I gotta say that this was one that I believed until like last year when I was doing some "deprogramming". Unfortunately, this idea is based into the United States Society, probably because it makes for an interesting cudgeal against AES

[–] Damarcusart@hexbear.net 12 points 21 hours ago

It also serves a dual purpose in convincing people not to expect too much of their leadership in the west as well. "Of course they do nothing to help us despite campaigning on that, power corrupts."

[–] PKMKII@hexbear.net 9 points 21 hours ago

That’s part of it, although the trope is also used with regards to right wing despots and generic “power-hungry leaders.” I think the bigger purpose is to give credence to the liberal “great man” theory; systems don’t live or die based on theirs merits and/or the events surrounding them, but rather on the character of the leaders behind them.

Hence why American propaganda absolutely glazes the shit out of George Washington for not making the continental army his own personal one after defeating the British and voluntarily declining to run for a third term. American hegemony derives from the moral fiber of the leaders.