politician [ pol-i-tish–uhn ] See synonyms for: politician / politicians on Thesaurus.com Middle School Level
noun
- a person who is active in party politics.
- a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.
- a person who holds a political office.
- a person skilled in political government or administration; statesman or stateswoman.an expert in politics or political government.
- a person who seeks to gain power or advancement within an organization in ways that are generally disapproved.
statesman [ steyts-muhn ] See synonyms for: statesman / statesmanlike on Thesaurus.com Middle School Level
noun, plural states·men.
- a person who is experienced in the art of government or versed in the administration of government affairs.
- a person who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government or in dealing with important public issues.
Note:
I would like to point out that the definition specifically is void of “self serving” vs the “Politician” definition.
In essence: A Politician is in for themselves, and a Statesman is in it for the good of their people (or constituents).