Passing along a comment, written by an Australian whose insights I value. (he is speaking to someone who believes that politicians mainly serve the public)
I, on the other hand, call politics the biggest crime story on the planet...just follow the money and everthing makes sense. I see government as a tool of wealth that rules over the people on behalf of wealth. Cynical, I hear you say? I appreciate how it sounds that way, but the proof is in the pudding...regardless of what political party is in power, just look at how many laws are passed for and on behalf of wealth, then look at the paltry crumbs that are dished out to the general public, if any, often watered-down or later repealed by another government. Government DOES NOT serve the people. They all say they do, but I've yet to see one. They serve wealth, for that's who finances their campaigns, or thrust to power, whether it be a legal process or the overturning or usurping of a regime, or a coup. And wealth expects favors in return for that financial support....
Whoever this is didn't look very hard. Lots of countries have largly publicly financed campaigning, strict spending limits, or government/campaign styles that make lavish spending on a single candidate useless.
Not to say that these other countries are perfect, but what is clearly a problem in the United States is not a problem (to the same degree) in other places.