I don't think history supports this conclusion, and I don't think the effects of colonialism and neo-colonialism can be dismissed with 'voting for fools'.
The complexities of societal issues are not really parsable at the level of day to day observation. I could say the same about my culture being one that celebrates corruption and buffoonery, but I don't base my my assumptions about society on my daily experience, I base it on sociology and history.
“Sociology and history,” the usual copout for third worlders that never want to admit their own failings but pin the blame on others, while elected politicians pillage and ruin the countries with their incompetence.