language we use when talking about politics and politicians.

Do politicians deserve such a change today, and should we really change the language we use? Let's start at the end - what is our desired state regarding the political class? Do we want its members to be elected by positive selection - the best of the best competing for the highest positions in the state? Or do we agree with negative selection - the selection of the “lesser of two evils,” the “better of two evils,” or whatever else we call the normalization and rationalization of selection from among people, a large part of whom would not do well in any other profession except politics?

Most of us, if not all of us, want the former, a positive state of affairs. The only properly, and thus most common, proposal in the public domain to improve the status quo is to raise salaries. It's true that the current salaries, especially of ministers, fall short of the level of impact their decisions have on the lives of millions of citizens, students and retirees, and the development of the economy. However, raising salaries, while necessary, is not sufficient to improve the political class. A raise would provide an opportunity for more competent but not necessarily more respected politicians.

Why, according to the aforementioned study, does even an unskilled construction worker enjoy twice as much prestige as an MP? Any bad or shocking information about a politician is greeted with the words “politics” or “that's the way politics is.” Also among doctors, lawyers, professors and businessmen there are incompetent and dishonest people. However, we understand that these are “black sheep”. However, we are not saying that the entire medical, academic or legal profession is rotten to the core. Nota bene, we would also not accept the situation if this were the case - we would demand change. However, we apply a different measure to bad events from the world of politics. Undoubtedly, some politicians deserve harsh judgment. However, this is different from judging a priori the entire social class.

If a neighbor's son or daughter becomes a doctor, judge, pilot or company president, we mostly feel joy and pride, and congratulate our friends. However, when the same person would like to get involved in politics, become an MP or councilman, in many cases we would sympathize with the parents or feel slight embarrassment. Under such conditions, how could we expect the brightest and best citizens of the next generation to engage in serving the state and society?

If a similarly bad opinion prevailed with regard to the medical or legal profession, and its adepts were selected by adverse selection, we would be treated by the least competent people of a given generation. Politicians, on the other hand, are no less important than doctors and teachers. It is politics that co-creates or hinders the conditions for the development of the country and the improvement of living standards.

If we want it to be the best who go - for a few years and not as now for a lifetime - to politics, then we should have such expectations. At the same time, in our daily conversations and descriptions of reality, we should stigmatize individual bad behavior but defend ourselves and oppose the condemnation of the entire profession. Language influences perceptions of the world and sets its boundaries. By changing language, we can change attitudes and expectations - ours and those of our environment. Such a change can change, at a later stage, the political reality in Poland and Europe. So let's not say that “this is the politicks.”