Our Book Review

Erwin C. Hargrove has written many books on leadership and presidencies, some for example are; Leadership in context, Jimmy Carter as President, Presidential Leadership, and Presidents, Politics, and Policy. These books were all books on leadership and someone leadership roles as a president. One of his best books on leadership and presidents is The President As Leader: Appealing to the Better Angels of Our Nature. In the book he overviews three presidencies and talks about what it takes to be a good leader as president.

Hargrove Starts off by quoting famous historians and past presidents. He uses such quotes to support his argument that successful political leaders effectively combine political arts and skills with intellectual and moral leadership. He uses Aristotle and Machiavelli as good leaders who were able to do this. He says that Aristotle was able to bring the citizens together through these methods. Hargrove then posts two conceptions of politics. One has to deal with policy innovation due to majority views and the other a leader having stability and balance. He goes on to use examples from Wilfred Binkly and Richard Neustadt to support his argument. Hargrove also says that Character is a necessary component of a good president. He also says that presidents use tradition to lead. They use tradition to make decision and lead their country.

Hargrove then goes into three presidencies. He talks about Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Ronald Reagan. He starts out with Roosevelt saying that he was able to use his ability to persuade people in his presidency. He said that Roosevelt’s presidency was mainly focused on the war going on in Europe. Johnson’s presidency was first put into office as a vice president and when Kennedy was assassinated he took over the presidency. When he ran for reelection he won that and was able to carry out his own views rather than Kennedy’s. Finally Hargrove talks about the life that Reagan had. He had a tough life growing up and became an actor once he got to college. He decided to turn his career to politics and became the governor of California. He ran for president and won against jimmy carter. Reagan was known for being a phenomenal public speaker.

I agree with Hargrove’s argument to be a successful leader one has to use moral leadership and their intellectual skills. If a president uses morals he will most likely make the right decision. However, there are instances where a president has to stray away from their morals. An example is during World War II. America decided to bomb places in Germany that would kill innocent civilians. It was known that we would be killing civilians but we had to proceed with this action to deflate German moral during the war. This helped the U.S. win the war even though morals were not followed. As far as intellectual skills it is a necessary requirement for a president to be smart. With a smart president they are able to use reasoning and listen to peoples views and not be influenced by them but still take them into consideration. This way the president can compile many views together to make the right decision for the country and for his people.
I also agree with Hargrove’s argument that presidents need to be innovative. This is because if a president were to just do what others have done our nation would still have slavery. Abraham Lincoln was a very innovative president. He started the end of slavery. He was able to use his morals and determine that slavery was wrong. Without his innovation we would still be having slaves. Although it caused the country to split it was the right thing to do and he stood by his actions and was able to end slavery. Innovation is very important in presidencies.

Hargrove makes arguments that are very true. A president must use morals to lead. He also needs to use his intelligence to make important decisions. It is necessary to use innovation to make decisions and help to make the nation better. Hargrove does a good job of outlining what it takes to be a president and showing three examples of good leaders.

Book Reviews

William F. May, "Persuasion and Discernment: The Gift of Leadership - Review," Christian Century, March (1999)

This is a good book review for our book. It outlines the Hargroves ideas and what he is trying to portray throught the book. It talks about the three ideas that he posts on Jeruslum, Athens, and Sparta. He also talks about the three presidents that Hargrove outlinse. This is a good bookreview because it covers the entire book. He also says his ideas on Hargorves views.

Peri E. Arnold, "The President as Leader: Appealing to the Better Angles of Our Nature: Review," American Political Science Review, December (1999)

This is not a very good book review. It does not cover much of any of the book. It is too short to outline the book and say the writiers own opinion on the book.

Chapter 7 - Leadership of the Polity

Chapter seven is a recap of the first six chapter with different information added. Hargrove adds to FDR saying his greatest skill was rhetoric and used it most effectively in the crisis period, and again in WWII. Lyndon Johnson was a masterful legislative leader who understood myriad kinds of bargaining and had the ability to make them work for him anytime. However his character got him in the way and the American people didn’t like it. Reagan was a terrific speaker and a better strategist. He was emotionally self-confident without being arrogant. Hargrove again emphasizes his man focus on Aristotle because of his leadership.

