By Dr Bertrand Ramcharan
Previously Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Fellow of the LSE.
Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman philosopher and statesman, penned some of the greatest works of political philosophy in history. The questions he asked echo still today: What is the foundation of a just government? What kind of rule is best? How should a leader behave in office? Cicero was a moderate conservative who believed in working with other parties for the good of his country and its people.
Cicero is widely acclaimed as Rome’s greatest statesman and orator. He was elected to the Roman Republic’s highest office at a time when his beloved country was threatened by power-hungry politicians, dire economic troubles, foreign turmoil and political parties that refused to work together.
In a book published by Princeton University Press, Philip Freeman translated and selected some of Cicero’s finest essays under the title of How to Run a Country. There are salutary lessons for a country like Guyana in Cicero’s writings. Guyana, a country with its indigenous peoples, the descendants of slaves and indentured peoples, and Guyanese of mixed origin, has experienced great challenges in the quest of nationhood and in governance, pre- and post-independence. The governance of Guyana continues to present formidable challenges.
Cicero thought that the best form of government embraces a balance of powers. Even the most noble rulers will become tyrants if their reign is unchecked, just as democracy will degrade into mob rule if there are no constraints on popular power. A just government must be founded on a system of checks and balances. Beware the leader who sets aside constitutional rules claiming the need for expediency or security. Guyana has seen the latter in abundance.
Leaders, Cicero counselled, should be of exceptional character and integrity. Those who would govern a country must possess great courage, ability, and resolve. True leaders always put the interest of their nation above their own. Governing a country is like steering a ship, especially when the storm winds begin to blow. If the captain is not able to hold a steady course, the voyage will end in disaster for all.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, Cicero advised. Leaders fail when they take their friends and allies for granted. Never neglect your supporters, but even more important, always make sure you know what your enemies are doing. Don’t be afraid to reach out to those who oppose you. Pride and stubbornness you cannot afford.
Intelligence is capital for leadership, Cicero advised. Those who govern a country should be the best and the brightest of the land. If leaders don’t have a thorough knowledge of what they are talking about, their utterances will be a silly prattle of empty words and their actions will be dangerously misguided. Can one say that Guyana’s leaders, of whichever party, have been the best and brightest of the land?
Cicero thought that compromise is the key to getting things done. In politics it is irresponsible to take an unwavering stand when circumstances are always evolving. There are times to stand one’s ground, but consistently refusing to yield is a sign of weakness, not strength. For Cicero, politics is the art of the possible, not a battleground of absolutes. In order to get things done, the different factions in a country must be willing to work together. This bears repeating in the Guyanese context.
Don’t raise taxes unless you absolutely have to, Cicero advised. Every country needs revenue in order to function, but a primary purpose of government is to assure that individuals keep what belongs to them, not to redistribute wealth. On the other hand, Cicero condemned the concentration of such wealth into the hands of the few and asserted that it is the duty of a country to provide fundamental services and security to its citizens. With its newly-found resources, raising taxes is now secondary as an issue in Guyana. But can one say the duty is being discharged to provide fundamental services and security to the citizens? Are the sea-defences secure in a country at risk from the rising ocean?
Immigration, Cicero thought, makes a country stronger. He pointed out that Rome grew from a small village to a mighty empire by welcoming new citizens into its ranks as it spread across the Mediterranean. Even former slaves could become full voting members of society. Cicero thought that new citizens brought new energy and ideas to a country.
Cicero underlined that corruption destroys a nation. Greed, bribery, and fraud devour a country from the inside, leaving it weak and vulnerable. Corruption is not merely a moral evil, but a practical menace that leaves citizens at best disheartened, at worst seething with anger and ripe for revolution. The most important thing for public officials to avoid is even the suspicion of greed and personal gain. This advice will raise eyebrows in the Dear Land of Guyana.
Cicero underlined that the job of a leader is to govern and to take decisions that are just, advantageous to the country, and in keeping with the law. The laws of a state rule over a leader. Ideally, the leader must be the voice of the law and the law the silent leader. The rule of government should be in harmony with justice. The leader of a country should strive for citizens to lead a happy life with financial security, abundant resources, good reputations, and honest virtue.
To Guyana with love. May its governance be wise and just.
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