The problem, Oakeshott felt, was not only that “politics is an uninteresting form of activity to anyone who has no desire to rule others” but that those it attracts are, too often, unimpressive human beings. At one point he calls them “scoundrels.” What isn’t required, but is too often evident, in politics is “manufacturing curable grievances.”

DBx: Or worse: manufacturing incurable grievances that people can be duped into mistakenly thinking are curable by the high’n’mighty.”