I don't believe xenophobia is a political thing. Power grabs and military aggression for political and economic advantage are political, yes. But Xenophobia is an attitude, and it's cultural and individual. It focuses on how bad, wrong, wicked and inferior the target peoples are, not on how much stuff their side has that our side wants. It can be a reason for military aggression but it's not the only one.I do agree with Steve Parkes about politicians. I've said pretty much the same thing for years. I think there's an unavoidable flaw in any form of government: overall the people who rise to the top will be the kind of people who are motivated by power, control, and the need for structure. Folks who don't much care about power and control, generally aren't motivated to compete for the positions of power. Once in power, politicians turn to imposing control and structure on the world and their ideas of what needs to be controlled and how, tend to be both restrictive and power-oriented, not people-oriented.
That works fine for people who are economically comfortable and/or worry a lot about law and order, but less well for people who are powerless economically, or more free wheeling (I don't mean criminal!!!) in disposition. There are exceptions, especially with the kind of people who see an abuse and run for office in order to get the power to correct it.
Wow, Steve, I've been trying to make this point for years: that the trouble with politics, in any system, is that it attracts politicians.
Have I put words in your mouth that you didn't mean? Correct me if I'm wrong.... - Rita F