Every society looks for a reliable, mature and protective type of leadership. The leadership circle of the past has guided their country by combining different strategic versions in the Renaissance political environment of the time and situation. In the current need, it is equally inevitable that citizens should get excellent and exemplary leadership ability to govern. It seems that the availability of decisive leadership on the backdrop of moral decay in reality or real politics is rare.
Putting the theory of politics and principles into practice is attractive. Posterity accepts professional performance as jewels in and of duty and liberty. It also solves the problem of setting governance standards to a higher level as a result of more prospering generations. When moving in this direction, it is appropriate for the leadership to take authority by efficiently monitoring the challenging domestic, regional and international situation. In the field of statecraft, the practitioners should focus on promoting the leadership style of decisive responsibility concerned with politics and diplomacy.
Politicians and political experts are involved in the activities of providing suggestions and commenting on public affairs in the political society. Apart from such presence of an agile mind, the main issue is to turn the application of knowledge, wisdom and discretionary powers into actions to solve the problems that have arisen in the state of affairs. The weaknesses of public affairs and the challenges faced by the promises made by those same public officials are still unmet today. Similarly, strong leadership is needed to take significant steps in public and international affairs based on policy documents and rhetoric.
In politics and diplomacy, there is an equal primacy of positive thinking between hope and despair. Likewise, the public intellectual circle that criticizes power politics that undermines the three pillars of liberal democracy — freedom, justice and the constant pursuit of truth — remains unsatisfactory. World history based on Western thought, under the influence of diplomacy and pragmatic philosophers, the rule of the people, i.e. democracy, is a superior political system devised by the classical Greco-Roman states, however, it is worse and imperfect experiences in many a country to bespeak of. In the democratic system in the past, it seems like there was an obstacle or a quest to include all the citizens. Thus, democracy aka loktantra has become a near-universal aspiration. It has been expressed in outpourings of political change to end all the differences, discrimination and exclusion that had been perpetuated since the inception of state-nation or nation-state.
There has been a growing trend in the era of power struggle politics and powerful people with knowledge of world events advising the country’s chief executive. Apart from various national and international organizations, scholars and intellectuals from the academic and enterprising fields have also become the conduit for and catalyst of liberal democracy to actively raise their voices. Many leaders and politicians are influenced by strategic thinking and insight into contemporary world affairs. Accepting the nature of the state and the nature of human beings in both situations is an opportunity to make a theoretical decision.
Keeping in mind the current situation and choosing policy options, to secure future political development is to create a situation and atmosphere of force to turn towards current history in the long term. In that activity, it is more awareness to take care in the adaptation of pragmatism and conscience to measure the pulse of politicking and diplomacy. In the strategy of national leaders, the skills required for diplomacy and the managerial practice of the state system are to be groomed initially from the academic ground. However skilled rulers and leaders should not be limited to promotion within the state. There is also a need for strong leadership that is involved in the practice of government and governance in regional to global affairs and shows unceasing interest in this vocation. A senior politician is a person who exploits efforts to unify or harmonize the principles of politics and diplomacy.
Firstly, a good leader knows how to take control of a challenging situation in the primary stage of maintaining the balance between the past and the future of politics and diplomacy in the current history or present situation. The second is political self-respect and a leader who obeys and makes people’s aspirations take over the leadership. Therefore, senior leaders must think and act on the intersection of these two axes. Thus, the past vision and easy foresight of uncertain mindsets of popular leaders are naturally estimated. Along with implementing the pronounced public policy, a continuous ceaseless endeavour is needed to maintain peace and stability in the face of uncertainty. Therefore, the political society will become active in the projection that enables people who understand the trend or the necessary direction to define the objectives of the state and take strategic actions.
Extraordinary leadership, through the authority of specific strategies of statecraft, confirms the facts of world strategy and world history. In the case of Germany, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer paved the way for the rise of Germany, like a phoenix. Adenauer’s attempt to raise the country from the ruins of wars, conflicts and crises was accurately analyzed by Henry Kissinger, a senior American diplomat, who was outraged by the authority of the “policy strategy” and “strategy of humility.” Adenauer falls into a special talk in the circle of leaders who act as a catalyst in the prosperity of their country. Similarly, the French General Charles de Gaulle established a free society in the country that had turned into a cremation field after the attack of the racist extreme right-wing Nazis. Kissinger also praised de Gaulle for leading France to victory during the Second World War. General de Gaulle is credited with leading to the renewal of French grandeur through the “strategy of will.”
Kissinger also mentioned that the “strategy of equilibrium” adopted by US President Richard Nixon during the Cold War set a perimeter in America’s global geo-strategy. Similarly, Kissinger recalled that after twenty-five years of conflict, Egypt’s chief executive, Anwar Sadat, embraced a vision of peace in West Asia through a “strategy of transcendence.” Similarly, against the odds, Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew is credited with Singapore’s creation of an impressive city-state with a “strategy of excellence”. When Margaret Thatcher, the first female British prime minister, came to power, the country was known as the “sick man of Europe.” Thatcher renewed her country’s morale and international status through the adoption of a “strategy of conviction.” Kissinger described the scope of his knowledge about leadership through time and contexts, fear of leadership, deprivation and realization in an entrenched political society.
