Seeking a New Kind of Leader for the ‘War’ Against COVID-19
Military-Inspired Political Charisma Doesn’t Work Anymore
When COVID-19 began its surge in March, politicians worldwide rushed to cast themselves in a familiar role. Donald Trump described himself as a “wartime president.” Emmanuel Macron of France solemnly proclaimed that “we are at war.” Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom tried to channel an inner Churchill: “[I]n this fight we can be in no doubt that each and every one of us is directly enlisted.” Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines even threatened to treat citizens who defied lockdown orders as enemy soldiers and shoot them.
The move to military …