Authorizing Political Leaders
The Story So Far
By recognizing responsibility-G1 people naturally participate in the 7 arenas of social/political commitment…
…which are sustained and constrained by those who feel obligated to use pressure to make a difference:
In undertaking political work-G2, these political players become adept at using some of the 6 instruments of influence…
…which are sustained and constrained by self-interestedly taking advantage of emerging crises:
In driving political mobilization-G3, political organizers harness one or more of the 5 outcomes of crises…
…which are sustained and constrained by formally exploring distinct perspectives on policy:
In resolving political differences-G4, government and society expect to benefit from 4 sources of policy ideas:
… which are sustained and constrained by openly ensuring their authorization as possible solutions for society:
In acknowledging political authority-G5, society expects effective handling of issues by recognizing 3 shapers of political solutions …
… now read on:
There are 3 ways that political leadership emerges in any society, and these are defined by the Pentads in the Structural Hierarchy. Each is identified with a note on the method of authorization and examples. Then each is examined using a schema for specifying further distinguishing features.
Schema
- Function: The political purpose or duty.
- Method: How a person becomes a political leader.
- Power Source: Where the leader gets social power.
- Work Style: How leadership work looks to outsiders.
- Motivators: What incentivizes carrying leadership responsibilities.
- Control: How the leader is controlled within society.
- Source of Support: Who can successful back the leader's efforts.
- Personal Benefit: Self-interest served by accepting leadership.
Leader by Election: CG-51
This Leader represents any defined social group—which then becomes the leader’s constituency (support base).
Example: Leaders of political parties; leader of a nation; many others.
Features
Function: To affirm the group’s values and actively pursue the interests of its members.
Method: The process may be simple: the group elects their leader for a pre-determined period; or it may be tiered: a leadership group of elected-leaders (representatives) elects a Chairman as primus inter pares.
Power Source: Group strength.
Work Style: Dynamic, pragmatic, biased.
Motivators: Wish for attention, feelings of power, readiness to embody popular strivings.
Control: Leaders dislike and reject controls of any sort.
Support: Constituents.
Personal Benefit: Power and financial perks.
There are Many Elected Leaders
- Territorial: There are often 2-3 levels of progressively
larger natural social territories and hence tiers of
political organization (and government). It follows that
people elect more than one person to represent or lead
their local community.
In addition, groups of all sorts within society elect officials, expecting
them to show leadership on their behalf. There are 2 main types:
- Self-interested: membership-based organizations
like industry groups, labour unions, professional associations.
- Socially-oriented: reform-generating bodies like
campaigning groups, advocacy bodies, issue-based organizations.
Leader by Appointment: CG-52
This Leader obtains a pre-defined position in a formal autonomous body, either within government or created by government, with a specified responsibility related to society as a whole.
Examples: Top judicial appointments; chiefs of government agencies.
Features
Function: To uphold and adapt society’s current values and beliefs while applying capabilities, knowledge and expertise to discharge specified responsibilities.
Method: Often a number of high-level appointments are made (e.g. to a council or to the judiciary), while sometimes the most senior appointee makes the additional appointments (e.g. in a servicing agency).
Power Source: Current values and social structure.
Work Style: Impartial and independent.
Motivator: Exercise of personal capabilities in service.
Control: By the governing establishment.
Support: Colleagues closing ranks.
Personal Benefit: High social status: prestige and respect.
Leader by Emergence: CG-53
This Leader is recognized by behaviours that generate a growing following. This type can occur in unstructured or informal settings, and often in response to events that raise doubt or distrust of established political institutions. Leaders become recognized as advocates, prominent campaigners, or spontaneous spokespersons.
Example Lech Wałęsa, initially a union official and hardly a political leader, progressively developed in status and emerged as a spokesman for the whole of Polish society against the Communist dictatorship of General Jaruzelski. (In due course he was elected President of Poland.)
Features
Function: To respond to needs emerging in communities, either territorial or based on interest and practice.
Method: None—process is situational, ad hoc and informal.
Power Source: An inner sense of what is right supported by an incipient or flourishing social movement.
Work Style: Focused, and takes the moral high ground.
Motivator: Moral fervour.
Control: Minimal. The followers are grateful and unwilling to question, while wider society and the establishment lack levers and get anxious. The establishment strives to mitigate or neutralize effects by co-option and integration into the «normal» power system.
Support: Ordinary people responding spontaneously to the leader’s message.
Personal Benefit: Personal fulfilment and social recognition.
Originally posted: August-2009; Last updated: 15-Nov-2010