Kissinger ranked these 6 enlightened leaders as great leaders of the 20th century for their civic service. These are examples of a powerful public leader weighing their shortcomings or weaknesses and strengths. The strategy of these leaders, equipped with style and craft in policy and practice, seems unmatched. The strategies to be learned from people of such stature in the series of public statements of the powerful are even more necessary today. While writing this commentary about the flow of history in the present era, the “turning point” or the point of change in history should be indicative of any good omen.
In a special period of the history of the 20th century, the contemporary generation takes more advantage of the synergy made by these specific leaders in public affairs to a large extent. It is insisted to ensure the recognition of its theoretical values despite the political maneuvers that are affected by the times. However, no one would be interested in these posthumous leaders these days. Despite this, the difficult puzzles and surprising issues of that era cannot be ignored in the global strategy of the successful leadership of that time.
These 6 types of strategy can be thought-provoking to get a broad and sharp insight into the skills, intelligence, and mastery of statecraft needed in worldly affairs. One can subtly explore these strategic practices to shape the template of ideas into action when outlining current world history. The immutable memory of the practitioners and giants of leadership had ruled their countries adroitly in those ages to save their countries from crises and contingencies. This has become more interesting than the textual contexts. Even today, the new leadership of public life can garner the honour to delve into the profession of government and governance, such as the responsibility undertaken by a sharp, clever and mythical character like these stewards in the leadership circle.
Although the concerns and questions raised like the contemporary state of leadership, they are to be portrayed with careful precision. Because the rhetoric is both eloquent and subtle, sometimes opaque achieving nothing tangible political results. Henry Kissinger warned that we should not be inspired by certain patterns of world history that lead the contemporary world, which is undergoing eternal transition. However, I had heard about intensive or deep economy as a concept that reflects the past in current trends. But the comment that the internet alone cannot answer the world’s existing questions in “intensive or deep literacy” is also unusual. And the opinion has been expressed today that the development of good leadership cannot be achieved through electronic networks.
In an incomparable era today, “unsettled or uncertain perception” prevails. It can be assumed that there will be a chain of power holders who are brave enough to act decisively against the challenges of public and international affairs by overriding the previous national interests. In the legacy of the leaders, the reins of uncomfortable geopolitics and complex governance are historical remnants. They want to be invincible and reform-oriented in the critical affairs of the state. The rationality of the strongest state is more attractive than the worst-case scenario. Therefore, a theoretical or principle in dispute about the purpose of the state surfaces regularly.
Politicians should continue to try to determine the “balanced line of history.” The quality of leadership strategies, contradictions and similarities are to overcome their motherland from turning into a “form of illusion”. Leaders in political conduct might have gone beyond democracy and the concept of the nation-state. There are instances that they are now searching for quantum procedural or methodical or systemic responses and answers. In the business of government processes and management from the state of being “stuck in mysticism,” they are disclosing the political void. It is so uneasy to enter the premises of the executive government in a confusing or fearful political environment. Even though the voice of the people is resounding, it seems that due to the all-round criticism of the state, the responsive situation has become stagnant or unattended. The responsible politicos who are entrusted to demonstrate civic work and its expected performance are not forced to be removed in a wrongful or unethical manner due to sensitivity. Furthermore, criticism of economic neoliberalism has certainly attacked liberal democracy. Due to this, public and national integrity seems to have deteriorated. By resisting such liberal political attacks and facing misconceptions, the judicious presence of political forces makes it possible to shape history in the correct direction.
In mainstream world history that began in the 1930s, two types of leadership emerged in the 20th century – the statesman and the guardian. The statesmen analyzed the ground reality and tried to optimize the maximum interests. They took a stand to keep a balanced view against the risks of the state and to not deny the way to achieve continuity in history through the “passion of movement”. It can be synthesized that there are two basic aspects of leadership – practical and managerial political leadership and a visionary and transformational guardian. There is a consensus that if the short, medium and long-term results are promptly managed by moderation in government activities, prudent balance in political sentiments, and acceptance of the freedom granted by the constitution, public stability will be strong and strengthened.
Guardian seeks to implement standards and values quickly. The quality of such political beliefs determines an important political role. They have a lofty and passionate vision to achieve historical changes. But it means that the capacity of one generation is not enough to adapt to drastic efforts and fundamental changes. Understanding the importance of history and abandoning political efforts or not changing it brings more pain. This leads to political and diplomatic complications. There is a need for a reliable basis and theoretical honesty to replace political vices and corruption in government affairs.
The independent media and civil society, which play the role of a natural and not an artificial opposition, should not fail to be constantly vigilant about constitutional integrity. A great leader cannot be found by policy and intention alone. All political careers have had direct, adventurous and divisive experiences of blunt, flat and hard truths and unprofitable political results. It is a good upshot if the positive effects of a political society permeated with the belief in ideals to maintain virtue and the indestructible spirit of progress are spreading to other areas. It is a natural expectation that politics and diplomacy are shaped by common features of interest. The competition for theoretical goals for fluid political consensus continues. Amid government crises, continuous grooming, strategizing and promoting decisive leadership is always inevitably refreshing in the life of the state and world society.
Mr. Kunwar is a Doctoral Fellow in Political Science at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. He is a freelancer writing on politics and international relations.
