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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 28 Sep. - 4 Oct. 2000 Issue No. 501 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 28 Sep. - 4 Oct. 2000 Issue No. 501
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Elections Region International Economy Opinion Culture Special Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A new brand of leadership
By Salah Montasser
Some Egyptians, and possibly many Arabs, still dream of Nasser's return and, as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of his death, Nasserists will have plenty to say about his merits.
Nasser was one of the leaders who contributed the most to changing the history of the world between 1952 and 1970. Yet we are certainly speaking of a period that was endowed with strong leaders, who were not only at the helm of their respective states, but whose impact was widely felt throughout the world. The world cannot help feeling the lack of such calibre today. These special leaders were products of the struggle of their peoples for independence after the second World War, the establishment of the United Nations, and the emergence of the two superpowers as the major imperialist successors to Britain and France.
Washington and Moscow both aspired to expand their spheres of influence in the region, but their strategies differed widely. While Washington used brute force, Moscow resorted to stealthy infiltration. But both awaited the opportunity to pounce on their victims. The Americans showed the barrel of the gun, while the Soviets placed tempting bait on the hook. Today, it seems normal for Nasser to have rejected Washington's threats, and for the masses to have rallied behind him. It seems equally normal that he was deceived by the Soviets and swallowed the hook along with the bait.
Since Nasser's death, the world itself has changed. The Soviet Union, once a superpower, a rival to the United States, has disappeared and the very concepts of power and leadership have been altered radically.
Fiery speeches, demagogic statements and loud speakers capable of inciting the masses to rebel no longer characterise leadership, which today implies managing the affairs of the people to improve their economy, solve their social problems and allow them to advance, scientifically and technologically.
Leaders who place their nations on the path to progress may not be remembered in history for their fiery speeches, but are appreciated many years later. Not one of the speeches delivered by men like Lee Kuan Yu, the former prime minister of Singapore, will be remembered as are the speeches of Nasser, Nehru, Sukarno and Lumumba; yet he is one of the men who forged a place for his country on the world scene. This is the new breed of leaders, which countries need so badly today.
