In 31 years in the Chinese martial arts, under 3 really great teachers, I have seen politics almost crush our great art as the two main organizations, one run by an East coast person, and another run by a West coast person, splinter things to the point where the wushu team finished terribly in the last Asian games. Just so you know, one of my three teachers tried to democratically take over the East coast fed awhile back and due to the autocratic leadership of those installed, failed. He is now totally out of the political end. Within my three schools, there is political infighting, who is what, etc. In one, some of the "masters" under our Master had not seen me in almost 20 years before a gathering this year for everyone and were puzzled when both my training brother and I were hugged by him. They do not know that, while training under my two other masters, I trained under him yearly with my training bro in another city. Some were accepting of me, others not. As long as my teacher knows, that is all I care. He did ask my training brother, who I am senior to in kung fu overall by 6 years, but who is now my senior in this style, to bring me up to a certain level so others will respect me...LOL! I do not care about that, and my only "political" motivation after all this time is to honor my three teachers and the styles they taught me. I believe, from my observation in competing in both open and kung fu tournments for 18 years and judging the last 10-12, that kung fu overall is the most politicized due to the insistence that one always states their lineage, their teacher's background, or both. I have observed certain tae kwon do orgs down here in Texas be this way, but overall not that way. Though, I must admit, since I live in Houston, that the appointment of the last tae kwon do team to the Olympics seemed dominated by one family and very much political in a couple of instances on who became part of the team.
Frankly, all I care about is legitimacy, learning under good teachers, spreading the art that you were taught in an honorable fashion, and recognizing the debt you owe your teacher (s). Everything else is unnecessary, redundant and not part of what I personally consider the martial arts' code of protecting the weak and spreading the art.
Just my quarter's worth, since 2 cents does not buy anything anymore.