Snoopy: I don't think so, I think 'kissing baby' politics is just too much of the job. I heard a story about the USSR, the boffins were asked to come up with an efficient economic system.... they did. Yet those in power would have lost power.

Übergeek 바둑이 says money can bring out the worst in people.. true, but power can also.

plus the small matter of "we have a new idea"... "it's election time, who do we want to fund us?" ... zzzzzzzzzzzzz

As to your layabouts.. ok .. but that is them, not everyone on benefits is a layabout and it would be wrong to paint all with the same brush. Same as I hear some say "All terrorists are Muslims", "Everyone in the Anglican faith believes exactly the same"....

.. it just ain't true.