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Leadership and Uncertainty
Management in Politics Leaders, Followers and Constraints in Western
Democracies
Edited by Agnès
Alexandre-Collier and François Vergniolle de Chantal
Palgrave Studies in Political Leadership Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015 Hardcover. xi+284 p. ISBN 9781137439239. £75
Reviewed
by Emma Bell Université de Savoie Mont-Blanc
This collected edition
brings together contributions from leading scholars in American, British,
German, French and Italian politics to offer a fresh comparative perspective on
the neglected question of leadership strategies. Through a series of case
studies, it aims to go beyond traditional analyses of individual leaders by
focusing on the specific institutional, cultural and political frameworks in
which they operate. This neo-institutionalist approach allows the authors to
examine not just how political leaders interact with the electorate but also
with their parties, the media and civil society. Some contributors even shift
their focus from leaders themselves to analyse the role played by those around
them, such as spouses/partners (Frame and Brachotte) or political staff (Coste).
Whilst leaders may be constrained, and to some extent moulded, by external
factors and actors, they are shown to play a highly active role, regardless of
whether or not they may be regarded as what the editors describe as
‘game-changers’. Indeed, despite the diversity of themes and periods covered in
the different chapters, all contributors tackle the essential question of how
leaders actively grapple with risk and uncertainty. Uncertainty in politics has
several sources and manifestations. It may be prevalent in existing political
institutions such as the US Senate and House of Representatives (Vergniolle de
Chantal; Meyer) or in relatively new institutions such as the Scottish Government
(Leydier). It may result from political opposition which can force leaders to
adopt new practices: the UK’s David Cameron, for example, has accepted the
practice of the referendum which became established under Labour governments
from Harold Wilson through to Tony Blair. A considerable amount of political
uncertainty can also result from intraparty conflict. Whilst this is often
regarded as having a more significant influence on UK politics (Avril;
Alexandre-Collier; Langlois; Tournier-Sol) due to the fact that the Prime
Minister is more dependent than an elected president on his/her party’s
support, it is also evident within the Republican movement in the US (Meyer;
Godet). Furthermore, uncertainty can stem from the rivalry that may exist
between different organisations purporting to represent the interests of
different groups (Picard). A number of contributors also highlight the
contextual uncertainty than results from external crises such as war
(Schnapper; Heinemann) and, in the case of the UK, the thorny question of EU
membership (Tournier-Sol; Alexandre-Collier). Yet, whilst uncertainty is
generally regarded as emerging from sources external to the leadership, at
times the leadership itself may be a source of uncertainty, particularly when a
leader does not conform to what is traditionally expected of him/her, as in the
case of Ronald Reagan (Coste). The main focus of this
volume is on the strategies used by different leaders to overcome these
uncertainties. Many chapters highlight the importance of charismatic leadership
in this respect. Whilst ordinariness can sometimes be regarded as a virtue in
political leaders (such as in the case of Edward Heath), Langlois goes so far
as to suggest that this may ultimately lead to their downfall. Indeed, she
argues that the ability to be an ‘inspirer’ and ‘myth-maker’ is the sine qua non of successful leadership.
Certainly, the most successful leaders discussed in this collection, whether
assessed according to their capacity to hold on to power or to wield extensive
political influence, are all highly charismatic. Blair lived up to Weber’s
notion of charismatic authority (Schnapper), whilst Reagan, despite his manifest
managerial incompetence, succeeded in inspiring the public and his staffers
alike (Coste). Even more minor political leaders, such as Petra Kelly, the
founder and first chair of the German Green Party, have shown themselves to be
capable of inspiring both activists and ordinary people and thus exerting
significant influence (Richter). Yet, the contributors to this volume highlight
that charisma alone is not sufficient. As Avril points out, organisational
structure is also very important. Even more important is the capacity of
leaders to make effective use of the media to ensure that their political
vision is successfully communicated. Many contributors highlight
the effective use made of the media by leaders as diverse as General De Gaulle
(Heinemann), Petra Kelly (Richter), Tony Blair (Schnapper), Nicolas Sarkozy and
Berlusconi (Bonnet). Yet, whilst the latter, ‘the caricature of the
communicator’ (Bonnet), was particularly successful in using the television
media to bolster his political power, he failed to adapt to the new digital
media environment and was in any case constrained by institutional rules
respecting pluralism in the Italian media. The importance of adapting to social
media such as Twitter has not been lost on leaders such as Barak Obama and
David Cameron and other contemporary leaders whose partners’ presence on such
networks has often helped to favourably impact upon their own image (Frame
& Brachotte). Keeping on top of new media
is certainly a good way for leaders to portray themselves as modernisers and to
be seen to be connecting with their electorate and civil society more widely.
Former Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, is an excellent example of a
leader who managed to effectively portray himself as a moderniser, at the helm
of a new Scottish Government. His popularity stemmed not just from his natural
charisma but also from his ability to identify himself with the Scottish nation
(Leydier), thus tapping into nationalist sentiment. Leaders often appeal to
nationalist sentiment and a sense of patriotism by involving themselves in
international politics, promoting the international visibility of their
nations. Margaret Thatcher seemed to understand this well, engaging British
troops in the Falklands/Malvinas and relying on British diplomacy to contribute
to ending the Cold War. Blair attempted to reassert Britain’s position on the
international stage via his policy of liberal interventionism. Whilst success
in military interventions in Kosovo and Sierra Leone might have initially
strengthened Blair’s position both at home and abroad, the war in Iraq shows
how even the most charismatic of leaders can be overcome by external events
(Schnapper). In analysing the various
strategies deployed to overcome political certainty, the contributors to this
volume focus primarily on the link between the agency of individual leaders and
the framework in which they operate. Much attention is given to the political
and social aspects of that framework. A couple of contributors (notably Bonnet,
Frame and Brachotte) note the cultural differences which might explain
divergent leadership styles, such as those which differentiate Protestant and
Roman Catholic heritage. It would have been interesting to explore this aspect
of the question further. The introductory and concluding chapters usefully draw
out the common themes which characterise leadership strategies in the different
nations studied but regrettably they do not highlight national differences or
attempt to pinpoint what might explain these. The volume is nonetheless a
timely and valuable contribution to existing studies on leadership. The
question of uncertainty is particularly relevant in the context of economic instability,
global conflict and terrorism. Within Europe, growing insecurity and the
refugee crisis are contributing to the rise of new forms of populism.
Meanwhile, mainstream parties are tearing themselves apart over ideological
differences (especially on the Left – one need only think of the Socialist
Party in France) and even, in the case of the UK, over continued membership of
the European Union. Only the most formidable of leaders can succeed in
overcoming such uncertainty. Rather pessimistically, what the contributions to
this volume reveal is that style and strategy will ultimately triumph over
substance.
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