New Type of Political Leadership Needed

The Imperative for Intellectually Astute & Morally Firm Political Leadership in Today's Complex World

KS Advisory - Insights - May 01, 2024

In an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation and the dismantling, and deconstruction of the post-WWII global institutional scaffolding, (some needed, some not), socio-economic challenges, and unprecedented technological advancements and their implications, the role of political leadership has never been more crucial.

Yet, amidst this complexity, a pressing need exists for a new breed of political leaders—individuals who possess not only traditional political acumen but also cross-disciplinary intellectual depth, extensive knowledge, and real worldly experience. It is time to acknowledge that the challenges of today's world demand a different and more robust type of political leader.

The call for intellectually astute political leadership is not a mere idealistic aspiration but a pragmatic necessity. The complexities of today's world demand leaders who are politically savvy, intellectually curious, well-rounded, and deeply informed. Only by embracing these qualities can political leaders effectively navigate the challenges of our rapidly changing times and lead their societies towards a brighter and more prosperous future.

However, it's notable that the many in political leadership positions seem to lack these qualities. One could argue that, for example, our polarizing societies and the decline or decay of democracies are symptoms of this intellectual and moral deficit in political leadership. According to the University of Gothenburg’s V-Dem Institute’s DEMOCRACY REPORT 2024, Democracy Winning and Losing at the Ballot Since 2009, “almost 15 years in a row – the share of the world’s population living in autocratizing countries has overshadowed the share living in democratizing countries.”

It may be too late for elections this year, but we need to have better candidates to choose from in the future. By prioritizing intellectual depth, interdisciplinary expertise, high integrity, moral uprightness, and worldly experience, political leaders can rise to the challenges of our complex world and inspire confidence in their ability to lead effectively. Indeed, this is crucial that we at the least seriously consider our options given our complex and fast-changing world requires us to reconstruct our existing processes and procedures and usher in a new era of political leadership by requiring all people aspiring to lead to meet the criteria needed for leadership. It’s time for a critical transition, a critical reset.

Financial markets seem not too concerned about the swath of elections about to surface. This is a mistake. Major elections for global markets include the EU and US elections where the stakes are very high.

As such, unexpected outcomes or extreme results can surface, including elections that are interfered with or results that are contested. Election risks also include higher taxation, more protectionism and nationalism in the guise of “national economic security”.

Portfolio Implications - It is best to approach these elections, major events with caution and position portfolios accordingly.

References:

https://www.v-dem.net/

https://www.journalofdemhttps://www.v-dem.net/ocracy.org/

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