An ancient Turkish proverb says:
When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a sultan.
The palace becomes a circus.
I recall that proverb, seemingly every election we have.
Though it applies more generally: Places are what you make of them.
Turkish proverb about clowns in palaces
Is the reverse true:
“When a sultan moves into a circus, he doesn’t become a clown. The circus becomes a palace.
A modern Turkish proverb”
If Sultan decides to move into a circus with intent to transform it into a palace , then he is unfit to be called a Sultan ; and people who chose him deserve to be led by him …..
This is not an old Turkish proverb. Or even a modern one. The phrase was coined by a British writer, Elizabeth Bangs.
https://wp.me/pekZuB-n
I suspect for the really good leaders, yeah that’s exactly what happens.
600 years from now people are going to talk about how Abraham Lincoln or Suleiman had coffee at the shop on the corner.