CS Lewis: My Fellow Hater Of Politics

Whichever side of the political isle you're on nowadays, the nuts are running the institutions. This is something Lewis wrote about society and politics in Mere Christianity, and a better expression of my own feelings I could never hope to find.

That is the key to history. Terrific energy is expended—civilizations are built up—excellent institutions devised; but each time something goes wrong. Some fatal flaw always brings the selfish and cruel people to the top and it all slides back into misery and ruin. ... That is what Satan has done to humans. [N]othing but the courage and unselfishness of individuals is ever going to make any system work properly. It is easy enough to remove the particular kinds of graft or bullying that go on under the present system: but as long as men are twisters or bullies they will find some new way of carrying on the old game under the new system. You cannot make good men by law: and without good men you cannot have a good society. ~~CS Lewis