ABSTRACT
Politics is generally held to involve the exercise of power, the operations of government and the state, though, of course, elites outside of the government often have a great deal of influence, if they do not actually hold political power. In 1974, Earl Butz, who was the Secretary of Agriculture, told a joke that almost led to him being removed from office. When politicians tell ethnic jokes, they court disaster and often end up being destroyed, politically. Ethnic humour is no longer considered acceptable in America, especially when it is told by public officials. Jokes appealing to competitive individualists would poke fun at elitists, egalitarians or fatalists or would support the values of the individualists at the expense of others. The jokes are a response to the tensions of living in total societies, since dictators seek to control every aspect of life in the societies where they are in power.
