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weak or misguided successors-and
ultimately by periods of despotism
and barbarism under unstable, self–
seeki ng tyrants intoxicated by
ambition.
The experience of history teaches
that governments endure only as
long as they respond successfully to
challenges. When well-meaning but
weak leaders fail to act swiftly and
etfectively against serious challenges
Today's complex and
bewildering problems
are crying out for
solutions, for capable
and decisive leaders
who will make right
decisions.
Travel back nearly 25 centuries
to the city of Athens in ancient
Greece.
Under the great statesman
Pericles (495-429
B.C.) ,
Athenian
democracy reached its zenith. The
Periclean Age was the "golden
age" of Greece, renowned for its
li terary, artistic and philosophical
contributions.
But when Pericles died of the
plague in 429
B.C.,
no worthy suc–
cessor appeared. Unnurtured, the
spirit of Athens began to die.
Immobilized by incompetent
leadership, Athens witnessed her
military power and creative ener–
gy melt away. T he exhausting
Peloponnesian War with Sparta
finally broke the power of Ath–
ens.
A committee of pro-Spartan
Athenians known to history as the
"Thirty Tyrants"- with Critias
at their head-assumed power
over Athens (404
B.C. ) .
Reigning
through terror , tbese despots
attempted to suppress dis–
satisfaction by poli tical
trials, banishments and
executions. This short–
lived tyranny marked the
~---....c...~.....-t-~"--""-'""'...,. end
of the glorious Athenian
that have arisen , an evil alternative
will invariably present itself.
1
f
problems are not wisely solved
when they are small , they grow–
and eventually become unmanage–
able by normal means. A cry then
arises for someone to take com–
mand- someone who will have an
etfect on events. And quite often at
that crit ica! moment, a st rong man
brandishing a solution presents him–
self, seizing the opportunity to make
an "emergency" assumption of
powers.
It
is the consequence- and pen–
alty-of weak and ineffectual lead–
ership.
Historically, freedoms have been
suppressed in the name of law and
order.
"Necessity
is the argument
of tyrants," observed British prime
minister William Pitt (the Youn–
ger) nearly two centuries ago. And
it is just as true today!
Opening the Pages of History
The pages of history illustrate this
cyclic nature of leadership. And
notice the disturbing parallels with
our world today!
8
empire and the beginning of the
decline of Greek civilization.
Ancient Rome has similar stories
to tell.
In the years following the Third
Punic War with Carthage (149-146
B.c.),
many Romans began to rec–
ognize the need for reforming their
wbole inadequate system of govern–
ment.
The problems facing the Roman
Republic were formidable. Para–
doxically,
Rome~s
conquests had
created new social and economic
difficulties. Rome was festering
with discontent. From within and
witbout , the great city was beset by
dangers.
Rome's leaders proved unequaJ
to the task. T he increasingly
incompetent and corrupt Senate–
the cbief policymaking body of the
Roman state-seemed paralyzed.
The government was neither able
nor just. No capable leader carne
forward to save the republic.
Ins tead, a succession of men,
each with bis own ineffective ideas,
engaged in struggles for power that
plunged Rome into a state of fer-
ment. The republ ic was torn by
política! strife.
The inability of the Roman gov–
ernment to reform its política! sys–
tem and to rule effectively led to the
disintegration of the republic, a
reign of terror, the establishment of
military dictatorship and the extinc–
tion of constitutional government.
Similar examples in the ancient
and medieval worlds are abundant.
But Jet us skip forward, now, to
another tragedy in late l8th-cen–
tury France.
Drastic Action
In the wake of the French Revolu–
tion , the French monarchy was
declared abol isbed and a republic
proclaimed in 1792. Here, it
seemed, was an enormous opportu–
nity for the early modern world to
set out on a bright new path toward
a better future.
But France's new leaders vied
with one another for personal
power, seemingly oblivious to the
explosive social forces that were
continuing to build in the country.
Dangers of every kind- internal
and external-threatened the gov–
ernment with destruction.
After a decade of turmoil and
ineffective leadership, the crisis
had reached a point where it could
be overcome only by drastic action.
The French Republic ended in mil–
itary dictatorship. In a bold move,
the dynamic Napoleon Bonaparte
seized total power. Vested with dic–
tatorial authority as First Consul,
Napoleon took the destiny of
France into bis own hands- and set
the country on the road to eventual
defeat and ruin.
Our own 20th century provides
numerous and different examples,
with their unrealized "solutions."
Political Paralysis
Notice what occurred in czarist
Russia early in this century.
Upon the abdication of the weak
Czar Nicholas
1
I in March 1917, a
moderate provisional government
was formed, headed by Aleksandr
Kerensky. But the new govern–
ment-like the czarist regime–
was unable to cope with Russia's
mounti ng social, economic and
political problems.
The measures taken by the pro–
visional government were ineffec-
The
PLAIN TRUTH