Chapter 6 - Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan had a tough life growing up with an alcoholic dad. In college he led a student strike against the president of Eureka, as a freshman he was into acting throughout college and won a performance award at northwestern. As a politician Regan transitioned from a liberal democrat to a conservative republican. In 1966 Reagan fan and won as the governor of California. In 1960 Reagan ran for president as Jimmy Carter who was running for reelection. In an odd election, Reagan defeated carter with only 28% of eligible voters voted. In his first year Reagan assembled an experienced staff, worked together with congress privately and devoted time to economic and defense programs. All three decisions were directed contradictions of Carter’s decisions. Reagan’s signature of his presidency was working with Mikhail Gorbachev to reduce the gunpowder and rivalry between the 2 countries.

Chapter 5 - Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson grew up in an unhappy family and was also depressed. After dropping out of college the first time he eventually attended San Marcos state teacher’s college. Johnson was never popular from college to his early politician life. As Kennedy was assassinated and Johnson took over his first words to the people were “Let us continue.” It was a difficult job because he had to assure stability to every American. He was never voted in, so he carried out Kennedy’s ideas and plans, not his own. A civil rights bill was one issue that Johnson had to worry about. In 1964, the public approval rate was 70 percent.

Chapter 4 - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Describes as supremely skill politicians and a good leader, Franklin Roosevelt’s most proficient skill was his ability of persuasion. He grew up wealthy in old Hudson valley aristocracy and attended Harvard University. Roosevelt served in the New York legislation and was a candidate for vice president in 1920. In 1930, FDR campaigned as a “progressive,” offering themes of reform, in contrast to republican litany of prosperity. He considered himself a new kind of democrat. FDR ran for president in 1932 and won with 54% popular vote. In his first 100 days FDR focused on banking, mortgages, creating unemployment, and regulating securities in the late 30’s, FDR’s presidency was all about the war going on in Europe.

Chapter 3 - Cultural Leadership

The Tradition of cultural leadership has worked in American civil religion as presidents used narrative to tell a national story, invoke nation ideals, and make important decision. Hargrove uses an example of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. Hargrove says, “His language was biblical in its prophetic tone. He told Americans that they are a people with a higher calling and asked them to resume their national identity. It is highly unlikely a British of Canadian leader would lead with that type of language. The purpose of government is to protect the creativity of entrepreneurs and markets. On page 92 of the book, Hargrove makes a chart of the presidents who are in the category of preparation, achievement, and consolation. In preparation are Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton. In achievement is Wilson, FDR, Truman, Johnson, and Reagan. In consolidation are Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, and Bush.

Chapter 2 - Conceptions of Leadership

According to Hargrove in American politics, 2 conceptions of politics action are important. The first deals with coalition in a purist, polity, and dispose to politics of stability and balance. Second evokes electoral mandates where popular majorities are depicted as the reason of policy innovation. Hargrove believes a sense of limits and desire of boldness is both essential for politics. In 1937, Wilfred Binkly said that the presidency is not primarily an administrative office but “preeminently a place of moral leadership,” in agreement in Hargrove. Richard Neustadt, who wrote Presidential power, the most important book on the presidency in the past 50 years said, “an ideal president has to understand that decision making is a seamless web in which each decision influences and is influenced by others. Character is a key characteristics of a president according to Hargrove. Strong character builds confidence and makes them emotionally secure to make them successful leaders.

Chapter 1 - Power and Purpose in Political Leadership

Hargrove starts out chapter 1 with quotes from Abraham Lincoln and James Madison to help make his central inquiry on how political leaders effectively combine political arts and skills with intellectual and moral leadership. Hargrove, then talks about, Aristotle, and Machiavelli and how they derived political leadership. Both Aristotle and Machiavelli use the elements of realism and idealism. Aristotle used polity, a form of government that link oligarchy and democracy, to create unity among citizens while respecting their diversity. Machiavelli agreed with Aristotle, but accepted demagogy and deception as a part of a virtuous government. The primary goal in division of labor according to Aristotle is to malice it possible for citizens to live good life of moderation, contemplation, and reason. Hargrove’s final argument in chapter 1 is mutuality under law, is the key to a good government.

Want to buy this book?!

Amazon is one of the various places where you can buy this book from heres a link -> Amazon.com

Why i choose the book?

I choose The President as Leader by Erwin Hargrove. We choose the book to learn more about the president. Also to learn more about his powers. Later on we will be summarizing the book and giving a current event discussion time table.

<- that is our book!