Much has been said by many people on the subject of leadership, so I can only present the issues so well analysed by others that I think are the most relevant to us today. As we approach the end of the line for the SPDC and their brand of ‘leadership’ (or lack of it), I would like to reflect on the subject of leadership because all Shan groups and political organisations promoting democracy for Burma worldwide need good leaders in the new world that we are creating. 

Unless we accept that anarchy or syndico-anarchism are the method of government for Burma, then a constitution will be built in which leaders are appointed by the people to govern and make rules and laws that are enforced by an accountable police authority and prosecuted through and independent judiciary. Most forms of government in democratic countries separate legislature from judiciary, to ensure that laws are applied fairly to all, including those who are elected to govern. No one is above the law in an open society, unless the form of government is tyrannical, dictatorial or divisive and prejudiced. The rule of despotic kings and military juntas deem themselves to be above the law, because they believe that the law is made for others to obey. I think we can see the SPDC rule is of this type; there is one set of rules of the people of Burma, and any miscreant is dealt with in the most severe manner possible, including being brutally beaten to death on the street for minor offences; the military on the other hand can murder, steal, lie, cheat, enslave, rape, extort bribes, consume and deal in drugs, etc., without being concerned for any legal justice or retribution. Those who act in this barbaric way will be in for quite a shock and find that when the law is applied to them, they will behave rather differently.

Government in many countries also includes a tired approach to legislature; the House of Representatives and the Senate (USA); the House of Commons and the House of Lords (UK). The ‘lower’ house usually consists of members of parliament elected by the people in free and fair elections; the members represent both a political party and the people who elected them. The reason for this two-tier system is quite simple; the elected ‘lower’ house sets the tone for government, pushes forward with reforming laws, decides where the country wants to go and sets out acts of government to administer the country. The ‘upper’ house may be elected, hereditary or appointed by multi-party committee; it consists of elder statesmen, leading figures in the social, economic, cultural and political life of the country, people with experience of life and politics and who are respected by the people. The purpose of the upper house is to provide advice and a broader perspective than the lower house. The upper house has the experience and steadfastness of age, whereas the lower house has the energy for change, the energy of youth. Executive Government leaders are typically in the 30s and 40s, whereas senators are typically in their 60s and 70s; the exceptions prove the rule; Winston Churchill became Britian’s Prime Minister at the age of 66, William Pitt at age 24.

In a vibrant democratic government, leaders have to demonstrate to their political party and to the people of the country that they are the right person to take the lead; to lead the party, to lead the cabinet, and to bring change and improvements for the economy and the general welfare of the population. Without this leadership, they are ousted at the next election – or sooner if they lose the trust of the people. Thaksin of Thailand is perhaps the most recent example of this last type; but he wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last. The leader of a country is accountable to the people; they may dislike him or her, but they tolerate a great deal before demanding that they be removed. Leaders have a very important role in any country. The ethos of the whole country can be moulded by the ethos of a leader; a good leader with honest values tends to elevate the honourable values of the society; too long a period of devious and untrustworthy leaders will lead to unethical and impoverished cultural values in society. Leaders have the responsibility to demonstrate high moral values and to ‘lead’ the people.

The reason for this discussion on what happens in most democratic countries is to illustrate how out of touch with the real world the SPDC and the current government of Burma are. It is a perversion of government. There is no opportunity for changing the leadership in person or approach, no commitment or imagination in economic development, none of the population have any trust in the government or their officials – there is no ‘leadership’, the only quality they possess is poor quality. They set a terrible example for the youth of Burma. Is it any wonder that the SPDC Army and government officials behave in the way they do? They take the lead from their leaders – conniving, mis-trustful, lying, cheating, squandering, exploiting, killing, raping, degenerate and self-serving, given to extortion and drug abuse. 

The way of this quagmire is to replace the leadership with a body of people that can be trusted – in as much as any politician can be trusted – with a democratically elected government who will have the interest of the population at heart. To quote John Kenneth Galbraith, a leading economic theorist and advisor to several democratic US presidents; “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership”. The current SPDC leadership are not willing to confront anyone’s anxiety except their own; do they have enough power, enough wealth, enough big cars, enough big houses, enough soldiers, enough guns, enough big parade grounds! 

The leaders of the New Burma will have a lot to live up to. As the years of SPDC persecution have rolled on, many of us have had the chance to ponder what we expect of the perfect leader, what we want of the perfect political solution, the perfect constitution. Well, Burma won’t get perfection, but it will get a leadership and a government that cares for the people, that understands the suffering that has been endured, that seeks to achieve a consensus on policy, resolved to live in harmony with all the peoples of Burma; whatever the constitutional and geographical/political make-up of the new Nation, or Nations. 

One thing is sure. There are few leaders today who have the experience of government. If they have it was a long time ago! Those leaders that we have, have been persecuted, placed under house arrest, or imprisoned for ridiculously long periods of time on false charges to keep them out of the public view. The SPDC claims that the opposition are not relevant to politics now – they say. The leaders are very relevant and needed now as much as they ever were. We have many leaders whose role should by now be in the ‘upper’ house, the knowledgeable and experienced older generation. Leadership in government is for the younger generation – those who have not seen democratic or good government in Burma in their whole lives. 

Now, more than ever as we approach the long-awaited freedom, we need leaders and we need successors to leaders, a growing, changing body of men and women prepared to take up the challenge and the rewarding life of political, constitutional, legal, and governmental administrative leadership roles. Burma has been starved of good government for so long that the field is open to rapid and enormous change. We need leaders with the energy and the qualities of good leadership we expect from world class leaders. New Burma will take its place in the world of nations, with leaders who have the respect not only of the people of Burma, but the respect of the peoples and leaders of the world. 

***********************************************

I would like to continue this series with a look at attributes of leadership in the near future. Please visit us again soon. 

Tai Nation also asks you, our visitors, to consider writing your own articles on this subject (or any other), and we will publish it, subject to the usual editorial review in line with Tai Nation’s editorial policy. The contact details are on the link panel at the left hand side of the screen.

Quotations related to leadership.
We are nothing on this earth if we are not in the first place the slaves of a cause, the cause of the people, the cause of justice and liberty.

Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) French psychiatrist and revolutionary writer.
Daniel H. Burnham: (1846-1912) architect and urban planner.
Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work. Remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.

Winston Churchill: (1874-1975) soldier, journalist, author, painter, and politician
The optimist sees opportunity in every danger; the pessimist sees danger in every opportunity.

Niccolo Machiavelli: (1467-1527) Florentine politician
Make no small plans for they have no power to stir the soul.

From: http://quotations.about.com/