Observation by Jeremy Thompson [New Zealand]
Among the thoughts I have had about Politics and Love include the following contemporary examples at polar opposite ends of the political spectrum
- Vladimir Putin
President of Russia exemplifies the worst of Politics of Power on both humanitarian and financial grounds. First the humanitarian impact of Putin’s rule is chilling in many ways. For example, within Russia, resistance to Putin’s chosen direction is likely to result in death or the gulag. Playing out in front of our eyes in 2022, is the massive cost in lives lost or ruined by Russia’s illegal invasion of a neighboring sovereign state, Ukraine. Those with access to a free press will appreciate all too well the horrors being inflicted and Putin’s complete indifference to human suffering, whether of Ukrainian civilians, Ukrainian armed forces or indeed, Russian soldiers with no real choice but to follow orders or pay the ultimate price. Or follow orders and still pay the ultimate price. On financial grounds, for example, in September 2018, Danske Bank published the findings of an internal audit it was pressured into conducting. US$234 billion had been laundered through this one bank alone. Others followed with the potential total of Putin’s theft from his own people amounting to over US$1 trillion.
These actions have to be the ultimate negative example of the politics of power.
- Jacinda Ardern
New Zealand’s Prime Minister has achieved international acclaim and respect, first for her values-based leadership following the Christchurch Mosque attacks. More recently she addressed the UN General debate 77th Session. I quote: “Covid 19 was devastating, it took millions of lives, it continues to impact on our economies and with that, the well-being of our people. It set us back in our fight against the crisis of climate change and progress on the sustainable development goals while we looked to the health crisis that was right in front of us. And while we enter a period now where the crisis (Covid 19 pandemic) is subsiding, the lessons cannot. Covid schooled us, it forced us to acknowledge how interconnected, and therefore, how reliant we are, on one another.”
Jacinda Ardern is an example of how a strong leader can exhibit ‘the Power of Politics’ motivated by Love for her People in a positive way with humanitarian goodness at the centre of policy formation.