Essay about Past Political Controversies - 2078 Words

Leaders are constantly making decisions that are based on their values and directly affect their constituents. Some of those decisions are insignificant, and only affect people in the short term. Some are bigger and determine the long-term fate of society; and others go even further as to determine who those leaders are as people and how they will leave society for future generations (Joseph, 2001). Socrates raised the question, â€Å"What is a virtuous man, and what is a virtuous society?† In observing the leadership that will ultimately decide the future for our society, I believe we must ponder the same question. If ethics is the basis of politics, as many people believe to be true, the two should be tied more closely together. Ethical†¦show more content†¦It is questionable whether we, the voters, actually elect â€Å"leaders† when we vote for our country’s leaders. Presidential campaigns, for example, can have candidates that are either mediocre or very bland, or candidates that are extremely fake and superficial. It is uncertain whether we know each candidate’s true personality or beliefs when we place our votes on Election Day. These elected political figures may be seen as leaders in the eyes of their constituents, but that does not mean that they are true or good leaders. Many natural leaders are successful in convincing their followers to engage in negative activities or believe harmful ideas. Bill Clinton, for example, was seen as a natural-born leader throughout his schooling career, yet his leadership qualities while serving as President led him to be very corrupt and cause discourse and scandal. Likewise, many political figures may appear to be leaders to the public eye, but may not be ethical in their leadership, therefore being detrimental to their constituents instead of beneficial (Anderson, 2000). Alfred Grazia, a political author, identifies political leaders as, â€Å"any occupant of an established poli tical position or as any person, in or out of such a position, whose political activity has more influence upon a group’s behavior than has the activity of the average member.† Since political leaders hold more influence on the behavior of a group, they hold the power to steer them inShow MoreRelatedPolitical Cartoons By Benjamin Franklin821 Words   |  4 PagesPolitical cartoons are an illustrative technique that political cartoonist use to display a message to the viewers about government, world affairs, and politics. In 1754, publishers of the Pennsylvania Gazette published the first political cartoon illustrated by Benjamin Franklin (West, par. 1). Benjamin Franklin used his first political cartoon, titled Join or Die, to gain support from the colonies for the Crown’s war against the French (West, par. 1). Since the 1700s, illustrators use politicalRead MoreChristian Speculation about the End of Times1807 Words   |  7 PagesReligions do not only relate t o the past but also to the future: beliefs about resurrection or further rebirths, hopes of a better future, or even fears of apocalyptic tribulations. In this essay, various religious ‘futures’ will be investigated: the evolution towards spiritual individualism and consumerism, the success of yoga and the Christian speculations about the end of times. It will be easily demonstrated that each of these ‘futures’ is highly controversial – but are they controversial primarilyRead MorePresidential Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesplace for a reason. Also, we now have new ways of reaching out to the public during campaigns. The new campaigning games include using social media, newspapers, and spreading rumors due to people talking. Last, but not least, the political parties have changed. 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