Types Of Leaders

 

On Page 116 and 117 of his book, The True Believer, Eric Hoffer writes of how he contrasts and compares two types of leaders, mass movement leaders and leaders of free societies. I quote him and then comment on his content.

 

H: “                                                          95

 

There is probably a crucial difference between a mass movement leader and a leader of a free society. In a more or less free society, the leader can retain a hold on the people only when he has blind faith in their wisdom and goodness. A second-rate leader possessed of this faith will outlast a leader who is without it. This means that in a free society the leader follows the people even as he leads them. When the leader in a free society becomes contemptuous of the people, he sooner or later proceeds on the false and fatal theory that all men are fools and blunders into defeat. Things are different where the leader can employ ruthless coercion. Where, as in an active mass movement, the leader can exact blind obedience, he can operate on the sound theory that all men are cowards, treat them accordingly and get results.

 

One of the reasons that Communist leaders are losing out in our unions is that by following the party line and adopting the tactics of the party, they are assuming the attitude and using the tactics of a mass movement leader in an organization of free men.”

 

My response: I do not know if the leader of a free people needs to have blind faith in their wisdom and goodness, but he must believe in their wisdom and goodness to a great degree, for they lead him as he leads them. I want American adults to grow into being individuating supercitizens because, they lead their leader more than he leads them, and then their guidance and instruction for him should generally be wise counsel and wise policy.

 

The leader of a mass movement can regard the masses with contempt, as foolish cowards, and get away with it, but we will not tolerate that Swamp disregard of the masses here in America as long as we are free and feisty, unwilling to be dumped on by our leaders and politicians.