Synonyms
Human inequality; Political creativity; Political entrepreneurship
Political leadership, in a parsimonious definition, refers to the impact on decision-making and political outcomes that results from action by the holder of political office. Thus, it is connected with leadership style and may be rooted in certain character traits of the leader’s personality.
As such, however, it is at odds with core principles of democracy, most evidently equality coupled with the doctrine of popular sovereignty and guarded by the constitutional division of powers. Democracy ultimately rests on the premise of the rule of many embedded in rule of law. Hence, in terms of liberal and democratic theory, political leadership and democracy are contradictory.
Speaking empirically, the relationship between the two is slightly more ambiguous. The practice of liberal democracy is based on – the ensurance and endurance of – representatives’ accountability and responsivity. Voters are principals, who...
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Wineroither, D.M. (2013). Political Leadership and Innovation. In: Carayannis, E.G. (eds) Encyclopedia of Creativity, Invention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3858-8_319
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