Leaders following the will of the Majority

Great leaders follow the will of the majority.
Describe a specific situation in which a great leader might not follow the will of the majority. Discuss what you think determines whether or not great leaders follow the will of the majority.
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The Forefathers of the United States laid the foundation for a system of government that honors the will of the majority. Each citizen ( viz. white, male and landholding) would be entitled to vote for leaders who would represent them in government; those voted into office would be responsible for listening to their constituency and making sure that their thoughts are taken into account in the decision making process. Indeed, leaders are responsible for following the will of the majority. However, great leaders possess open minds and recognize that the majority may support ideas that are counterproductive to the nation's best interests.

Politicians are elected to represent the people and they are responsible for taking into account the will of the majority. The will of the majority usually--but not in all cases-- reflects what works best for the nation as a whole. In the case of the United States, majority rule takes into consideration the opinions of "regular" people in society--not just those of the rich and powerful. In autocratic nations, however, all power and decisions are made by a small circle of leaders who are not chosen by the people and therefore, are not accountable to their needs.

In a pure majority-rule system, there exists the danger of repressing the rights of minority populations. For instance, following the majority's interests may subject minorities to second-class citizen status where they cannot express themselves fully and ensure that their fundamental needs are met. In the United States, the Forefathers included the Bill of Rights in the Constitution to serve as a counterweight to a majority-rule system. For example, minority populations can use the Bill of Rights as legal support for infringements of protected rights. Indeed, nations implementing a majority-rule system should provide mechanisms to protect minorities and prevent actions stemming from mob mentality---or actions taken by the majority on the basis of emotion and not reason.

Real leaders have a vision as to what will best serve the nation as a whole and therefore, are able to think analytically about the will of the majority. If they recognize that the will of majority is based on misguided desires, great leaders are able to put politics aside and stand up for what they believe is honorable and right. For example, in times of national economic crisis, the citizens will find a scapegoat to blame for all their problems--in this case, the illegal immigrants from Latin America. Especially in the last year, citizens have rallied for legislation to address the serious problems of illegal immigration; however, some of the actions taken have seem to be motivated more by hate and not by a rational sense of solving the problems. Great politicians recognize when the will of the majority is based on emotion and they do their best to allay or resolve their concerns without feeding into the negative energy.

Great leaders should understand the wishes of the people but in certain cases, take action that may upset the majority. They need to be cognizant of the our history where minority populations have been persecuted and make sure that to encourage citizens to view situations from a rational point of view rather than from pure emotion. Leaders not only decide what actions to take on behalf of the people; they are also able to clearly explain the basis of their decisions and convince others to agree with their reasoning.