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Title: Leader Author: A. Lapayre Date: 1934 Language: en Topics: Anarchist Encyclopedia Source: Retrieved on November 15, 2011 from http://marxists.org/reference/archive/faure/1934/encyclopedia.htm
Leader: English word (from to lead) passed into common usage. One of
those words universally used.
In the English parliament the leader is the member of the assembly who
groups around him the men of the same party, of the same opinion, who
pursue the realization of the same program. We naturally distinguish the
leader of the government from that of the opposition...the leader is the
most visible personality of his party.
By extension, we call “leader” the main article of a newspaper. Also,
the horse that leads a race, gallops at the head of the others.
In a party one must be careful not to take the leader for the most
serious, the most cultivated, the most intelligent man. Often he is
nothing but the most versatile, the lowest, the most ignorant. His
“superiority” resides in his ability to raise himself to the leading
position by the usual political means, i.e., intrigue and a lack of
conscience. Being a repetitive loudmouth, or having a tireless
flexibility are enough to make of a man the leader of his party. Rare
are those who impose themselves through their talents or their
convictions; and in the youngest and most enthusiastic movements — like
socialism — the Jaurèses and Lenins are exceptions.
Almost all the political leaders of our era were and are nothing but
incorrigible blabbermouths and outright scoundrels. And from palinodes
to betrayals they have led the masses to discouragement when they
haven’t delivered them through their double game to the blows of their
adversaries.
— A Lapeyre