Who Wants Über Politicians?

I share the frustration against our politicians fueled by series of their blatant scandals exposed by the media. But I don't share the tendency of many of the politically literate who long for messianic political leaders and look back in dead politicians like Hatta, Natsir, or Tan Malaka (If you deem the illiterates hoping a messiah to lead the country, the ratu-adil, a wishful-thinking, just don't repeat the mistakes.)

Virtuous as they personally were, it's not the most important thing we need now.

It's not a bunch of good men of learning, high minded politicians, that we need, but a mechanism and infrastructure in which those politicians --the ordinary rational human being -- must align their behavior with what most people want them to be.

The politicians, anywhere in the world, are the utility maximizer, subject to certain constraints; and by that, conduct cost-benefit analysis for any of their action, including asking money to pass a draft of law. It'd be more reasonable to analyze them with that rule of the game (using standard constrained utility maximization tools or game theory, if necessary) than expecting the über politicians to come as we never know what exactly made these special creatures.

And that is why we need our Anti-Corruption Squad, that works diligently to fix the disincentive to cheat; minimum government intervention in business to reduce chances to reap illegal benefit of power abuse; and any other marginal step to set the incentive right that leave very small option for politicians beside serving the majority's want.

As long as we are able to do it, albeit marginal and gradual, I remain optimistic that things would get better --even without Hatta, Natsir, or any other dead persons.

Addendum: I love to think that KPK is now cleverly setting new focal points by picking certain cases with strong elements of drama, involving action-espionage, celebrity-related, and flagrant hypocrisy (religious man from religious party can do no corruption), to knock people's head and spread the message that corruption is now a serious crime and somebody might go after you.