The Sharing Spirit
People entering politics should have a sense of public service and aim to serve and to do a good job at serving others rather than being served. History has given us a plethora of political leaders who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of their countries, their people, and ultimately all humanity. These are people who are supposed to be responsible for making and implementing strategies and policies meant to better serve the interests of the country they govern. Pursuit of personal power, enrichment, ego, and personal advancement should never be the code for aspiring politicians as it would inevitably lead to corruption. If left unchecked, political corruption weakens the very structures of an organized society as it undermines the forces of law and order and reduces public morale. In the long run, all developmental programmes become crippled leading to moral degradation and degeneracy. Such decay impacts us all, leading to a breakdown in society norms and values. The last four years of Guyana’s unpopular APNU/AFC’s inept rule riddled with corruption and discrimination of all stripes together with the current impasse of general elections are a stark reminder and surreal testimony to such collapse.
Throughout history, we have seen politicians who promised their people the moon and the stars and the ‘good life’ just to win votes. Once elected, they quickly abandon such lofty and unachievable political promises only to enrich themselves and close associates. They become corrupt, megalomaniac, egotistical, narcissistic, genocidal, open racists, and outright thieves to hold on to power. But there are exceptions, people who enter the profession of politics with a sense of sincerity, fairness, and a steely will to genuinely improve things for the betterment of all mankind as the following ten great souls show:
1. Dr Cheddi Jagan
Dr. Jagan was widely recognized for his undisputed honesty, genuine commitment to the development of Guyana, sincerity of purpose and personal integrity. Revered as one of the Caribbean’s foremost charismatic statesmen, his “New Global Human Order”, aimed at redistribution of the world’s wealth to relieve onerous debt charges levied on the Third World and move these countries towards self-sufficiency, was adopted by the United Nations. Under his tenure from 1957-1964, remarkable improvements in healthcare, education, transportation, industry, agriculture, and housing were realized including his establishing the county’s first university and agriculture school against all odds. And even though a colony at the time and non-oil producing, Guyana was the second richest country in terms of per capita in the Caribbean at the end of 1964 when he was removed through the now infamous Anglo-American constitutional coup. His return to power in 1992 through the first free and fair elections in almost three decades was the beginning of a successful turnaround story that ultimately transformed Guyana from a highly indebted and poverty-stricken (close to Haiti and Bolivia) to a middle income producing country by the end of 2014 with the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean through the able and astute leadership of the party leaders he influenced to carry on. Such performance represents superior qualities of purpose and drive and is aptly described by Walter Lippman (1889-1974), a US liberal political commentator, when he said: “The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on”.
2. Woodrow Wilson
President Woodrow Wilson, the 28th U.S. president (1913-1921) who led America through the Great War of 1914-18 was a forceful advocate for democracy and world peace. A college professor and university president, Wilson understood the horrors and devastation of a war and had a vision for world peace that included a League of Nations, forerunner of today’s United Nations, a forum where nations could come together to solve disputes. As a result, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for being the architect of the League and his peace-making efforts. Once in office, he pursued an ambitious agenda of progressive reform that included the establishment of the Federal Reserve (the U.S. Central Bank) and the Federal Trade Commission (the bipartisan federal agency with a mission to protect consumers and promote competition).
3. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi, the gentle prophet of a revolution who stirred the masses of the most populous country on earth had a passion for an independent India. His humility and simplicity in particular, instilled a profound sense of purpose and vision that ultimately inspired his followers which brought the British to their knees. Gandhi’s innovative approach to the resolution of conflict through nonviolence as a positive principle and passive resistance as a political weapon (satyagraha) inspired many around the globe. In addition, Gandhi undermined the heinous caste system in India and encouraged individual self-help as the path to economic development. His view on social progress was based on personal reform, on changing people rather than systems. He was influenced by Leo Tolstoy and John Ruskin, though the deepest influences were the New Testament and the Bhagavadgita. Overall, his legacy is seen as a monumental force for peace, progress, and justice with a message for all of humanity. Gandhi’s ‘grass-roots’ self-help approach to social and economic development was far-sighted at the time. His influence extended to a range of world leaders from many disciplines including Albert Einstein who said on Gandhi’s 70th birthday in 1939 that “Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”
4. Jawaharlal Nehru
Pandit Nehru was India’s first Prime Minister at independence in August 1947. He pursued a global campaign against colonialism and ensured that other colonies would one by one be granted independence. Nehru created India’s foreign policy from scratch and it was both inspired and progressive. He followed a policy of studied and statesman-like neutrality through the Cold War. It was Nehru who initiated the policy of non-alignment. Apart from his stress on secularism and on the basic unity of India, despite its ethnic and religious diversities, Nehru was deeply concerned with carrying India forward into the modern age of scientific discovery and technological development. In addition, he aroused in his people an awareness of the necessity of social concern with the poor and the outcast and of respect for democratic values. India was the heart and soul of the British empire and the new India of the Gandhi-Nehru team eventually became a precursor of today’s Third World.
