The Presidency Paper

The presidency

PSC-101-050

05/03/2016

Sanggon Han

Before democracy started, the public was dominated by kings and nobles, and it was deserved. People was oppressed their liberty. They sacrificed themselves for royals. However, since modern democracy has been started 1916, which universal male suffrage was started, political science was being extremely changed. Because of democracy let people can elect their own leaders, and people who in high position are being afraid public who they control. As a result, several qualities were issued as a good leader. Can you define ‘a good leader’? It might be hard because it’s changed by certain situation, and era. But we can definite ‘what needs for good United States president?’.

United States is not a usual country. Various kinds of races lived in United States. Additionally, we guard the world as police. Therefore the president of United States has great power. Sometime they are intervening other country, and straighten their mistake. Therefore, we could say the most important feature of United States president is harmony and tough. ‘hail to the chief’ Dallek, Robert, who is history professor of UCLA, is the book which describes those features. According to his book, he introduce several presidents Washington, Lincoln, Wilson, FDR and Reagan who receive praise from our generation to explain how could be a great president. In more detail, he explained five elements for great president of United States (vision, pragmatism, consensus, charisma, and trust). For me the most impress part of this book and agree is Ability to risk management which gathering opinion from both the side, and push forward it to renewing nation in political service. According his book, for instance, Roosevelt's leading of a New Deal by using his charisma and Lyndon B. Johnson's effort and made a law to support for elder people health care. Moreover, he also describe ‘the fail president’ (Andrew Johnson, Hoover, Ford, Carter, Nixon) who lose their credit from the public by corrupted, deviousness or overreaching. However, I don’t think Dallek’s ideas are ultimate, objective. People get their own standard for a good leader. Therefore, today I would like to talk about what is essential element as a good leader on my own view.

Lincoln leadership of principle

What is the Achievements of Abraham Lincoln? Most of people might answer that “maintaining of federal government from civil war and emancipation”. Yes, right, you worked. However, they may not know how Lincoln achieved them. Could Abraham Lincoln work through those stuffs, without his leadership? I think No. that achievement was the result of his characteristic, man of principle. It seems simple. Everyone knows that we should process based on principle. However it may hard because is too simple. Lincoln didn’t appoint his cabinet member based on blood, regional relationship. He always tried to learn from every people even they are enemy. Therefore, we could define that Lincoln preferred persuade than order, tolerance than criticize. And he loved humor which gives a positive energy.

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