Leadership is a constant theme and emphasis at CMC. In fact, one of the ways we describe CMC students is "Leaders in the Making." Identify and discuss a person, fictional or nonfictional, who has helped shape culture and thought. You may select someone from any field: literature, the arts, science, politics, history, athletics, business, education, etc.
I have edited it a bit. Comments?
It is used as a means of exchange, so trivial and mundane that most people would not for one second contemplate its features. Yet, upon it is the portrait of a founding father whose legacy is so pervasive, that to this day it resonates loud and clear and engenders admiration for him. The Father of Our Country, George Washington, transformed a rag-tag, undisciplined army into the army that defeated the militarily superior behemoth of Great Britain, giving the 13 colonies their independence. Definitely a well versed military leader but his attributes as a great leader were more ostentatiously displayed in times of peace.
Near the end of the Revolutionary war, the Newburgh conspiracy was created. The disgruntled military officers, irate because Congress had not paid them, planned a coup to force Congress to pay their debt. Washington responded to the plans by pointing out his own sacrifices and saying that not only had he aged in servitude to his country but had also gone blind, and denounced their plans as treasonous . With that single statement he had been able to dissipate the mutinous sentiments and had reminded them that their loyalty should not be with the army but with their country. The treasonous plans were abandoned and the trust in Congress restored. In this potentially damaging incident, Washington displayed his unwavering adherence to his own principles and morals; even though his fellow military officers expressed contempt and complained about his refusal to follow their calling, he did not succumb to their desires and kept to the course that he believed would benefit the newly freed America. It also displayed his self-discipline and altruistic nature. He could have easily led the coup, overthrown Congress and placed himself in power, making himself King or Emperor. The American Revolution would have therefore been obsolete. The ideals of a democracy lost as it would have been a transition of power between two people, and not a reform movement for a better way to govern the people.
After the Newburgh incident, Washington resigned as the commander of the Continental Army. He relinquished all the power that he had as a military officer, believing that he had accomplished that with which he had been entrusted to carry out. In fact, he had accepted his position as commander, in his own words, "with diffidence". He was not driven by his own greed and desire for power but by a sense of duty, and would rather be part of the civil sphere of society rather than the military one. His resignation as commander coupled with the Newburgh conspiracy, helped promote the idea that in America, military power shall be subordinate to civilian authority-an ideal that to this day is practiced in our political system and has aided the longevity of our constitution, and in effect, our government, strengthening the power in the people by reducing the power of the military. His loyalty, and concern, was not towards himself or the army, but towards his country and its people. Ultimately, it preserved the ideals that Washington and others so assiduously fought for: freedom from the English monarchy and a democratic form of government ruled by the people for the people, ideals that Washington would repeatedly stand by.
Perhaps, however, his greatest display of a great leadership was his refusal to run for a third term office. After having reluctantly accepted a second term in office, when asked to run for a third term he simply said no and returned to his plantation. He chose to again relinquish his power, something that in the course of history is an extremely rare occurrence. Washington could have run for re-election after every term and would have most likely been elected by the people every time. Instead, he decided to uphold the ideals of freedom and democracy that he, and others, had so arduously fought for in the war against Great Britain, and refused to become "King Washington", indefinite ruler of America; he rose by falling. His choice to relinquish power demonstrates extreme self-discipline when faced with the opportunity to expand it, greed being one of the many intrinsic vices in man's nature. However, this critical precedent of limiting the term in office to two-only broken by Franklin D. Roosevelt-prevented others from, in effect, becoming "King of America" as well. Thus, in the process, it created a natural buffer in our political system that prevents one person from ruling indefinitely and destroying the principles that our country was established upon. Even after death, his actions helped protect the very ideals he had fought for when he was living.
Washington not only acquired America's freedom, but he also established the foundation for our country to sit on, grow and uphold the ideals of democracy and freedom for which our Founding Fathers so relentlessly fought for. Integrity incarnate, he never vacillated in the principles that guided him and always maintained his country and people above everything else, and right fully so was held in high-esteem by his contemporaries. Considered by some the best President of America, if there is anyone that embodies a true leader, Washington is nearly perfect. Deserving the epitaph, Father of Our Country, Washington truly is- as Congress put in his eulogy-the "First in war, first in peace, and first in our countrymen's hearts".
