Historical Views of Leadership Plato and Aristotle

What is leadership, and how do we attain the best and most effective leaders? These are questions that are as old as civilization itself. Bass (1974) wrote that, â€Å"from its infancy, the study of history has been the study of leaders† (as cited in Wren, 1995, p. 50). Since the study of history in the West is commonly held to begin with Herodotus of ancient Athens, it is not surprising that we should examine the historical views of leadership through the eyes of two titans of Greek thought: Plato and Aristotle. Both men lived in 4th century BCE Athens, so much of their background and experience was shared. Aristotle was the younger of the two, and he was Plato’s student. Where leadership is concerned, both philosophers agreed that the†¦show more content†¦126). Here we see that he does not even bother to mention the individual. How will this happiness be accomplished? It will be accomplished by making the State just. Plato believes that justice for the individual consists in fulfilling one’s proper role – realizing one’s potential while not doing what is contrary to one’s nature. This is also true for justice in the State. Each class and each individual has a specific set of obligations to the community that will result in a harmonious whole if everyone fulfills them. While this is true for everyone in the community, for the leader it is even more important, and so he has Socrates tell Glaucon that â€Å"we must choose from the Guardians those who appear†¦ most likely to devote their lives to doing what they judge to be in the interest of the community, and who are never prepared to act against it† (Plato, 1987, p. 119). In the just state individuals are ranked according to their strengths, and placed within a hierarchy. â€Å"No two of us are born exactly alike. We have different natural aptitudes, which fit us for different jobs† (Plato, 1987, p. 59). And still more blatantly: â€Å"Do you suppose some men are better than others? Or are all equal? – They certainly aren’t all equal!† (Plato, 1987, p. 176). If all men are not equal in ability, and certain abilities make oneShow MoreRelatedEvaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pages Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership March 9, 2014 University of Phoenix Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership This paper evaluates the leadership views of Plato, Aristotle, Lao-Tzu, and Machiavelli from the point of view of the modern military leader. The process of evaluation includes an examination of the commonalities and disparities between these views of leadership. The paper explores a definition of modern military leadership. 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