Roughly three percent of the population is born genetically different than the rest of us. In almost every capacity they look and act like the rest of us. But, they are born with an elevated thirst for power and an insatiable need to control others. They are highly intelligent. They also possess most and frequently all of the characteristics of sociopaths. The sociopathic behaviors most common to career politicians are. 1.) lack of remorse, shame, or guilt 2.) glibness and superficial charm 3.) manipulative and conning
These are the people who would have competed to be kings, queens and chiefs in earlier times. Back then they would have killed their competitors with swords or arrows. In modern times, they compete for power on the stage that democracy provides.
97 % of the population is hardwired to put faith and trust in leaders. Democracy based governments only work well when a significant percentage of the population overcomes the genetic predisposition to follow and thinks and acts independently. In the United States today, independent thought is almost extinct.