5. Martin Luther King (MLK)
Well-loved leader of the non-violent civil rights movement, Martin Luther King inspired millions of people, black and white alike, to aspire for a more equal society. A disciple of Gandhi, King became committed to Gandhi’s doctrine of non-violence. MLK was a pivotal figure in the non-violent civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s seeking to improve race relations and overturn discrimination in American society. He is remembered for his powerful speeches which sought to bring about a united society – where race did not act as a barrier. Again contrast that political vision with the naked racism, victimisation, and oppression of the current inept APNU/AFC cabal.
6. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Commonly known as FDR, he served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 to 1945. A Democrat, he won a record four presidential elections and dominated his party for many years as a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic depression and total war. FDR strongly believed he had a a duty and deep sense of purpose to support Britain in fighting the Nazis during the Second World War. He reminded Americans that when your neighbour’s house is on fire, you do not ask them to pay you for a fire extinguisher. Americans got the message and were thus convinced and that was the turning point of WW II. Roosevelt believed that he was doing something that was right not only for Americans but for all of mankind and save the world from pure evil.
7. Sir Winston Churchill
Although he played a pivotal role in the military coup in 1953 by removing the freely elected PPP after just 133 days in office, Sir Winston Churchill has been viewed globally as one of the best-known, and some say one of the greatest, statesmen of the 20th century. Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955, Churchill came from a life of privilege but he dedicated himself to public service playing a very important role in the Second World War. It was Churchill alone who recognized the danger of Hitler's rise and who singlehandedly opposed Chamberlain's politics of appeasement. Without him, the war could have ended in a very different way. His major contribution was not backing down against Hitler and Nazi Germany. An inspiring war leader, Churchill achieved a world-wide reputation as a far-sighted war strategist and an inspiring war leader of great courage and imagination.
8. Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the twentieth century’s greatest leaders, recognised the emptiness of a system that failed humanity and the need for drastic change when he came to power in 1985 and he wasted no time in working towards that end fully aware of the huge risks he was taking. Through his enormous courage, tenacity and strength of character to give up the absolute power of Soviet Communism and moved the mighty Soviet Union to democracy and respect for human rights, he was able to transform the world in a mere three years (1988-1990) and enabled the Berlin Wall to come down thus giving freedom to Eastern Europe.. He captured the imagination of people everywhere, winning adulation, and, in 1990, the Nobel Peace Prize.
9. Nelson Mandela
The iconic Nelson Mandela spent most of his life campaigning for an end to apartheid and for justice and freedom in South Africa. In prison for almost three decades for his political beliefs, he was released in 1990 and started a process of healing the wounds of apartheid by his magnanimous attitude to his former political enemies. Mandela showed incredible leadership and magnanimity, encouraging people to confess and reconcile with the events of the past but without undue recriminations, without revenge. He won global admiration for his statesmanlike-even saintly-way in which he accepted and wielded political power in the new South Africa. As a result, he and former President F.W. de Klerk jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. A year later, he became the first black President in post-apartheid South Africa and was greatly admired for his forgiveness and willingness to reach out to the white community. Contrast that with the notorious PNC’s and now APNU/AFC’s politics of retribution and vengeance on PPP/C’s members and supporters.
10. Barack Obama
First Afro-American US President, Barack Obama, the 44th President served two terms (2008-2016) implementing major reforms and spoke about the need for Americans to remain united, despite racial and political differences. He has been an inspirational figure for many young people worldwide, as America's first black president and has also promoted international diplomacy winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for doing so. Many countries impacted by terrorism were pleased that he was able to direct a successful mission in 2011 to kill Osama Bin Laden and diminish Al Qaeda's strength.
Each of the above ten political leaders entered politics aiming to improving their country and the lives of all their people (not some) and made an individual positive contribution which has a significant, long-term impact on the world. They were all driven through the belief in a single purpose and sheer determination, drive and tenacity that mark them out as world-changers with a positive and lasting impression. They did not enrich themselves nor used their fame and public office for private gain. The actions of each had a lasting effect on many at a profound level and should serve as a good basis for our current crop of political leaders and aspiring politicians as well.
For Caribbean recipes you may visit:
www.jehancancook.com by Jehan Powell
www.tasteslikehome.org by Cynthia Nelson