Topic: Politics
On Political Courage Political courage just isn't what it used to be. Maybe we need to recalibrate our perspective.by Josh Koch
(libertarian)
Monday, June 16, 2008
Reading the newspaper today, one can hardly escape the term "political courage." It is everywhere, but it finds its most common application in describing politicians. As a veteran and a student of the classics, I find the term insulting and crude.
This weekend, I had the unique opportunity to read a portion of Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics. Aristotle was a backlash to Plato's latter-day abandonment of Socrates' humble quest, the discovery of fundamental truths by examining the world around oneself. His description of courage is key to our discussion:
And so with courage: by habituating ourselves to despise danger, and to face it, we become courageous; and when we have become courageous, we are best able to face danger. (Source)
The key element of such an understanding of courage is that it exists in the man or woman who eschews danger normally, but, upon counting the cost, decides to risk all for the good of his home and nation. This is a candid description of courage, and it is the one that makes the most sense.
In this day and age, we tend to confuse prowess on the battlefield with courage. Prowess on the battlefield is defined by a particular action, better described as "valor," whereas courage is the sole province of the archetypal citizen soldier. It is as though a regular military member displays little courage by shipping out to war as that is the nature of his job, while a Guardsman or a Reservist is capable of displaying more courage specifically by the virtue of the fact that chasing danger is not his or her active profession.
Put in plainer terms for a political context, the everyday politician is incapable of the full measure of political courage precisely because politics is his everyday profession. Political careers, as with active-duty military life, are fraught with potential hazards, whereas the average citizen is a stable person with obligations that preclude dangerous living and glory-seeking.
This is, of course, quite a different concept from our culturally accepted norms today. In today's world, politicians thrive on dwelling in the spotlight or in outright cowardice and servility. The former receive accolades from their myriad supporters for controversial behavior, which is precisely the substance of their political being. At best, under our definition above, they could be counted as valorous in this cause or another, but courage itself is something entirely out of their reach.
The reason for this is simple: They are not citizen soldiers sacrificing homes, careers, and the good life for a greater good when their wont is prudent living. They are full-time political mercenaries whose very existence requires them to sustain a level controversy and danger. Who, then, has true political courage?
True political courage belongs to Teddy Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena." He or she is a quiet citizen who shuns fame and political fortune normally, but who decides to risk all for a particular end because it is in the best interests of the nation, state, and locality. One's valor will describe the bravery of overcoming individual obstacles and adversaries, but the courage is the key element that allows valor to exist. In this light, no career politician can exhibit courage, only an average citizen who commits to extraordinary sacrifice can be described in such terms. "Political courage" is the domain of small men and women who do great things, and it is unattainable by mere politicians. Perhaps, when we discover this ancient principle, we will be able to save our Republic.
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