I've been lucky enough to travel quite a bit, both personally and professionally. What I've found is that the great majority of people are all pretty much the same:

1) They want a decent standard of living where basic needs are covered;

2) They want a good life for their kids or the next generation if they don't have any of their own; and

3) They want (1) and (2) for everyone, as long as the people in their world don't suffer for people outside their "world."

IMO the people drawn to power** are those who aren't satisfied with (1) and are willing to do anything to others to get it and hold it.

** Ironically I run my own business for 30 years. In my firm, I'm mostly a dictator. Living in Austria I'm very constrained by law, which is good (IMO).