I was always surprised as a teenager and beginning to think about politics in the West, how people voted for things that were of particular moment to them. It seemed to me strange to vote for a leader of a country based narrowly of the benefits that would accrue to oneself from any particular candidate. After all this was not just ones leader but everyone’s, and a more rounded estimate of the benefits to the country seemed to me to be more important. Further I saw very clearly that politicians knew people voted in their own self interest and offered ‘constituencies’ of voters candies in their manifestos deliberately to obtain their votes.
In the nineteenth century MPs in the UK would give out money and cart people to the voting booths having virtually bought their support. There is really no difference between then and now.
The problem is people think that is a good use of their vote and never question the fact, but actually it shows how many voters in the West have no truly democratic instincts. You vote to better your country, to make a better world, because we use politics to make laws and laws make civilisations. To vote for anyone because you are going to personally be better of each month financially, or to ignore people who will suffer because of your candidate and not care, is to betray the future, not make it.