To define the different characteristics of a political leader and statesman is not complicated. It takes a strong leader to guide society as it takes a statesman to motivate people to an unpopular direction. These two words both have some similarities because they both has the ability to lead citizens and public servants. “The difference is a political leader sees into the future, while the statesman regards only the present. The leader lives by the day, and acts on expediency; the statesman acts on enduring principles and for immortality” (Burke, E., p.264). These two words are different because a political leader is not a visionary leader like the statesman; a political leader focuses only on short-term goals, such as the crises in the present; here and now. Whereas a statesman focuses on the future and long-term goals while envisioning what direction the country should go; to define the word statesman is to go higher and above; greater than himself; to capture ideas that are more significant than his own. “A politician thinks of the next election” and a “statesman thinks of the next generation”. Another example is a political leader looks for the success of his party and a statesman seeks success for his country. A statesman wishes to steer while the politician is satisfied to drift” (Clark, J.F., p.264).
For example, Abraham Lincoln once was the Head of the State discerns the mind of God when he governs the nation. As President Lincoln stated; “I have so many evidence of His direction, so many instances when I have been controlled by some other power than my own will, which I cannot doubt that his power comes from above” (Lincoln, A., 1891). A statesman should lead on the administration of justice with the concern of others regardless if citizens are the poorest or wealthiest members of society. Every philosopher and statesman who had discussed the subject of human governments have acknowledged that there can be no stability. “Society without justice; no justice without morality; no morality without religion; no religion without God” (Gibbons, J., 1889). A political leader is often described as self- absorbed, narcissistic that serves for special interest; meanwhile a statesman characteristic is altruistic, magnanimous and passionately focus on others. These are some of the examples that describe the difference between a political leader and a statesman;
During the political early ages, three statesmen Aristotle, Moore, and Tocqueville were identified as political leaders. They all were political thinkers; Aristotle created the Western philosophy during the pre-biblical world (Tessitone, A., 2009). Aristotle believed that a statesman combines moral virtue and practical intelligence, experience, and knowledge of the particular characteristics of his city or people (Lord, C., p.130). During the modern period, Thomas Moore studied classical philosophy, Judeo-Christian wisdom and the Bible. He had a career in law, politics, and diplomacy with human virtue (Tessitone, A., 2009). More believed that human nature can be a danger to peace and justice. He was a strong advocate on the behalf of free speech, civil reform and supported the separation of church and state (Wegemer, G., 2001).
During the biblical age, Tocqueville practice philosophic principles, modern liberal democracy, and political thoughts. Tocqueville approaches the study of politics with an overriding concern to understand both possibilities and dangers attends to the quality of human life in the newly emerging democratic order (Tessitone, A., 2009). Aristotle and Tocqueville both had their different ideologies but agreed on the importance of a statesman; defining a statesman as a person who has prudence and wisdom in politics.
The first example defining a statesman and political leader is to review the different characteristics between President Madison and President Adams. President Madison was one of the “American Founding Fathers”. He was a part of the America Constitution formulation/ implementation and passionately fought for religious freedom and advocated on the behalf the separation of the church and state. “ No Founding Father contributed more than James Madison in developing the nation’s ideas on freedom of conscience, the free exercise of religion, and the separation of church and state”(Messer, P.C., 2010). James Madison had a great influence on the Supreme Court in protecting the rights on the behalf of the minority white citizens. He expresses that any law is unconstitutional; the Supreme Court can strike it down and advocate for the First Amendment Rights. Madison embodied the ethical-political ideal that was a similar trait of the Aristotelian virtue of a magnanimous man; “the ambition to serve justice, honor, and duty”. “Magnanimous man’s dedication to deeds of virtue, nobility, and justice as ends in them and also with his concern for the people and polis he serves in public life” (Keys, M., 2010).
John Adams was an unpopular statesman because he was an aristocrat, unfavorable to the poor and regulated a sumptuary law to control people’s consumption. John Adams was the second President of the United States and the principal drafter of the Massachusetts State Constitution. It was Adams who offered the resolution of the actual Declaration of Independence and played a crucial role in its passage (Frohenen, B. P., 2012). The difference between John Adams and James Madison characteristics of a statesmanship, Madison believed that only one fifth of the population should never be citizens or enjoy liberty, denying freedom of a certain class of people. President James Madison was a Virginian slave owner, “Madison had an optimistic view of the potential of the citizenry to aid governing officials in preserving individual liberty” (Houpt, D. W., 2010). John Adams never own a slave and condemned the institution of slavery (Frohenen, B. P., 2010). Later, John Adams lost his re-election due to mismanagement of the Presidential Administration.
Another example to define the difference between a statesman and political leader is to review the characteristics between President Ronald Regan and President Bush, Sr. President Regan inspired America by his magnanimity while demonstrating one of his example of a statesman’s virtuous greatness. “He believed humility before honor”, “Humility open magnanimity’s doors wider to make room for gratitude, delight, and wonder, and lightens the weight of greatness and of one’s concern with superiority and honorable recompense for virtuous deeds and public service (Keys, M., 2010). President Bush, Sr. was the vice president for eight years under Ronald Regan and this was during the successful period in the history of American foreign policy. President Bush Sr., gracefully credits all his public learning experience from Regan. When he became President, he earned a place in history for a rare diplomatic, military, and domestic political leadership that the American citizens appreciated in regards to the Gulf War. The difference between Regan and Bush Sr. is that Bush failed on the principle of conservatism and domestic errors; he couldn’t express to the American people his vision for an improved world order. A similar rhetorical inadequacy hobbles the President attempts to disclose any large vision in domestic politics (National Review, 1992). The lack of rhetorical skills, vision, eloquent philosophy and failed bi-partisan compromise defeated the conservative principle that causes the loss of his Presidency. “He was divinely buttressed and freer from attachment to superiority” (Keys, M., 2010).
