Poll: Should a leader be feared or loved?

[Hippobatman]

Snip

I actually made a thread very similar to this one, a long, long time ago. Funny to see the topic brought up again.

Anyway, I'd say respect and admiration are far greater feelings for the general populace to have about their leaders, though I guess that is fear and love on different levels. And I do agree on the V For Vendetta quote which was mentioned; people shouldn't be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of its people. This ties in another philosophy, which was formed by Hobbes, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong), who proposed that there was a social contract between the people and the ruler(s). If the contract was broken, IE the ruler was not fit for the task, the people could, and should, rebel against the ruler. Hobbes follows the notion that people give up some of their freedom to establish a ruling force to reap the benefits everyone would consequently have.

It's been a while since I last read any of Hobbes' work, so forgive me for not explaining further, but I'm a bit uncertain of the details regarding his philosophies.

 

[thylasos]

I think a leader should be elected. That simple, really, surely?

Pretty much. And scrutinised, once in office.

 

[CosmicCommander]

They call fear the most powerful commodity in the Universe. That's why no-one should have a monopoly over it.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I think they should be floved. Daily if possible.

 

[plugav]

If we're talking kings/dictators, then both. But loved first, because fear only works in the short run. Compare Shakespeare's Henry V [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikynTH9oJg8] and Macbeth.

You might of course say Stalin, for example, ruled by fear his whole life. But think of how much was spent on propaganda meant to make people love him and fear the West instead.

 

[xdom125x]

Is it too much to ask for both?

Damn, beat me to it.
I would say being loved is better because:
fear leads to hate
hate leads to blah blah blah
blah blah blah leads to the dark side... or assassination.

 

[Paragon Fury]

Both.
Their enemies should fear and respect them, and their followers should love them and respect them.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Loved, most likely... though maybe somewhere in the middle, like respect.