Statesman facts for kids
A statesman or stateswoman is a highly respected and experienced political leader. Think of them as someone who is very good at leading and making decisions for a country.
A statesman is often seen as the opposite of a typical politician. While some politicians might do things just to get elected or gain power, a statesman always works for the good of all the people they represent. Calling someone a statesman shows you have great respect for their honesty and strong moral principles. For example, George Washington is almost always called a statesman. An elder statesman is an older leader or advisor who is seen as being above everyday politics.
What Makes a Statesman?
In 51 BC, a famous Roman named Cicero wrote a book called De re publica (On the Republic). In this book, he talked about what makes a true statesman. He described the good qualities and ideas such a leader should have.
Cicero believed that a great statesman did not need to come from a rich or noble family. Instead, they needed to have:
- Virtue: Being good and doing what is right.
- Justice: A strong sense of fairness.
- Wisdom: Being smart and making good choices.
- Dignity: Showing respect for themselves and others.
- Temperance: Being calm and not going to extremes.
- Generosity: Being kind and willing to give.
- Magnanimity: Being noble and forgiving, especially towards rivals.
A statesman has strong core values. They will not change their beliefs just to help their political career. If a change in policy is needed for the good of the people, they will make it. They do this even if others criticize them.
According to Hans J. Morgenthau, a writer on politics, statesmen see things as they really are. They think about how a decision will affect their country. A statesman is different from a king. A statesman does not want to control people. Instead, they want to teach people so they can live well in a democracy. Like the ancient Greek thinker Plato, Alexis de Tocqueville believed a statesman not only educated people but also helped shape their character.
When Abraham Lincoln became President of the United States in 1861, many people saw him as a simple country person. He had never traveled to Europe. Americans and foreign visitors thought he was rough and unsophisticated. The Dutch minister even wrote that Lincoln and his wife seemed like "western farmers." He felt their manners made them look silly.
Even though many do not remember Lincoln as a great leader in foreign policy, he truly was. Like a real statesman, Lincoln skillfully managed foreign relations. He did this during the very dangerous time of the American Civil War. The United States was weak and open to other countries getting involved. According to Kevin Peraino, Lincoln should be seen as one of America’s most important foreign-policy presidents. Historians agree that Lincoln was a great statesman. He worked hard to make his country stronger. He set the stage for America to become a world power later on.
Famous Statesmen and Stateswomen
- Aung San Suu Kyi
- Nelson Mandela
- Margaret Thatcher
- Noam Chomsky
- Dalai Lama
- Simón Bolívar
- Hans Blix
- Otto von Bismarck
- Benjamin Franklin
- John Marshall
- Martin Luther King
- Demosthenes
Related pages
See also
In Spanish: Estadista para niños
