If these civil services were employed by people with the true skills, determination and desire to do best, the world (and each of the countries themselves) would be a much better place, instead of having a few million little Napoleons and i Duci running their tiny fiefdoms.

Look what happened when European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas (Estonia) advocated — that Eurocrats need to be confirmed for their ability (and not just sheer seniority) — and the Eurocrats went on strike (led by unions and Spanish, Italian and French members) and burned him in effigy. All he said was that abilities should be the best arbiter for job placement.

Now what is wrong with that? This is why you have these clubbish and cliquish situations in civil services all over the world that reject those with better abilities and those with strong desire to do good. This is why corruption is rampant, and the work of the civil services are mediocre at best, wasteful at its roots.

Again, should any of this surprise you?
mel