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PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT, LEADERSHIP, AND STATESMANSHIP

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As the famous saying goes, leaders are God’s chosen people with divine power to direct

and influence positive development among individuals in a nation. Most people usually associate

the term leadership with civic governance; however, headship is not all about administration as it

covers varied aspects of life ranging from one’s personal lifestyle to societal issues. Markedly,

proficient leaders have innate attributes and skills that enable them to execute their management

duties effectively. In consequence, a nation’s success depends on the civil and clergy leaders’

abilities to deliver services geared towards uniting every citizen in a nation for collective

progress1. All the same, there are several biblical principles of governance, leadership, and

statesmanship, such as self-governance, covenants, and individuality that are applicable in firms,

society, and states. Effective leadership skills and the proper implementation of scriptural

ideologies by leaders are pertinent to a nation’s development as it was in the case with George

Washington and Patrick Henry in the U.S.

Part One: Summary of the Biblical Principles

Self-Government

People have varied interpretations of the term government since a majority of them think

that it only applies in civil leadership. However, there are two types of government, namely the

internal and external one. Biblically, an individual’s potential to lead a group of people depends

on their in-built leadership attributes and capacity to control his or her thoughts, actions, ideas,

motives, and desires among other aspects. Notably, an internal government cannot operate

efficaciously if the leaders do not possess the mentioned capabilities. In fact, statesmen are

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Adeniran Adetayo Olaniyi, “The Rational Approach of Obafemi Awolowo's Principles in Enhancing

Efficient Leadership and Good Governance through Intellectual Enormity,” Journal of Law, Policy, &

Globalization 49, no.101 (2016): 2225.

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advised to apply the leadership principles in their pursuit to restore liberty and foster unity

among citizens.

Covenant

Prosperity in every nation is dependent on factors, such as the citizens and leaders’

capabilities and commitment to stay united as they oversee or execute projects or activities

geared towards building a nation. In other words, effective leaders work tirelessly to unite all

citizens and encourage them to work towards the attainment of common goals, particularly

through shared visions. In fact, the Bible specifies covenants between man and God that several

frontrunners have used as guides to maintain and promote collaboration between them and their

juniors. From a civil perspective, a covenant or unity is the basis of political government,

leadership and statesmanship in a nation. Statesmen can embrace the covenant principal to unite

people that seek to liberate their nation from despotic ruling by fighting for justice.

Individuality

The principle of individuality denotes that every leader is God’s and therefore possesses

instinctive and unique guidance abilities. Besides, the theory reveals that all people are created

equal, which suggests that every individual has the capacity to perfect his or her innate headship

skills and be a competent leader. Since God created everybody in His own image, all humans

have the aptitude to perfect or improve on their leadership skills because He is also a faultless

leader.

Part Two: Application of the Principles by Washington and Henry

Some of the most renowned and proficient statesmen and leaders in the world have been

known to apply biblical principles to build powerful nations. For instance, Patrick Henry, the

former U.S. attorney demonstrated great statesmanship in the fight for his country’s liberty. He
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exhibited a strong sense of eccentricity since he was an active advocate for the United Sates’

emancipation from the British rule. In his speeches, he informed the citizens about their equality

by affirming that God created them equally. Besides, Henry campaigned for harmony among all

communities in the U.S. and encouraged the people to work towards a common goal, which was

to liberate themselves from the British rule. Collectively, Henry enacted the theological

principles of government, leadership, and statesmanship to inspire the U.S. citizens towards the

attainment of freedom and founding of the nation. As indicated, Henry applied the individuality

and covenant principles and presented himself as a capable leader that U.S. citizens revered.

Similarly, George Washington, the former U.S. president, is remembered for his

distinctive style of ruling and efforts to secure America’s independence. Washington possessed

exemplary leadership skills that fostered the formation of various democratic movements aimed

at creating a unified America. Through his incessant efforts, state that was initially divided into

southern and northern states were united to form a single nation, the USA. Most importantly,

Washington applied the covenant principle to unite America’s citizens at the time. Owing to his

statesmanship, he established a strong government that initiated and facilitated innumerable

developments in the country. To form a good administration structure, Washington fostered

equality and observed justice, a strategy that proved pertinent to the United States’ firm

foundation

Part Three: Application of the Principles in the Contemporary World

The application of biblical principles of government, leadership, and statesmanship is

extremely crucial in the contemporary world. Most countries across the globe are plagued by

racial and tribal division owing to factors, such as ideological differences and deceptive
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leadership among others2. Markedly, building a nation calls for unity between leaders and the

citizens. In fact, it is the full responsibility of the frontrunners to motivate and influence citizens

to embrace harmony. For instance, the current president, Donald Trump is keen to unite various

government sectors, a move that is fundamental in promoting the country’s prosperity. Besides,

Trump has made conscious efforts to work closely with South Korea to promote a strong

national economy from international trading activities.

Conversely, some leaders, especially in African states, are yet to form prosperous nations

based on statesmanship principles. The citizens in these countries still accommodate despotic

and corrupt governments that are characterized by in-human practices and underdevelopment. To

rectify such situations, the people should elect leaders that can apply the principles of

statesmanship to promote liberty, justice, and development. These frontrunners should also have

the capacity to employ the covenant principle to unite people from all tribes and foster collective

development. It is imperative that government leaders possess effective leadership skills and

work to encourage prosperity rather than use their power to advance their individual interests 3.

Similarly, the biblical principles of government, leadership, and statesmanship should act as a

guide to frontrunners in developing nations.

Conclusion

2
Patrick Overeem and Femke E. Bakker, “Statesmanship beyond the Modern State,” Perspectives on

Political Science, (2016): 8.

3
Klemens Von Klemperer, Ignaz Seipel: Christian Statesman in a Time of Crisis (Princeton, New Jersey:

Princeton University Press, 2015), 14

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Ultimately, the application of the biblical principles of government and statesmanship as

well as effective leadership skills is vital in promoting a prosperous nation. The ideologies of

statesmanship or rather the biblical principles of government, leadership, and statesmanship

include individuality, unity or covenant, and self-government. As indicated, the collective

implementation of these principles by frontrunners nurtures economically, politically, and

technologically prosperous nations. Prospective leaders can also emulate and learn from

celebrated frontrunners, such as George Washington and Patrick Henry, who demonstrated and

applied statesmanship principles to liberate America and build the country’s firm foundation.

Overall, the principles can also help to solve challenges in developing nations.
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Bibliography

Adetayo Olaniyi, Adeniran. “The Rational Approach of Obafemi Awolowo's Principles in

Enhancing Efficient Leadership and Good Governance through Intellectual
Enormity” Journal of Law, Policy, & Globalization 49, no.101 (2016): 2224-3240.

Overeem, Patrick, and Femke E. Bakker. “Statesmanship beyond the Modern

State.” Perspectives on Political Science, (2016): 1-10.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10457097.2016.1229563

Von Klemperer, Klemens. Ignaz Seipel: Christian Statesman in a Time of Crisis. Princeton,
New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2015.
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