[ZenGum]

Well, I think what we have here, is that when money, prestige, or power are at stake, a significant portion of people (regardless of gender, race, age, whatever) act like ruthless amoral sociopaths. The more power and prestige, the more ruthless pricks it attracts, and being a ruthless prick does in fact cause you to survive and prosper, at least in the short term. Politics is probably the worst for attracting such types and allowing them to prosper.

(not everyone who is in politics is like this, or for these reasons, though.)