"Only societies, like those of Australian Aboriginal peoples, in which power is thoroughly decentralised and embodied in custom rather than authoritative decisions, seem to escape it."

Power in traditional Aboriginal society is vested in people who meet two qualifications: they are male and have survived to a certain age. Since neither of these criteria have anything to do with leadership skills, the result is usually dysfunction and oppression. Any power 'embodied in custom' is presumably there to stop them doing too much damage. Let's not promote any Noble Savage myths here.

<<...we are easily seduced by the idea that we can buy leadership...>>

In 2006 GM-ALP rolled out its new deluxe sedan. The work of many years of research it was given rave reviews by most of the motoring magazines.Billed the all purpose family sedan with the looks of sports car and the carrying capacity of a coal truck.Its sleek exterior and chic European styled interior easily won the hearts of the public and took out the award as the best car of 2007, some enthusiasts even hailed it GM-ALP's greatest model challenge of our time.

However, soon after its release problems began to surface: first, its noise to performance ratio was poor; secondly, it was a gas guzzler and its owners were always out of pocket trying to keep it fueled, but worst of all, its steering tended to lock causing it to run off the road a lot.

Eventually in June 2010, in response to public complaints and falling sales the boys at GM-ALP replaced it with a new no-thrills sedan, based on the old East German Trabant.It wasn't very sporty but was billed as reliable. It too had problems, the chief of which was it never kept its promises: the dash would often show the fuel tank full whilst it was empty.

But the back room boys at GM-ALP hadn't given up.They had been working around the clock on the 2007 sedan and after a couple of false starts had it ready for re-release in 2013. By June 2013 there were models of the sedan in all motor dealer showrooms. Adults mobbed it ooooing and arring and infants dribbled and garr garred. sales of the re-released 2007 model skyrocketed.

But one troubling note has recently surfaced. We here a SPQR Motor Magazine have had our panel of experts take it on a test drive--mind you they had to queue up for hours for the privilege --their initial findings, just texted in, are that the only thing that appears to have changed is the addition of a new super-duper paint finish-- Full details in the August edition of SPQR-Motor-Magazine.

A very interesting article.

Given that humans are conditioned from birth by authority figures, it is no wonder that we grow up thinking that we need, no, must have, leaders. Of course, those who lust after power and wealth are happy that most citizens think, sorry, are conditioned to think this way!

If we were truly educated instead of being thoroughly conditioned and programmed, we would have no need for leaders because each one of us would be a leader and capable of separating the wheat from the chaff!

But that would not be welcomed by the Rulers of the Universe, would it? Better a mindless population who can be kept under control and will keep buying products they don't need.

Gillard was no leader and neither is Abbott. Rudders has leadership qualities and the multitudes of two-legged Pavlov's dogs who worship him are adoring of him!

Education of the masses? It will never happen!

Leaders, god help us.

Remember the big three of the early/mid 20Th century Europe?

One got millions killed, one got a whole country destroyed, & one got even more millions of his own people killed in the fighting, & again more AFTER the fighting stopped.

Yep, Churchill, Hitler & Stalin.

God please give me a world without leaders, particularly the pretender we now have in Oz.