Do you think the world would be a nicer place if all politicians were women?

[Gopin]

I’m so heartbroken by what is going on with Israel/Gaza/Lebanon.

The day I became a mum was the day my heart left my body. I see the news stories and just absolutely bloody fear for children, the elderly, animals etc.

We are on this planet for such a short period of time. I can’t stand it!

It makes me hate the men making these decisions. I genuinely believe the world would be a better place if women were in charge. We are naturally empathetic (broadly speaking).

I can’t be wrong, surely?

I’m all cosy in my home and people’s worlds are being obliterated a couple of thousands of miles away. It’s an awful reality I wish I could just ignore

I do not think it is a man or woman thing. I think that the kind of person that gets to run a country is the kind of person that is willing to step on other people to get to the top and this sort of engrained ruthlessness needed to become PM or President or Dictator ensures that we end up ruled by sociopaths in suits.

Good people don’t make it to the top because we’re too busy stretching our hands out to pull others up with us.

No, women have all sorts of different opinions on pretty much anything. The “hang em up and flog ems” vs “ lets try to understand and maybe they’ll see the error of their ways” lot. Many a woman has defended a rapist as well. I do think on average men are worse than women, crime stats demonstrate this.

I think women are more cautious in some respects and less likely to make gung ho decisions. But I think the kind of person who actually wants to be an MP has a touch of narcissism in them tbh (regardless of party). So anyone who actually wants power probably shouldn’t have it.

Female leaders are equally happy as male leaders to send men to do killing on their nation’s behalf and are equally likely to confuse their political career with their nation’s best interests. Indira Ghandi was one of many modern day examples of an uncompromising female leader.

Although I mainly agree with you and believe men are worse when it comes to physical violence, I don’t know if they are overall ‘worse’. I have seen women egg on men into some absolute bullshit and then play innocent.

Women are smarter but not less worse in many situations. Conditioning and opportunity will tell you what type of human you’re going to get.

No.

There'd be a massive row every 28 days.

I think all of one thing is never going to work out. Power corrupts etc. think of animal farm...

I couldn't either.

However, what if it was necessary to stop bigger death and destruction and more innocent deaths elsewhere? That's why just having empathy is no good for government. There will always be difficult decisions to be made. I couldn't make them.

Hilary Clinton was a hawk. Much more so than her husband. Of course she’d have been preferable to Trump but even so……

Having empathy is essential for good governance.

Oh sure I mean all women are saints, well the exception of MIL, SIL, female bosses, 'school mums', completive female colleagues, new and ex female partners of their current or ex male partner, the female friend or neighbour making them jealous and they want to 'steal their man'

But ONLY having empathy is not. Hence why I said "just having empathy is no good"

I think that goes without saying.

No. They would be compelled to act in their nation's best interests just as much as male ones are.

then you quoting me to make your comment makes no sense.

No it would be worse. Liz truss, Teresa May. Maggie Thatcher. No thanks.

Yes, I do.
Everyone citing unpleasant female politicians is forgetting we live in a world literally designed by men for men.
People are delusional if you think women, who are deeply connected to motherhood and preserving the world for future generations, would be involved in wars and the creation of nuclear weapons on anywhere near the same scale men are.
Men are blase about destroying things. If it doesn't serve them, they think nothing of burning us, crossbowing us, stabbing us. Destroying entire family units based on rage. The same plays out on the world political stage. When did women ever do that?

I was literally just thinking this today.

The toxic male willy-waving, strong-man style of leadership around the world is so, so dangerous.

Putin, Netanyahu, Trump, Orban, Lukashenko, Johnson

The list of awful female political leaders referenced upthread - all are bad but pussycats compared to the above.

It's not about the sex of the leader, but the emotional maturity, level of narcissism and delusion, and how bad their cocaine habit is.

As I have always said, if you got rid of cocaine, you would have a better world as these people are constantly on it. It was certainly rife in the Tory party.

I think what we are seeing now is the intention of what certain people wanted from the outset. I don't want the UK to support it and am deeply disappointed by our government. They need to grow some fucking balls.

Hahaha. Just look at mumsnet for the “niceness” of women.

There would still be violence in the world. You can’t conversation your way out of everything.

Ok.

Well I agree with you and generally think this too.

I just feel that the male ego gets tied up in a lot of these aggressive conflicts. That women would try harder and longer to sort things out politically/ diplomatically.

But, yes, as everyone has pointed out, some women are absolute horrors.

I’ve worked with enough spiteful vindictive evil women to know this wouldn’t be the case. Margaret Thatcher, Kemi, Suella, Liz, Marjorie TG, there’s plenty of horror political examples to counter your theory OP.

Cocaine is a big problem. It makes Alpha types unbearably worse. The world would absolutely be better off without it.

Humans have an unfortunate tendency to look up to arrogant people and put them in charge of things.

If we all just decided we're only going to follow female leaders, then all that would happen is the arrogant men who are in charge now would be replaced with arrogant women. There are far fewer arrogant women than arrogant men, but there are still more than enough to go around.

If on the other hand we decided to stop following arrogant leaders, that really would make a difference. It wouldn't mean exclusively female leaders, though it might mean a majority to begin with. It would also mean fewer people would grow up thinking arrogance is a route to success.