There are two inheritable attributes that define a person's ideological outlook: conscientiousness & altruism. The two attributes do not correlate, meaning one does not depend on the other, instead everyone has a mixture, and whichever trait predominates tends the person to either individualism for conscientious people, or collectivism for the altruistic ones.

Society, civilization, and even continuation of the species apparently requires both: conscientious people can survive stranded on a desert island, while altruistic people comfort the dying and raise children. Conscientious people reward merit, while altruistic people promote equality. In a political setting, a conscientious candidate would recognize that it takes money to run a campaign and plan accordingly, while altruistic people complain that The Rich have an advantage because the amount of money is unequal. Frankly, I want a conscientious person in a position of power over me and making decisions on my behalf, but there is the real risk that, conscientiously-speaking, that person may be looking out for themselves and not so much for me. At least altruistic people suffer the same consequences as their constituents from making poor decisions.