Microsoft boss Bill Gates doesn't want to be the world's richest man - Yahoo! Canada News

Microsoft boss Bill Gates doesn't want to be the world's richest man - Yahoo! Canada News

A thought came across my mind when I read this story. My thoughts had little to do with Bill Gates, but what he said at the very interview, made two cells in my brain rub together in concert.

Gates claims he wouldn't want to enter politics. That's fair enough; it's his perogative.

But then I got to wondering why doesn't Gates want to enter Politics, when it is largely regarded at the proverbial playground for the wealthy?

The answer came to me quickly. It's simple. It is greed and power. If you can land a place in public office you can vote on bills that may benefit, or adversely affect your wealth.

We know that absolute power corrupts absolutely, so if we extend the cliche to governments in power today, we see a never-ending cycle where those who are in power, do everything they can to remain in power. This has many faces, dictatorship, communism, fascism, socialism, even capitalism is based on this premise. If it is written in the Constitution that the leader must step down after a set number of terms (as in the US Government, for example), then the leader often does what he or she can so that his successor will remain in power.

Strange as it sounds, it is true. It's always about who is at the top of the pecking order, and to what lengths they will resort to, in order to stay at the very top.

As for power, I would say Gates holds a great deal of power. He can indirectly affect the Stock Market. He is, as he has been for at least 10 years, the world's wealthiest person. Why wouldn't he want to enter public office?

Well it's simple. He's already won. The only person that could (financially) touch Gates is Warren Buffett, and he's got one foot in the grave. Gates doesn't need public office to further best his position in the fortune race.

Discussing the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a $30-billion charity, is another matter altogether, and will have to wait for another post.