Comments would be greatly appreciated! And is it too long?
I have edited it a bit. Comments?
It is used as a means of exchange, so trivial and mundane that most people would not for one second contemplate its features. Yet, upon it is the portrait of a founding father whose legacy is so pervasive, that to this day it resonates loud and clear and engenders admiration for him. The Father of Our Country, George Washington, transformed a rag-tag, undisciplined army into the army that defeated the militarily superior behemoth of Great Britain, giving the 13 colonies their independence. Definitely a well versed military leader but his attributes as a great leader were more ostentatiously displayed in times of peace.
Near the end of the Revolutionary war, the Newburgh conspiracy was created. The disgruntled military officers, irate because Congress had not paid them, planned a coup to force Congress to pay their debt. Washington responded to the plans by pointing out his own sacrifices and saying that not only had he aged in servitude to his country but had also gone blind, and denounced their plans as treasonous . With that single statement he had been able to dissipate the mutinous sentiments and had reminded them that their loyalty should not be with the army but with their country. The treasonous plans were abandoned and the trust in Congress restored. In this potentially damaging incident, Washington displayed his unwavering adherence to his own principles and morals; even though his fellow military officers expressed contempt and complained about his refusal to follow their calling, he did not succumb to their desires and kept to the course that he believed would benefit the newly freed America. It also displayed his self-discipline and altruistic nature. He could have easily led the coup, overthrown Congress and placed himself in power, making himself King or Emperor. The American Revolution would have therefore been obsolete. The ideals of a democracy lost as it would have been a transition of power between two people, and not a reform movement for a better way to govern the people.
After the Newburgh incident, Washington resigned as the commander of the Continental Army. He relinquished all the power that he had as a military officer, believing that he had accomplished that with which he had been entrusted to carry out. In fact, he had accepted his position as commander, in his own words, "with diffidence". He was not driven by his own greed and desire for power but by a sense of duty, and would rather be part of the civil sphere of society rather than the military one. His resignation as commander coupled with the Newburgh conspiracy, helped promote the idea that in America, military power shall be subordinate to civilian authority-an ideal that to this day is practiced in our political system and has aided the longevity of our constitution, and in effect, our government, strengthening the power in the people by reducing the power of the military. His loyalty, and concern, was not towards himself or the army, but towards his country and its people. Ultimately, it preserved the ideals that Washington and others so assiduously fought for: freedom from the English monarchy and a democratic form of government ruled by the people for the people, ideals that Washington would repeatedly stand by.
Perhaps, however, his greatest display of a great leadership was his refusal to run for a third term office. After having reluctantly accepted a second term in office, when asked to run for a third term he simply said no and returned to his plantation. He chose to again relinquish his power, something that in the course of history is an extremely rare occurrence. Washington could have run for re-election after every term and would have most likely been elected by the people every time. Instead, he decided to uphold the ideals of freedom and democracy that he, and others, had so arduously fought for in the war against Great Britain, and refused to become "King Washington", indefinite ruler of America; he rose by falling. His choice to relinquish power demonstrates extreme self-discipline when faced with the opportunity to expand it, greed being one of the many intrinsic vices in man's nature. However, this critical precedent of limiting the term in office to two-only broken by Franklin D. Roosevelt-prevented others from, in effect, becoming "King of America" as well. Thus, in the process, it created a natural buffer in our political system that prevents one person from ruling indefinitely and destroying the principles that our country was established upon. Even after death, his actions helped protect the very ideals he had fought for when he was living.
Washington not only acquired America's freedom, but he also established the foundation for our country to sit on, grow and uphold the ideals of democracy and freedom for which our Founding Fathers so relentlessly fought for. Integrity incarnate, he never vacillated in the principles that guided him and always maintained his country and people above everything else, and right fully so was held in high-esteem by his contemporaries. Considered by some the best President of America, if there is anyone that embodies a true leader, Washington is nearly perfect. Deserving the epitaph, Father of Our Country, Washington truly is- as Congress put in his eulogy-the "First in war, first in peace, and first in our countrymen's hearts".
Comments would be greatly appreciated! And is it too long?