US president who foresaw a persistent problem

AROUND 1820, Thomas Jefferson, a highly intelligent and honest US president, said: “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labours of the people under the pretense of taking care of them”.

Now, nearly 200 years of worldwide political corruption later, it is beginning to seem the only way to get rid of crooks in high places is either to get rid of high places or to hold them fully and personally accountable for their many blunders. Otherwise, they will simply continue to pretend to be useful while indeed completely wasting the enormous efforts of honest people.

Dick Barton