moral leadership

Posted on UP Integrated School Batch '82 Newsgroup
28 November 2003

IN SUM: How often have we, the vast electorate, been inspired by our leaders to develop our capabilities, enough to transform others and ourselves from being egocentric to being service-oriented?

IN a previous post, Arim Fermin mentioned us Filipinos taking “the ideal of democracy too literally” and comparing its failures to the American ideal.

It is not hard to see why such a comparison is made. Unfortunately, such is the essence of democracy in many societies, whether American, European or elsewhere: behind its leadership is frequently some degree of authoritarianism, paternalism, a know-it-all system, and even manipulative leadership, where the leader continues to feel superior to everyone else and control the process of decision-making one way or another. The democratic leader is often swept into power in an ugly system of nominations and propaganda-based campaigns, and often does not reach the point of regarding his/her role as that of a coordinator who helps his constituency reach a consensus or, at the very end, develop their capabilities.

I stress, “develop their capabilities” because this is the singular issue I have always had with our leaders. How often have we, the vast electorate, been inspired by our leaders to develop our capabilities, enough to transform others and ourselves from being egocentric to being service-oriented?

It is not easy to change the system of putting our leaders into place, especially where partisan interests run deep into even the most basic social units, the families! But what can be done is putting a government body in place with the mandate of ensuring moral leadership in all levels of government, a body that understands and accepts the fact that we all live in an interdependent, interconnected society where the welfare of each part contributes to the welfare of the whole, and the welfare of the whole influences the welfare of each part.

As for Arim's question “What can I do?”, here is an inspiring thought from 'Abdu'l-Bahá, Son of the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith:

“The honor and distinction of the individual consist in this, that he . . . become a source of social good.”

The next step lies in our own individual hands. Imagine if we allow our own selves to develop our participation in and commitment to the electoral process in our own communities. Imagine if we develop our capabilities of helping that chunk of individuals in our communities who do not hold any formal position by instilling vision, a spirit of service, a love for country, and love for humanity.

Ideal? Doable? Not if we refuse to understand and accept our own individual potential as “source of social good”, a potential that is inherent and divine. Think about it.