Max Weber’s “Politics as a Vocation”

The passage I chose from Max Weber’s “Politics as a Vocation” lecture is:

“There are two ways of making politics one's vocation: Either one lives 'for' politics or one lives 'off' politics. By no means is this contrast an exclusive one. The rule is, rather, that man does both, at least in thought, and certainly he also does both in practice. He who lives 'for' politics makes politics his life, in an internal sense. Either he enjoys the naked possession of the power he exerts, or he nourishes his inner balance and self-feeling by the consciousness that his life has meaning in the service of a 'cause.' In this internal sense, every sincere man who lives for a cause also lives off this cause. The distinction hence refers to a much more substantial aspect of the matter, namely, to the economic. He who strives to make politics a permanent source of income lives 'off' politics as a vocation, whereas he who does not do this lives 'for' politics. Under the dominance of the private property order, some--if you wish-- very trivial preconditions must exist in order for a person to be able to live 'for' politics in this economic sense. Under normal conditions, the politician must be economically independent of the income politics can bring him. This means, quite simply, that the politician must be wealthy or must have a personal position in life which yields a sufficient income.”

I like this passage because the message is very clear and simple. Even dough all politician will say they become politicians to serve the people, in reality they do it for personal gains. Nowadays people become politicians because of it is lucrative and for monetary compensation. A few of them don’t need the money, they do it for the power. For example, NYC Mayor Bloomberg has more money than I can count. He certainly does not need the money, but his ego needs the power.  I personally don’t believe that nowadays there are people who are interested in making politics one's vocation for the main purpose of serving the public. I say this because every politician has the eye on the next higher office, and rarely are satisfied with their level achievement on the political latter.