If opinion polls are to be believed, Donald Trump is all set to win New Hampshire Primaries. The rise and rise of Donald Trump brings up a very pertinent question - Can businessmen (or women) be successful statesmen ? Possible, but unfortunately history is not on their side. Rarely we have seen eminent business persons at the helms of affairs of a nation.
Billionaire Trump boasts that if elected, he will build a fence on the Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it. A nation is not run like a corporation. You can't build a fence and bill your neighbor, as you send invoices to your clients in a business. Managing a country is not a business of managing boardroom or balance sheet. A country is not run on the basis of profit and loss. It's takes lot more than that.
It had been observed that Businessmen make poor politicians, national leaders or statesmen. Mitt Romney, a seasoned businessman, who could have been an exception to the rule, failed to enthuse the electorates in the citadel of capitalism. Despite his best efforts he could not get rid of the stigma of vulture capitalist. He could not connect to the commoners especially in a country where business and business men are not so frowned upon, unlike in many nations where they are not a whole likable lot.
I personally admire and respect businessmen for their vision, acumen and stewardship. They make champion managers, have exemplary people skills and guide their corporations to pinnacles of success. However their leadership is mostly limited to their boardroom, rarely beyond that.
History stands as a testimony to this fact. Our great great leaders Mahatma Gandhi, Subas Bose, Indira Gandhi (arguably the most manly Prime minister India ever had) did not have any business background. In America, the most capitalist country in the world, not non from Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton or Obama had business background. So also the English Churchill and Maggie Thatcher. So also the myth that a business person would make a national leader still lives on and on, yet to be vindicated.
Billionaire Trump boasts that if elected, he will build a fence on the Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it. A nation is not run like a corporation. You can't build a fence and bill your neighbor, as you send invoices to your clients in a business. Managing a country is not a business of managing boardroom or balance sheet. A country is not run on the basis of profit and loss. It's takes lot more than that.
It had been observed that Businessmen make poor politicians, national leaders or statesmen. Mitt Romney, a seasoned businessman, who could have been an exception to the rule, failed to enthuse the electorates in the citadel of capitalism. Despite his best efforts he could not get rid of the stigma of vulture capitalist. He could not connect to the commoners especially in a country where business and business men are not so frowned upon, unlike in many nations where they are not a whole likable lot.
I personally admire and respect businessmen for their vision, acumen and stewardship. They make champion managers, have exemplary people skills and guide their corporations to pinnacles of success. However their leadership is mostly limited to their boardroom, rarely beyond that.
History stands as a testimony to this fact. Our great great leaders Mahatma Gandhi, Subas Bose, Indira Gandhi (arguably the most manly Prime minister India ever had) did not have any business background. In America, the most capitalist country in the world, not non from Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton or Obama had business background. So also the English Churchill and Maggie Thatcher. So also the myth that a business person would make a national leader still lives on and on, yet to be vindicated.
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