The Bakersfield Voice
A Political Lesson From the Greeks
A political lesson from the Greeks
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Posted by travisfam Sun Sep 28, 2008 21:59:36 PDT
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Something about Obama's nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate is troubling. During the Democratic National Convention in the last presidential election and in the recent debate, he was confident, eloquent, prepared, politically savvy, and young, very young. Not quite as surprising, but still a surprise for many, is the Republican nomination of John McCain, who is also older, much older.
No one can deny the latter's experience and devotion to this country. Mr. Mccain has earned his stripes, both physically and figuratively. He is not many Republican's choice but there is a certain amount of deferential respect that comes from graduating from the Naval Academy, serving in the military, surviving
as a prisoner of war, working in business, and as a politician who has not been afraid to cross party lines on principle.
As to the former, it is not quite so clear. When you read between the lines of Mr. Obama's "experience", there is not much there. Although he has a law degree, he only practiced law for several years. (Much of that part time as he was already engaging himself in state elections) His real forte has apparently been an early involvement with a racially based non-profit, law degree, as a state politicion, and, for the last four years, as a United States Senator. That's it.
But, that's not what troubles me. What is troubling is how someone so young and inexperienced could capture so many American's attention in so short a time.
This gap between the candidates reminds me of the writings of Plutarch, an early Greek historian. PLutarch wrote a famous history called "Plutarch's Lives" of various prominent persons who lived before and during his life. Two of these lives are particularly illustrative of our own recent presidential nominations because of how each of them reached their positions. Although the circumstances surrounding their respective "nominations" are different, each of their allure on their respective societies are similar.
The first of these is a person names Alcibiades, a young, brash, confident, well-versed Athenian who captured the hearts and minds of our first democracy,
and even the fancy of Socrates himself. As Plutarch writes, Alcibiades "had the highest capacity for discerning what was the right thing to be said for any purpose and on any occassion...[and] in saying it well." He was also one who "inflamed" the Athenians' desire. Alcibiades also had a knack for saying and doing things that got him into trouble but, as Plutarch wrote "They love, and hate, and cannot do without him."
By contrast, Nicias was a "matured" general who was considered by Aristotle one of the three finest Athenian citizens. He was considered wise and humble and
one who did not attribute his successes to himself but "thanked fortune for all." Nicias also was not written as an historically perfect general but still, one who captured much respect from his peers and so remained in power for a long time.
Nicias was able to make peace with the Spartans where Alcibiades failed because of how Nicias artfully treated their prisoners of war. When both were at their peak of prominence, the Athenians were in an armistice with the Spartans. They were supposed to be shoring up their weapons and defenses until the armistice ended at which time they would go back to bludgeoning one another. Instead, Alcibiades excited the Athenians to attack the Syracusians, despite the public warnings of Nicias.
Yet, and for all Nicias' respect and admiration by his people, he was unable to successfully convince the people to forego war with the Syracusians and, was unable to combat the overwhelming support given by the people to Alcibiades. Long story short, tHe Athenians went to war, a scandal ousted Alcibiades from power,they lost, and the Spartans eventually overcame them, defeating them entirely.
The facts are different, but the people are the same. We are now facing economic and international crises that requires those who know how to make peace and
war, based on wisdom, trust, and respect that has been earned, not given. We, like the Greeks, have escaped many bad leaders, but what troubles me, especially with what this country is now facing, is whether, like the Greeks, our luck may run out with another.
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