We live in a world where public opinion has “only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy”, or at least that was what was found by a Princeton University study of American democracy. Based on the statistical evidence, they conclude that the US
Strength, courage, wisdom, vision, judgment, responsiveness: all characteristics as desirable in political leaders as they are elusive. These traits are difficult to describe in the abstract, and historic examples of their demonstration by leaders turn on the social context of that leadership.In this article, I explore how some of these characteristics should be demonstrated in contemporary Australia. An initial suggestion: a genuine political leader, in our times, must be able to guide people in correctly identifying the main causes of their social and economic circumstances – including the causes of their suffering.