Why don't we have great statesmen today?

Question

Where are the really smart, integrity minded politicos, like some of our historical figures. People such as Ben Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Franklin Roosevelt. You get the picture. Men (and women) who really thought about their words and actions and the possible long term effects.
I was inspired to ask this by another on the board who asked about great artists.

Answer 1

There are two basic reasons why we don't have great statesmen today. One, is the basic two party system in most of the worlds, and especially the west's, nations. In Australia for example only two parties have held government since federation (1901). Whatever names they have gone under. The conservatives otherwise known as the United Australia Party, The Liberal Party, the Liberals and the Country Party Coalition and the Liberal National Coalition and the other-the Australian Labour Party. In Britain, although you have three, the Labour Party, the Conservatives and the Liberal Party, only two have had most of the government for the past century. The Labour Party and the Conservatives. In the United States you have only two major parties-the Republicans and the Democrats. For not only do the people not have that much choice but also have chosen those parties election after election-those parties are confident that one or the other will be in power. Thus there is no incentive to produce greatness and being only two parties they can drift together and be almost the same, which they have. Also you have the party selection system whereby anyone who is controversial or outspoken does not advance-is not selected. You have members of parliament or congress ect whoes bread and butter depend upon towing the party line. It takes statesmen to defy the party line. However, the party system does not allow this to take place. Any semblence of independence, of enthusiasm, of real talent or character is stiffled from the beginning. Hence no great statesman.

The second reason is we the people. Not only do we, election after election, mostly vote for the major parties, but any politician who stands out is villified and largely ignored by us. We are too scared to take the chance to elect someone else. Which brings us to the crux of the problem. Our own selves. In the twentieth and twenty first centuries we have become too civilized, too without spirit, in other words, I'll put it blunt. We have become too cowardly. In the past people stood up for themselves(this is why we had the revolutions) and were not too afraid to question authority. For instance there are some things done today that if done even in the 1970s would have people marching in the streets. Yet no one cares, no one wants to dirty their hands.

See without great enthusiasm, without great courage, without great emotion and willingness to rock the boat we have become willing and subservient subjects to the powers that be. We have forgotten that they are our servants-not we theirs. Just look at everyday life. Even thirty years ago if there was an injustice say in the work place, or someone was standing up for themselves justly, people would at least give support or even go on strike and protest. However today, if this happens, people just cower in their desks and hope it will go away. There is this philosophy today that if someone shows emotions, even for a just cause, people will fearfully think it improper and want it to go away. With this personal and social enviroment it is no wonder that we have a severe shortage of great statesman. For it takes people's acceptance for the emergence of great statesmen.

Also things are relatively peaceful and prosperous for many people now. However great statesmen did come about in such periods as well as periods of hardship. Sir Robert Peel and Gladstone are cases to point. For why are there no great statesmen today. It takes zest, emotion, courage, determination, character and a little bit of defience of authority to make one. These are the ingredients. These are the very things that are discouraged especially today and that most people have not only generated in themselves but demand it in others. No wonder there is a drought. For you fight as you train. And today, in the late twentieth and early twentieth centuries we have not trained all that well. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

People such as Ben Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, Franklin Roosevelt.They happen to be long gone and and doubt if will ever get any ones as good as they were and when there are Men and women like the ones of the old ways they vote them out.

Answer 3

One person said greed and power. I have to agree but with a codicil. Lyndon Johnson was the biggest crook that never got caught. Franklin D. Roosevelt could never have been elected today. People would have called him a Jew and he was in a wheelchair. Never would have happened. Ike was the hero of WWII. Kennedy was this pure good family man. He was not.
And so on and so on through all of history.
Now, if they had had the media scrutiny that the presidents and senators, et al, have today they would never have made it.
Now you can carry a camera in your hand, in the 40's, 50, 60's, and 70's they had to wheel them around and could not get good pics. Otherwise, Kennedy's affairs would have been all over Television, Johnson's also, Even Ike had one and got away with it.
There are those around today who could pick apart anyone and anything. I believe we have good people. I just believe that we are slaves to the media that our parents and grandparents did not have to put up with.

Answer 4

Ron Paul, a 10 term Congressman running for president, IS a great statesman. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find an actual flaw in his past, regarding constitutional decisions, and even scandals that seem to plague much of the rest running. Check him out, see if you agree.

"The mainstream media has described him as a non-candidate for the Republican nomination for president, despite his 20 year excellent and consistent record of conservative voting. Paul's principles align with the thinking of great conservatives from Robert Taft to Barry Goldwater.

George Will, noted conservative pundit for Newsweek and ABC commentator, called Paul a "useful anachronism" because he truly believes in the U.S. Constitution and because he is a traditionalist who believes that only Congress can declare war."

Answer 5

Politicians need to be elected to serve. We vote for the immediate and ignore the long-term. Who gets elected? The one that makes the most promises about our pet likes/dislikes and we ignore what's best fr the country. Therefore, we get the exact leaders that we demand and apparently, deserve.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, the truly honest people with integrity will never get elected because they will say things people don't want to hear. Politicians learn fairly early in the game to hedge, duck and weave, and promise, promise, promise.

We deserve what we get.

Answer 7

Too many of them have their hands out.

Answer 8

greed and power