Politics and Economic Growth
Politics is one of the most important aspects influencing an economy's growth and development. They trust politicians more than they trust anyone else. The president of a country is an excellent example of a political leader. The president wields considerable power in the country, and his thoughts, actions, and temperament, among other factors, can greatly impact whether or not the established goals or objectives are effectively attained. Because of the increased level of influence, qualities such as honesty, compassion, integrity, confidence, and flexibility are essential for an effective political leader (Valenty, Pg. 99). A dishonest leader will mislead the public and impede growth. The leader needs to be compassionate over others for growth and development to take place. Integrity is also a key for a good political leader. Confidence enables the leader to face various situations at different times without fear. In this paper, I will base on Plato's discussion in analyzing the topic of political leadership in an attempt to understand how exactly a good political leader should be.
Plato's Discussion of Political Leadership
Wisdom
Most governments have become democratic and citizens elect leaders of their choice through the ballot box. However, to come up with the best leaders, such choices must be based on reliable criteria. Plato emphasizes that one should be a philosopher for him to govern. Plato means that the ruler must love wisdom for him to rule appropriately. The philosopher affirms that an idea from a wise man is better than many ideas from foolish men. Plato also quotes that a wise man speaks when he has something to speak but a fool will speak because he has to speak. According to Plato's explanations, wisdom is a key for one to be a good political leader (Purshouse, Pg. 215). The president should speak because he has something to speak and not only speak because it is his time to speak. Only a wise leader will lead people appropriately leading to success of the set goals and objectives.
Intelligence
Intelligence can be defined as the capacity of reasoning, learning, and understanding among other mental activities. A good leader must be able to reason, understand issues, and a continuous learner. According to Plato, intelligence is not only of the mind but also of the body. He explains that education is essential for a good political leader and education is not only of the mind but also, physical education. Plato explains that physical education affects fitness and general health which is a precondition of having a sound mind. For a leader, having a healthy body is necessary for him to perform the daily tasks effectively (McPherran, Pg. 194). Leaders need also to be physically fit so as to protect the citizens from external and internal attacks. Therefore, a political leader should not only engage his mind but also ensure having a healthy body for him to perform appropriately all the assigned tasks and duties.
Commitment
Commitment is another essential characteristic of political leadership according to Plato. The philosopher points out that a good leader should show commitment to the city while always pursuing the advantage of the people. Being a leader is more than performing the assigned tasks. It is being committed to bring the city to a better place than you found it and, such a commitment starts from the mind (Elcock, Pg. 165). A committed leader will always have his eyes open to see what needs to be done, what is being done and how it is done. A committed leader will always have the zeal, to get things done in the perfect way.
My Conception of Political Leadership
In almost every year, there are leaders who decide to quit politics. Some resign as they opt for other practices, others fail to get an opportunity to remain in course among other reasons. However, political leadership is not an easy task. It is a responsibility that requires the leader to carry the burden of the public assuming any consequence that might come. According to Helms 2012, most of political leaders' deaths occur as a result of their work. Some develop grudges towards one another which lead to merciless killings. Irrespective of the various challenges, there are those who have managed to remain in political leadership for quite a long time. A good example is the Zimbabwe preside, Robert Mugabe who has served as the nation's president since 1987.
In my view, political leaders are not only motivated by the will to serve others but the advantage of getting their interests being fulfilled. This is among the reasons why most countries are still faced by high levels of poverty, unemployment rates, and inflation among other economic problems. Corruption is reported as among the leading problems in almost every country. Leaders are using political powers to fulfill their own interests. For instance, there have been allegations that President Mugabe wants to pass the presidential powers to his wife as he goes on retirement (Valenty, Pg. 107). Assuming the allegations are true, isn't what Mugabe doing a selfish action? Are there no other people who can lead the nation? This is a question everyone and especially the Zimbabweans are attempting to answer.
Like any other human being, politicians are also rational and they will always work towards maximizing their interests. As much as they remain dedicated to their calling, they will also ensure they benefit from what they do. One philosopher termed politics as an art of compromise (Purshouse, Pg. 242). For there to be success in politics, the leaders must view political practices as an art of compromise. This means that some issues cannot be successfully handled without some leaders compromising their interests. Taking the example of a president, it is at times important to forgo their intentions to get the country to achieve what is necessary.
Before the establishment of the Two-Party system in the United States, the nation went through a lot of trouble. Powers were purely centralized on the running government and it was a form of dictatorship. However, the introduction of the Two-Party system turned things around in the US and it is among the reasons for their higher level of growth and development. The Two-Party system resulted in what is known as the opposition party. The existence of the opposition government has played a huge role in ensuring that the running government leads the nation appropriately. The opposition team is always with their eyes open to monitor every activity performed by the running government (McPherran, Pg. 199). In case of any self-interests pursued, the opposition party will disclose the matter to the public and hence prevent any progress. Some Americans are in support of the Republican Party while others in support of the Democratic Party. Therefore, the running government is always on its toes to ensure that they accomplish the will of the people.
Another thing, the establishment of the voting system as a method of selecting leaders has highly improved American politics. Members of the public have the power to elect leaders of their choice. As leaders fear losing their powers coming the following election period, they will always ensure working towards fulfilling the people's interests to win their votes in the coming period (Elcock, Pg. 154).
Conclusion
According to the above explanations, political leadership is critical and it determines a country's success in pursuing economic growth and development. Political leaders should be honest, have compassion, integrity, confidence, and flexibility. According to Plato, a good political leader must be wise, intelligent, and be committed to meeting the interests of the people. However, like any other human being, most politicians misuse their powers by serving self-interests instead of the people's will. The existence of a two-party system in the United States has played a huge role in taking America to a higher level of growth. The existence of two major parties, the Republican and Democratic Parties, makes every running government remain focused on the main course. Irrespective of the various characters of a political leader as mentioned by Plato, political leaders can only perform better under close supervision, in such a way that they cannot misuse the given authority and powers.
Work Cited
Elcock, Howard J. Political Leadership. Cheltenham [u.a.: Elgar, 2001. Print.
Helms, Ludger. Comparative Political Leadership. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire:
Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print.
McPherran, Mark L. Plato's 'republic': A Critical Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press, 2013. Internet resource.
Purshouse, Luke. Plato's Republic: A Reader's Guide. London: Continuum, 2006. Internet resource.
Valenty, Linda O. Political Leadership for the New Century: Personality and Behavior Among American Leaders. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger, 2002. Print.
