THE EDITOR, Sir:WHAT I think is lacking in leadership today is thought. Several persons who push for power by the force of will, have not developed the art of reasoning and formulating logical strong ideas on how to govern an institution, be it a nation or just a company. In fact, I find it almost a law to say that those with the best ideas are usually more reserved, therefore they stay to the back and allow, or are overrun by those who feel force is charisma.
Charisma is like what Sun Tzu, author of "The Art of War", that ancient classic treatise, calls momentum. While force expends itself, momentum uses the natural laws of progression to propel in motion. This is why poor rulership is always found out: it exhausts itself. This is also why the thinker will eventually prevail.
I refer to Plato, who in his "Republic", saw 'ruling as an art' and ultimately promotes 'tests' for 'the selection of rulers' which can be from any class, judged by what he called their 'natural capacity'. He ultimately believed that 'the philosophers should rule' because they had or sought most for true knowledge. He also believed that "the Good"(morality) was 'the highest object of knowledge'.
For me, Michael Manley was the last of Jamaica's philosopher rulers with Castro the other remaining in this world. In general I think these 'leaders' today need courses in philosophy and ethics. This is why tertiary institutions are required to provide, as a necessity, instructional courses in these areas for those doing politics and management.
I am, etc.,
NICHOLAS ALEXANDER
nic7lex@hotmail.com
