Few human activities include in themselves - and by themselves - so much "power" to explain and direct society in the desired direction as politics has this power. In other words, the eternal goal of politics is to impose on man and society those ideas and values that political representatives (politicians) believe in and fight for. And not only those they believe in and fight for, but also those they are interested in.
The vitality and power of politics stems from the question of the form of the current and future organization of a society and the practical answer to that question. In this connection, the question of imposing one's concrete (political) authority in society and one's vision of life was closely raised.
But politics does not end there, because life does not end either. Therefore, politics always aims for its power over society to be total, or at least for the ruling policy (politicians) to be trusted by as many people as possible. Democracy is a partial, and even a very small, effective response to the "natural" totality of politics. We are witnessing that today "democracy" is often spread by military force - tanks. The elitist understanding of ancient Greek democracy is "overcome" today, i.e. defeated.
1.
Similar to politics, many other human activities have a similar ambition of conquering people's consciousness, and thus society as a whole. Politics is no exception.
But no other human activity has the level of power, operability and utility that politics has. Science, for example. It explores, expresses and directs some domain of society in its technical, technological or similar direction. So, partial direction.
Art is similar to science. It is a little wider and deeper than science. But even she is not "down-to-earth" enough to explain to society the depth and vision of human life, as politics has that power. (So that we don't owe any more).
2.
It is most often said that politics is the "art of the possible" and that it is the unceasing and uninterrupted human persistence in destroying one and creating another, better society. That is partly true. Because politics springs from life. And life has countless realities and countless attempts to explain and come to terms with that same reality in order to create a better and fairer society than the existing one. Because the more fairness in society, the more stable society is. It has always been and will be.
All in short.
Politics is an encountering life activity that - similar to a lightning rod - includes many social visions, hopes, utopias, layers of life... on the one hand. But on the other hand, politics includes the power of tradition, inherited virtues, history, social psychology and who knows what else.
Therefore, we should already conclude here that politics ie. its representatives (politicians) should first of all have two crucial character traits. The first is the accumulated enormous life experience of politicians and - the second - the widest possible scientific education of politicians. But let's also add the following necessary qualities of a politician: personal courage, eloquence, morality, historicity, boldness and even a pleasant appearance with pearly teeth, as today's politics teaches us. And to add this very important point, even mild brutality should not be foreign to politicians. On the contrary.
So that there is no confusion about brutality, let us state that brutality in politics is the "necessary" force that (big) politicians need to build and have in order to be able to oppose the destruction of their society when - according to their experience and opinion - it is necessary.
Let's remember the brutalist-classicist type Peter the Great in Russia or Prince Danilo in Montenegro, for example. But also modern types V. Churchill or Deng Xiao Ping, at first.
II
The experience of a politician is important for today's Montenegro, because it is not easy to create a great politician. In addition, historical circumstances must be in his favor. There is no easy and quick way to create a great politician without a stormy, revolutionary time.
Big politicians do not lie under every Montenegrin karst, as the Montenegrin political scene looks today and for the last 40 years or so.
(However, peaceful social evolution - but in the long term - can create great politicians. The current Chinese leader - and (imagine) a communist - Xi Jin Ping is an obvious example of the evolutionary creation of a great politician).
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Unfortunately, the evolutionary creation of politicians is not typical and natural for Montenegro. And for the Balkans in general. To us, the like-minded Balkan people, AB-type revolutions that quickly "solve" the problem are closer, more exciting and dearer than boring and long-lasting evolutions. Hence, Montenegrin society today is still a pre-political society and a reflection of the state of the people's spirit.
1.
Will Montenegrin society rise to the level of politics or remain stuck and underdeveloped in the jaws of history - similar to today's state of Mongolia - is not only a matter for politicians, but primarily a matter for the domestic elite? It (the elite) has always been and will be that grain of hypermanganese which, when added to a basin of water, colors the water according to its "code", according to its color.
But the elite is even more difficult to reach than politicians. Because it has to compress, upgrade in and of itself the past of society, on the one hand, and the currents of modern history, on the other. Therefore, the elite significantly influences the consciousness of people and society, the direction and speed of social movement, the acceptance and imposition of advanced values on society, etc.
To make matters worse, the elite (intellectuals) are perishable goods. It is often the wrong hope of the people and an "investment" if an intellectual with a weak character, prone to avarice or glory-loving, for example, is imposed on society - with the help of the party or the media. (Modern Montenegrin political practice has shown that primarily university professors and doctors are the most common examples of this kind of social deformation.)
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The creation of a valid elite is, therefore, a painstaking, long-lasting and "slippery" process. Because with a little material and moral corruption, the "elite individual" can easily turn the general interest towards personal interest.
2.
In old Montenegro, it was said that "the brotherhood hurts them", for a brotherhood or tribe that did not create and have an individual who best represents and develops the interests of his brotherhood or tribe. (The illness of the "diseased brotherhood" was known to last for several decades, he claims Mr. Gezeman. And he should be trusted.) To repeat, it is not easy to create an (elite) individual who has proven himself in trials, suffering, courage, and vision, and the people have gained confidence in him and his strength.
Let's conclude.
I have a pessimistic view that Montenegrin society has the strength (spirit) to produce a virtuous elite. I have case experience in mind Milovan Đilas, including Marine Abramović, Miodrag Bulatović, and so on Dada Đurić. All of them individually and collectively tried in various periods of the XNUMXth century to orient Montenegrin society and bring it closer to the successful societies of the Planet. But they failed.
On the contrary, they were rudely rejected, excommunicated, despised and forgotten. And even sanctioned with imprisonment, as was the case with Milovan Đilas.
Simply, our tradition and the historicity of Montenegrin society in the orientation of society towards modernism and progress sees - evil.
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And at the end, in order to round off and bring to an end the story about the power of politics/politicians, let's also state this.
Our politicians - with a few exceptions - and their accompanying "elites" see the future in (past-century) nationalism and society's orientation towards the past. In such nationalism, they see a source of energy for the survival of their "democratic" government, their political power and their personal survival in power.
But also a chance to redistribute national, social wealth to one's advantage.
Bonus video: