Visionary Leadership Upholds Nations

A country can rapidly change and be prosperous within a short span of time if it is ruled by a didactic and proactive leader. There are many countries (China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, UAE, and Singapore, etc.) in the world now on the way to prosperity and near the summit of success due to the role of visionary leaders and the support of hard-working and diligent people. It is said that only the leader who is honest, responsible, and farsighted can architect and shape the future of the nations and the people. So, John C. Maxwell, a popular leadership expert, has stated that a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

Once Egyptian priest, a very old man, and Solon, a famous politician and poet of Greeks, have suddenly met and discussed with each other. While talking, Priest said to Solon, “You Greeks never grow up; there is not an old man among you.” Solon could not understand it and said what you meant in response. Then Priest replied, “You are mentally immature. You have no ancient tradition to imbue your minds with old beliefs and with understanding aged by time.” Nepal does have all the essential ingredients: aesthetic cultures and values, history, beauty of nature, young and energetic manpower, aged people, emerging dynamic political figures, and many other resources, as well as tremendous possibilities for conducting development activities, but it is a great misfortune that we have everything yet we are begging other hands and knees carrying the golden bowls in our hands. 

Crucial time

It is because of the absence of a true leader. However, the heart is as important for our body; likewise, the role of leader is also equally valuable for building nations. It is crystal clear that a nation can’t be built merely by a leader, but he/she should have clear, creative, and dynamic skills and visions. Though it’s already too late, it is a better and crucial time to find out whether we need a demagogue or demiurge leader.

The term “demagogue” originated in ancient Greece and was first used about Cleon, a leader who appealed to Athenians' hatred of Spartans during the Peloponnesian war. It generally means a leader who attacks an opposing group to elicit an emotional response for their target audience. Historian Reinhard Luthin defined demagogues as “a politician skilled in oratory, flattery, and invective; evasive in discussing vital issues; promising everything to everybody; appealing to the passions rather than the reason of the public; and arousing racial, religious, and class prejudices — a man whose lust for power without recourse to principle leads him to seek to become a master of the masses.” 

Whereas in Urdu, “demagogue” means Bazari leader. A leader of the rabble; one who attempts to control the multitude by specious or deceitful arts; an unprincipled and factious mob orator or political leader. Thus, demagogue is clarified as a political leader who tries to get support by making false claims and promises and using arguments based on emotions rather than reason. In contrast, the word 'demiurge' is an English word derived from demiurgus, a Latinised form of the Greek dēmiurgós. It was originally a common noun meaning “craftsman or "artisan," but gradually came to mean “producer” and eventually "creator." Traditionally, it was defined as a creator of the world. In philosophy, the demiurge is a figure that shapes, but does not create, material reality. The demiurge is commonly associated with the power of reason in the world. 

Nowadays, it means one with a special skill or the individual or group chiefly responsible for a creative idea. Thus, a demagogue leader is a problem for the nation, but a demiurge leader can be the solution and architecture of the nation. A demiurge leader can understand reality and connect the broken heart, sharing the fruit of success. The philosopher Plato, in his story “Atlantis and Ancient Athens,” mentions the three main talents of a good ruler: he/she manages his/her wards in such a way as to maximise people's happiness; try to save their wards from disorder and evil; and resolve opposition into harmony.

 In the context of our country, the pillars of the nation are strong but they are lying down; the doors of prosperity are large but they are closed; the social, cultural, and family bonds are high but they are paralysed and destroyed. Therefore, we need to find leaders capable of raising those pillars to the sky, opening the doors to the world, and breaking down the walls that prevent us from achieving our dreams and participating in development. Therefore, it is essential to have such a demiurge leader who resolutely tries to lead a nation on the basis of reality in place of popularity, governs states depending on fact and reason instead of emotions and illusions, and drives the nations according to the demands of time and conditions. 

Only the demiurge leader can rejuvenate the diverse aesthetic cultures that are on the verge of dying, create unity and a feeling of patriotism, regenerate a proper social and economic environment, develop the feelings of benevolence, coexistence, and cooperation, cutting out the inequalities, discriminations, and disorders, and can focus on innovations and inventions without any bewilderment or mystification. Sheikh Zayed says, “Leadership is all about daily action and not just theory. It is a human and social concept that overtakes speculation. It is also about determination, self-confidence, farsightedness, and good judgement." So, a leader can be a demiurge leader who can exponentially acknowledge the motion of the time and pace of the air in a clear manner and persistently immolates oneself for bringing heyday and conveys the pleasure in the people’s lives.

 (Dhakal is a research fellow at the Institute of University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Guangzhou, China.)