Lastly, another example in defining the difference between a statesman and political leader is sum up the characteristic between Benjamin Franklin and President Kennedy. Benjamin Franklin politically inspired and advocated for the repeal of the Stamp Act law regardless of the great opposition. He was a successful negotiator and diplomat and influence France to sign a Treaty of Alliance with the Americans in 1778 (Billauer, B., 2010). Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding founders who drafted the Declaration of Independence. He was a wise and humble man with a mild temper who achieved many accomplishments that contribute to the American society. He had many gifts and talents, successfully created the Pennsylvania Gazette paper, published books, and created fire prevention projects and discovered electricity. Franklin was a late-blooming radical. His diplomatic history and connections were magical, which enabled him to be granted instant reception, acceptance, trust, and credibility from France. Like any other advocates of republicanism, Franklin emphasized that the new republic could survive only if the people were virtuous in the sense of attention to civic duty and rejected corruption (Billauer, B., 2010). Franklin was the “Enlighten” intellectual; all his life he explored the role of civic and personal virtue. Franklin envisioned the precise images he thought would be most impressionable long before arriving to carry out his diplomatic mission, bringing the martin cap he would wear as part of his fashion-persona along with him (Billauer, B., 2010).
Benjamin Franklin and President Kennedy characteristics of statesmanship are different even though they both had a successful diplomatic history during their political lives. President Kennedy learns that his diplomatic insights were developed from British history in regards to human nature which he incorporated these theories into his decision – making process. “His readings provided him with an inner life from which he drew vitality” (Fair, J.D., 2006). President Kennedy had a vision of peace during his term; the Cuban Missile Crisis, Test Ban Treaty, Moon Project and (civil rights) segregation, etc., however, focus on the short-term perspective. He dealt with crises when it happens immediately, for example, he was up against the majority to ban the test ban treaty, Kennedy stated that he would “gladly forfeit his reelection for the sake of the treaty” (Bescholss, M., 1991). That was the creation of the Democratic Party recognition by the American citizens as the “peace party” that refrains from war. Benjamin Franklin had a long- term vision whereas President Kennedy molded his perspectives based on worldview (short-term) crises and policy choices according to British history and depend on British leaders for moral support. Later, he set a policy vision for civil rights for the next four years however died (young) that interfered with his completion of his long-term goals. However, Benjamin Franklin, during his 30s, brokered the sale of some slaves as a sideline for his general store, Benjamin and his wife owned two slaves. In 1758, at the age of 52, Benjamin became a radical and suggested in establishing Philadelphia’s first school for blacks (Powell, J., 1997). These are several examples that describe the difference between a political leader and a statesman. These examples of a political leader demonstrate that Kennedy and Benjamin both were focused on their own political future (worldview). Benjamin, who did not have the courage to seek the abolishment of slavery however assisted in creating the Declaration of Independence whereas Kennedy based most of his policy choices. Before his assassination, Kennedy discovered the ability to discern a plan with a vision incorporated with long-term goals to create a legislation on civil rights.
You can assume that these great men had persona deficiencies and were humanly imperfect. According to Frohnen, these Presidents had human imperfections, George Washington yelled a fair amount while Dwight Eisenhower yelled a lot and John Adams was cranky. Abraham Lincoln suffered classic systems of depression. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson both were slave owners and wealthy (but cheap). George Washington later freed his slaves however Jefferson profited off the slavery institution. Most of the Founding Fathers knew that slavery was wrong but didn’t have the courage to abolish slavery leaving that task to the next generation. Jefferson contradicted the words and principles of the Declaration of Independence that “All Men was Created Equal”. Many articles indicate that the Founding Fathers who were slave owners didn’t deny that truth, however, refused to stand on the principles of how wrong slavery was nor they did they have the courage to abolish it; this leaves a question of integrity in the minds of most American people. These statesmen failed ideologies that were based on the principle of liberty which includes their character defects, didn’t prevent “America” from learning the real facts of inequality during Civil Rights era. In conclusion, their defects in character didn’t prevent the establishment and creation of government; the American political structures and foundations as public servants.
References
Lincoln, A. (1891) quoted from L. E. Chittenden, Recollections of President Lincoln and His Administration (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1891), p. 448, quoted in Elton True blood, Abraham Lincoln: Theologian of American Anguish (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), p. 128.
Burke, E. (1949) quoted in Herbert V. Prochnow, The Toastmaster's Handbook (New York: Prentice-Hall. p. 264.
Clarke, J.F., (1949). quoted in Herbert V. Prochnow, The Toastmaster's Handbook (New York: Prentice-Hall, p. 264.
Gibbons, J., (1889). Our Christian Heritage, quoted in Ralph L. Woods, ed., The World Treasury of Religious Quotations (New York: Garland, 1966), p. 405.
Morrow, O.L., (1988). Quoted from Good News Broadcaster, Jul.-Aug. 1978, p. 4, quoted in Albert M. Wells, Jr., ed., Inspiring Quotations Contemporary & Classical (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, pp. 155-156.
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