Western Civilization
September 23, 2016
Leadership in Politics
General politics and how well, or how poorly, the government functions has always been a popular topic of conversation, especially today because of the 2016 Presidential Election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. People nowadays are always vocalizing their opinions on government issues, whether it be about a new law that was put into place or discussing who they believe is most fit out of the candidates to become the next president of the country. Residents of the United States who are eligible and have registered to vote are under a great amount of pressure; deciding on the best person that leads an entire country that they call home is quite an important decision, as every vote counts. There are certain characteristics a leader should possess that voters have to keep in mind, and these characteristics were developed from those of great leaders, both past and present. in order to improve those of the future.
It is quite difficult to come across the perfect leader who is well-rounded and possesses every trait that a good leader should have. A leader with too much pride may overrule or a leader who only wishes to make the people happy may be too laid back. For instance, Thomas Hobbes’ writes about what our “natural passions” should be versus what they actually are according to the “laws of nature” in Leviathan. He says, “For the laws of nature–enjoining justice, fairness, modesty, mercy and (in short) treating others as we want them to treat us–are in themselves contrary to our natural passions, unless some power frightens us into observing them. In the absence of such a power, our natural passions carry us to partiality, pride, revenge, and the like”. We, as a people, should wish to have a leader that respects its people and fights for what they want and what they believe will benefit their country as a whole. But, in reality, leaders often become prideful in their attempt to better their country and make decisions based on their own needs, not the people’s. With that in mind, voters have to choose a humble, respectful person that will always keep the people’s interest in mind, or a person of similar values. Hobbes goes on to later say, “And however great the number, if their actions are directed according to their individual wants and beliefs, they can’t expect their actions to defend or protect them against the common enemy or against injuries from one another.”1 As previously stated, a leader with too much pride may end up selfishly making decisions that end up hurting, rather than helping, its country and its people. When doing so, he is not only damaging his reputation as a leader, but he is hurting his people by making them feel as if they are not appreciated or respected in any way. This can have an affect on the leader’s versatility and whether or not they can think critically and intellectually in order to resolve conflicts. For example, to communicate effectively and come to peace with the enemy, one must have correct judgement and be able to see both sides of the situation, rather than just their own. This can spotlight another great quality a leader should have, which is to be understanding of others. Although this may be very broad of a term, a leader must be able to take criticism and be open to suggestions in order to improve the way he rules his nation.
A similar point is made by James E. Campbell in his recent book Polarized:Making Sense of a Divided America. He explains how the political system is “polarized” due to the dividing of the public. In turn, this is caused simply by personality differences among the public and this is what a political leader needs to be aware of. Hobbes’ points would likely agree with this specific piece from Campbell’s work where he states, “It is not that reason and experience cannot bring people together, but that people are inclined to see things quite a bit differently.” This is very true and should be a good leader’s mindset, which would get them a good number of votes. Campbell’s attitude in his writing is a slightly more positive than Hobbes, who believes that people are too confident and think they are better than what they actually are. Campbell actually goes on to mention people who are positive and negative thinkers as a part of diversity of the public and what makes politics particularly separate. Campbell’s first suggestion is government reform, in which Hobbes would be in favor of, but only if it agrees with his proposed “Twelve Headings,” which essentially state the rights of the sovereign against the commonwealth. However, his work almost positively describes a cruel monarchy, but in the United States, the form of government is different.
Niccolo Machiavelli was also a person of great political significance, even in the long time ago that he lived. He is the primary source for opinionated responses on leadership qualities that should be present. He believes a leader must be rightfully qualified for the position and treat others equally as they’d want themselves to be treated. In today’s election, there is a supposed “double standard” as Hillary Clinton is being treated differently during debates than her opponent, Donald Trump. In an article by U.S. News & World Report called “The Presidential Double Standard,” the author, Susan Milligan, states “The double standard is that Hillary Clinton is the object of questions they would ask of a serious candidate, while Donald Trump is treated almost like a theatrical figure.” A good leader must be able to work well under pressure, but this is not possible for Trump if he is not being submitted to an equal amount of pressure that Clinton is experiencing. Machiavelli says something similar when he says, “Some people think it would be presumptuous for a man whose status is low to discuss the concerns of princes and give them rules for how to behave; I don’t agree.” Trump is quite obviously not of low status, but, in this case, he is considered of low knowledge. It is not that he is unintelligent, but that he is being mildly questioned compared to Clinton. The question is: how are voters able to form a concise opinion on the who is the best candidate if they are not completely aware of both candidates’ ability to handle the position? If Machiavelli were alive today, he would not approve of the this inequality. He would most likely suggest to the candidates that they assert their dominance and show the good qualities they have that will make voters want them as their president, but in a way that equally represents each candidate. This way makes it not only easier for the candidates to be confident in their standing, but the voters will be grateful knowing the type of personality each candidate has.
Presidential elections in the United States are always a stressful period of time for the candidates and the voters, who are awaiting the decision as to who will be the next leader of the country. Every person has a different opinion when it comes to politics, whether it is feeling strongly towards a specific issue or preferring not to be a part of politics at all. There have been many great leaders in the past and they have taught the present leaders or potential leaders about necessary qualities one must posses to rule a nation successfully and keep its people satisfied. Some say first impressions are everything, and they may be right, especially in the case of a presidential candidate. The way they start off their campaign is crucial for the rest of the campaign to be profitable. Out of all the important qualities a leader should have, there is one, in particular that sticks out: respect. Respect can be achieved in several ways, such as being considerate to others’ opinions so that they can return the respect by listening and obeying the decisions that are made.
If a government can reach a sort of mutual respect with its people, the people will not have reason to fight the hierarchy and be almost completely pleased with the government functions. Ultimately, no candidate is perfect and possesses each and every trait a good leader should have and that is why voters must keep in mind these qualities. This will aid in the voting process and produce a leader that may not be perfect, but can get as close to it as possible.