1. World problems
  2. Entrenched politicians

Entrenched politicians

  • Long-term political incumbents

Nature

Political incumbents have advantages which preserve their ability to stay in office -- access to funds to overwhelm underfinanced challengers, paid staff that tend to constituents' problems, government privileges which provide opportunities for self-promotion, often as "official business", access to research and media, and carefully gerrymandered districts that ensure solid blocs of support on re-election day.

Incidence

98% of incumbent congress members in the USA who seek re-election have been successful in recent years. For example, in 1998, House incumbents ended up running unopposed in 95 districts, while in 127 they faced only token opposition; a record 98.5 percent of them were reelected, collecting an average of more than 70 percent of the vote.

Claim

In an ideal world, a people that reelects almost 99 percent of its leaders would seem to be happy with them. But in the real world, you only have to win once to become a permanent fixture in a rotting political establishment.

Broader

Sinecures
Yet to rate

Narrower

Aggravates

Aggravated by

Nepotism
Presentable

Reduces

Related

Value

Short-termism
Yet to rate
Entrenchment
Yet to rate

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal #16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

Metadata

Database
World problems
Type
(D) Detailed problems
Subject
  • Government » Political
  • Government » Politics
  • Content quality
    Presentable
     Presentable
    Language
    English
    Last update
    Oct 4, 2020