What is political leadership?

[Irish_Dem]

The ability to lead and guide a group.

What is good leadership?

Leading people in a way that moves people and the country in a beneficial and positive direction. This means appealing to higher angels.

A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should be able to communicate their the vision, and collaborate with others.

Good leaders exhibit honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, and ethics.
And a desire to promote the well being of the organization and people.

Can we think of examples of good leadership?

I would vote for some of my favorite leaders of all time:

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, FDR, Churchill, Eisenhower.
They exhibited true genius and leadership, with visions that moved
the world forward.


What is bad leadership?

A bad leader creates a toxic environment, blocks growth, and hinders progress.

Their agenda is personal, their decisions are about obtaining what they want for themselves.

They appeal to the dark underbelly of human nature to further their own ends.

They lack transparency, ethics, morality, honesty.

The welfare of a country or people is not important to them. They enjoy division, conflict, violence for its own sake and to further their own personal goals. Usually those goals are about obtaining money and power.

Examples of bad leadership: Hitler, Stalin, Putin, Trump, GOP leaders. World billionaires who desire more wealth and power.

Feel free to list additional traits of good and bad leadership and examples of good and bad leaders.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Adding a sentimental vote for good leadership:

JFK: "Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

This challenged every American to contribute in some way to the public good.

[Walleye]

2. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden are two of the best

[Irish_Dem]

3. Yes of course.

Pelosi and Biden are examples of good leaders.

Both of them have exquisitely fine tuned political skills as well as vision for a better world.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Niccolo Machiavelli's "Il Principe" - The Prince - recorded all aspects of politics

The State - with a capital 'S' for the national government. He witnessed the power and treachery of the Medici. He also knew the State at times must act ruthlessly, to perpetuate or protect itself and its leaders and citizens. It's 500 years later and we're still grappling with national power and the limits of power, with Royalty vs. democratic government, or fascist ones. All leaders mentioned had their downsides, their dark moments, and made bad policy at times. Yet governing and leadership was more than the exercise of their own personal power and wealth. They didn't plunder the State, or the future for their own gain.

Are we better off than 400 years ago? Europe was ruled by Kings and Queens, often related. Marriages made nation states. Religion divided fiefdoms and long, brutal wars ensued. The German migration to North America began in response to the 30 years war or the hundred years war - I can't keep them straight. And here we are divided along class and culture lines yet again. Along the way - wars, massacres, pogroms, genocides. They are more the norm of civilization than peace.

And by the way, Washington had to be ruthless to motivate his troops, Jefferson was fiscally irresponsible in his own life, FDR had a full plate, tabled many things, and had internment camps, Churchill was always ready for war for Empire, and Eisenhower had a government paycheck his entire life but was a free-market Republican, only constrained by the undertow of the New Deal 1950s. From Jean Edward Smith's book "Ike", I seem to recall his first private sector job was head of Columbia U.

[Irish_Dem]

6. Excellent comments, Bucolic.

I have some disagreements or additions to your comments:

All leaders are human beings first, leaders second.
We know humans can be deeply flawed on a personal level.

But in my opinion, the right question is: despite their personal flaws and mistakes,
can a leader make a significant contribution to the world.
Can they leave the planet a better place?

If we discount leaders with personal foibles then we have to discount all leaders.
This is a tough planet full of complex people.

FDR, Churchill and Eisenhower saved many lives and successfully led the world through
one of its darkest times. We owe much to them.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most important political geniuses in the history of the world.
His Declaration of Independence stands along side the Magna Carta in importance.
I personally see the Declaration of Independence as a sacred document, but that is another OP.

Even good leaders must have ruthless streak. They must do what they have to do to preserve their country and people. They must make hard decisions and keep their eye on the ball. Where the line is can be up for debate.

Yes we are better off than 400 years ago, but it doesn't always feel like it.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. You have tamed my rant.

Thanks.

[Irish_Dem]

9. It was a pleasure.

Makes me keep on my toes.

[betsuni]

5. Knee-jerk bashing of Democratic leadership has been used for years to bash Democrats.

[Irish_Dem]

7. This is one reason I made the OP.

To discuss what good leadership looks like vs bad leadership.

So we don't chastise and unfairly attack good leaders.

[betsuni]

10. Democratic leadership always blamed. Establishment status quo blah blah blah. So stupid.