The perceived greatness of any political leader has more to do with challenges faced by that leader than with any of his or her inherent skills and abilities.

The perceived greatness of any political leader has more to do with challenges faced by that leader than with any of his or her inherent skills and abilities.

The issue of whether the perceived greatness of any political leader has more to do with challenges faced by that leader than with any of his or her inherent talents alone, has engendered controversy and can be divided into two schools of thought. On the one hand, staunch defenders support that harsh conditions and unpropitious circumstances promote leaders to rise and face all the negatives. On the other hand, opponents contend that certain characteristics not commonly found discern great leaders from all others. I wholeheartedly believe that challenges highlight the greatness of a magnanimous leader, but they also need to possess the pertinent wit and charisma in their effort to succeed and make the difference.

First and foremost, difficulty political and historical events can render a leader competent since he needs to rise to the challenge. It is clearly illustrated in the case of Nelson Mandela, the prominent leader of South Africa, who languished for an important part of his life in prison. Nelson was a sound opponent and fighter against apartheid, one of the great abominations of the African Continent. After his acquittal and release, he played a significant role in securing a conciliatory mostly peaceful end to apartheid. Regarding this, he secured a hopeful and democratic start for his country that even the most quixotic thoughts could not have imagined a few years earlier.

In addition, all of that would not have been possible without Nelson’s wit and charisma. He would have left prison years earlier just by renouncing violence or making some sort of concession. Instead, he had a great determination and he wanted to establish what he considered fair and unbiased. By nature compromiser and conciliator, even after taking political power as president, he suggested peaceful negotiations and serenity with the congress. When the government eventually yielded, Mandela showed neither bitterness nor vindictiveness, but an astonishing capacity for forgiveness and conciliation.

Moreover, some other examples of great leaders who displayed competence in conjunction with wit and passion for their cause may occur. Winston Churchill, possessing relentless passion for his cause as the leader of Great Britain contributed fiercely against the fascist threat. His deeds and alacrity render him as the catalyst of the outcome during the Second World War, where the allies achieved winning results against the most hated and brutal regime of fascists the world has ever seen. Abraham Lincoln was also a leader whose actions against slavery remain at the cornerstone of justice and equality between humans of different color and beliefs. He demonstrated an ability to withstand adversity and unite his nation when the gap between the northern and southern states deeply wounded any sense of common culture and probity. Only by such elements America could prosper and move forward.

Hence, a leader characterized by greatness and efficacy should possess traits that would enable him to encounter hardships and rise to challenges. The combination of these two parts ensures success and denotes that there is always a solution to even the most harmful and jeopardous situations around the world. Traits like integrity, persistence, perseverance and passion for apolitical or social cause are between the fundamentals of a fair and respectful society.