Actually, that's one idea the Soviets did have right (on paper, at least). Gorbachov was actually a farmer by trade (though I doubt he did much farming while actually in government).
Alberta kind of does that to its mayors, by underpaying them severely - they kind of have to keep their regular jobs (yep, usually either farming or lawyering), because outside of the biggest cities, their salaries are a joke. (seriously, they don't make much more than your average experienced burger-flipper. And I might be overestimating here.)
In Texas, the part time legislature means that the elected officials have to have day jobs. Anecdotally, it seems to me that the vast majority are small business owners.
Actually, that's one idea the Soviets did have right (on paper, at least). Gorbachov was actually a farmer by trade (though I doubt he did much farming while actually in government).
Alberta kind of does that to its mayors, by underpaying them severely - they kind of have to keep their regular jobs (yep, usually either farming or lawyering), because outside of the biggest cities, their salaries are a joke. (seriously, they don't make much more than your average experienced burger-flipper. And I might be overestimating here.)
In Texas, the part time legislature means that the elected officials have to have day jobs. Anecdotally, it seems to me that the vast majority are small business owners.