Poll: Should a leader be feared or loved?

[Veylon]

"It is better for a prince to be feared than to be loved."

It's worth pointing that a prince, especially a fourteenth-century one, is considerably different than a leader. Machiavelli also noted that hated rulers tend to have a short life expectancy because assassins are honored when they murder tyrants and thus have an interest in doing the deed.

In short, being feared is necessary, being loved is useful. But that only applies to despots.

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

They should be loved by their people and feared by everyone else.

I agree with this.

 

[Condor219]

From a person who's been a hockey captain a LOT over the years, you need about and 85-15 love-fear ratio, love for uniting the team under a common banner, fear for keeping them from getting out of line.

But I think this ratio applies in a lot of places.

Edit: and also, I agree with the poster above me.

 

[Ham_authority95]

For the last paper in my English class we have to write a paper on whether a leader should be feared or loved. The paper is based off the writings of Machiavelli. I was just wondering what you people think. I already have my paper mostly finished and i was just wondering what others thought so i'm not actually using this for my paper its just a question.

A leader should lead. People should not be lead by him because they love him, but because they love what he'll do for their country(or gang or tribe or other body of people)

Even then, having a single "leader" figure for a modern nation is a bit loaded, because it often leads to bad things.

 

[Lilani]

How about we say both, but change "fear" out for "respect?"

 

[Yopaz]

Should include either respect or other in this poll. A leader should NEVER be loved, nor hated. A leader should be respected (our prime minister is as far away from that as possible).

 

[BanthaFodder]

"I say... is too much to ask for both? that's how dad did it, that's how America does it... and it's worked out pretty well so far..."

 

[hailfire]

feared is a short term solution, but loved is a long term solution. being feared might last you five or ten years before people revolt and kill you, but being loved is damn near impossible to achieve, and often times people don't love you until you've already done something, so in the beggining people still hate you.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

change "fear" out for "respect?"

This. A leader who is feared will only be followed out of a fear of punishment. A leader who is respected will be followed because his people know he'll do what's best for them, even if they don't see it at the time. No leader should be feared, except maybe by the enemies of the people he's leading, all good leaders should be respected, especially by those who follow them, and while it's highly recommended that they be loved, it's not necessary.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

loved


when you have their love, you have their respect, when you hold respect, you hold unity, and unity dominates as a nation.

america. fuck yeah.

 

[Mild_en_Snakz]

Neither, we should be vigilant and always watchful.

 

[Saelune]

How about the leader just be good?
But besides that, loved. When you love someone, you do things for them youd never do otherwise. Fear just makes you hateful and bitter and more likely to try to escape them or topple em.
Now, their enemies, it should be feared, but hopefully because they are good at dealing with their enemies as opposed to say, bein overly violent and scary.

 

[Choppaduel]

Based on how prevalent islam is: BOTH.

 

[RJ Dalton]

Neither. A leader should be respected. If the leader isn't someone that the people can respect, it doesn't matter if he's feared or loved.

 

[Atticus89]

Be loved by your people, respected by your allies, and feared by your enemies.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Wheres the option for both?

I had an ex-marine leading my old guilds raids in WOW everyone loved him but they daren't do anything wrong out of a respectful fear of his quiet disdain.

He wasn't elected or anything to do it he just always took over and everyone did what he said. Like Commander Shepard, only an Orc. Some people just have the knack I think.

Everyone knew who the real guild leader was, I was just a figurehead.

 

[pyramid head grape]

I will go with loved on this one.

 

[Ulvai]

First and foremost - he must be competent.

 

[KiraTaureLor]

For the last paper in my English class we have to write a paper on whether a leader should be feared or loved. The paper is based off the writings of Machiavelli. I was just wondering what you people think. I already have my paper mostly finished and i was just wondering what others thought so i'm not actually using this for my paper its just a question.

A Leader should be deeply respected, but are we talking about an ideal leader, or today's leaders?

 

[Canadamus Prime]

I would think that you'd get more out people if they respect you rather than if they fear you.