Abstract
The general health of a President or PM (or, indeed, of a top adviser) becomes an extremely important factor when that individual is subjected to the great stress that a crisis can induce, and enters a psychologically disturbed state. Either poor health can be exacerbated by the stresses induced by crises, or stress could cause ill health in an otherwise fit human being. In such conditions health can be the difference between a decision-maker resolving a crisis or falling into a state of fatigue or illness and making poor policy choices. For example, in August 1918 Ludendorf’s mental and physical health was adversely affected and decision-making became painful if not impossible for him. He became agitated, nervous, depressed, excited, out of control, irascible, lachrymose and was on the verge of collapse.1 This could have been due to the thyroid gland that was later removed in 1926.
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Notes and References
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© 1988 Jonathan M. Roberts
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Roberts, J.M. (1988). General Health of Decision-Makers During International Crises. In: Decision-Making during International Crises. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-19482-7_9
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