Righteous Leadership

Among the requisite qualities of a leader is righteousness. Righteousness is defined as dedication to the public welfare regardless of the cost to oneself. A righteous leader does not shrink from facing difficult problems.

He is committed to public justice and fights to establish it, overcoming any obstacles along the way. Moreover, he knows that a great task requires sacrifice, not only from himself but also from his subordinates. He never takes their suffering for granted and has the greatest solicitude for the hardships they must endure, yet he perseveres despite these difficulties.

He keeps to the task for the sake of future generations. On the personal level, a righteous leader has integrity. He does not seek to profit from his office, and he never misuses public funds for his own benefit. Any corruption is toxic and to be avoided at all costs.

A Passion for Justice and a Fierce Love for the People

I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man. Thomas Jefferson

And if God had not repelled some men by others, the earth would have been corrupted. Qur’an 2.251

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Exodus 8.1

Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; you shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” John 2.13-1

Whoever of you sees something of which God disapproves, then let him change it with his hand; and if he can not do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart; and that is faith of the weakest kind.
Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 34 (Islam)

Those are the future saviors of the peoples Who through Good Mind strive in their deeds To carry out the judgment which Thou has decreed, O Wise One, as righteousness. For they were created the foes of Fury. Avesta, Yasna 48.12 (Zoroastrianism)

My mission, today, is the same as it was at the time of the Prophet. I shall strive till I eradicate impiety and injustice, and till I establish a rule of justice and truth, a humane and heavenly regime. By God! Have the Quraysh given up realizing who or what I am? I have fought against them and defeated them when they were infidels, and now I will fight against them to remove their tyrannous, unjust, and impious rule. Today I am as much their well-wisher as I was during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, and my courage and determination have not diminished.4 Nahjul Balagha, Sermon 38 (Shiite Islam)

How can he be said truly to love, who exacts no effort from the objects of his love? How can he be said to be truly loyal, who refrains from admonishing the object of his loyalty? Analects 14.8 (Confucianism)

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. Sir Winston Churchill A man should share in the distress of the community, for so we find that Moses, our teacher, shared in the distress of the community. Talmud, Taanit 11a (Judaism)

And I [Moses] looked, and behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had made yourselves a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly from the way which the Lord had commanded you. So I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes. Then I lay prostrate before the Lord as before, forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin which you have committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure which the Lord bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. Deuteronomy 9.16-19

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
What kind of person is a true leader?

He can deal with every difficult situation. Misery and hunger do not dissuade him. Though he encounters tragedy and weeps bitter tears, he never thinks of turning back.

Even in the face of death, he continues to push forward. He does not mind suffering losses in the present as long as his actions will benefit future generations and advance the purpose of God. (118:41, May 2, 1982)

Don’t be pulled by your circumstances. You yourself must pull your circumstances. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

The path of a person who upholds goodness is not smooth. Not many people welcome an individual who strives to cultivate a character of exceptional goodness, especially as he tries to separate the evil environment from his surroundings.

There is opposition when he tries to build a family of goodness, and even stronger evil forces surround and oppose any attempt to build a tribe of goodness.

If he were to lead that tribe of goodness to expand to a nation of goodness, tremendous evil forces would no doubt raise their flag against him and try to block his way. And if he were to try and lead that nation of goodness to establish a world of goodness, then evil nations, rather than helping the nation of goodness on its way, would no doubt oppose it in every way possible. (36:52, November 15, 1970)

In order to become a person capable of carrying a great responsibility, You must establish the foundation that you can master your circumstances and build upon them. You must be the most outstanding in advancing the Will of God.

You must be foremost in considering the whole purpose. You must be concerned about your subordinates and pray for them before you eat or sleep. You must think that you exist for them, not they for you. You must want to add your effort to whatever gifts God has given you. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

Jesus visited his disciples after his resurrection because, although they betrayed him, he could not betray the pledge he made to them. A leader cannot be at ease until he carries out his pledges. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

Does anyone respect a leader who thinks only about the present and not the future? I don’t believe that any leader of a nation is like that. A great leader has a vision of the future and inspires people to endure suffering for the sake of the future. (97:88, March 1, 1978)

Leaders can never lead without tears. True leaders are those who foresee that their nation will face trials and train their people before the tribulations come by driving them into suffering and hardship. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

A leader acts on Principle and at the sacrifice of himself

Confucius said, Those rulers whose measures are dictated by mere expediency will arouse continual discontent. Analects 4.12 (Confucianism)

Anyone who is to be prime minister must prepare their heart and two eyes. When the eyes are clear then one can know the honest and the dishonest. When the heart is impartial then one can advance the honest and retire the dishonest. Chu Hsi (Confucianism)

Duke Ching of Ch’i asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, saying, “Let the prince be a prince, the minister a minister, the father a father, and the son a son.” The Duke said, “How true! For indeed, when the prince is not a prince, the minister not a minister, the father not a father, the son not a son, one may have a dish of millet in front of one and yet not know if one will live to eat it.”5 Analects 12.11 (Confucianism)

The closest to Allah and most loved by Him in the hereafter is the just governor, and the farthest from Allah and most hated by Him is the aggressive and unjust governor. Tuhafit al-Ahuazi 1327 (Islam)

The gentleman weighs his abilities before entering office, rather than the other way around. Chu Hsi (Confucianism)

Your Majesty, what is the point of mentioning the word ‘profit’? All that matters is that there should be benevolence and rightness. If Your Majesty says, “How can I profit my state?” and the coun-selors say, “How can I profit my family?” and the officials and commoners say, “How can I profit my person?” then those above and those below will be trying to profit at the expense of one another and the state will be imperiled. When regicide is committed in a state of ten thousand chariots, it is certain to be by a vassal with a thousand chariots, and when it is committed in a state of a thousand chariots, it is certain to be by a vassal with a hundred chariots. A share of a thousand in ten thousand or a hundred in a thousand is by no means insignificant, yet if profit is put before rightness, there is no satisfaction short of total usurpation. No benevolent man ever abandons his parents, and no dutiful man ever puts his prince last. Perhaps you will now endorse what I have said: “All that matters is that there should be benevolence and rightness. What is the point of mentioning the word ‘profit’?” Mencius I.A.1 (Confucianism

The king Wu Ting appointed Yueh prime minister. He gave Yueh his instructions: Morning and evening, send in your reprimands, and so help me to patch up my personal virtue. Imagine that I am a steel weapon; I will use you for a whetstone. Imagine I have to cross a big river; I will use you for a boat and oars. Imagine I am a year of record drought; I will use you as a copious rain… You, yes you, teach me what should be my aims. You be the malt that works up the brew. Imagine we are making a good soup, you be the salt and prunes.6 Book of History 4.8.1-3 (Confucianism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Who is a man of character?

He is a man who can stand in the central position in society. When there is a man of character in the village, he plays the central role in the material and spiritual lives of the village people.

For this reason he is an object of respect. A nation likewise centers on a man of character; he is its representative. Society forms as the people make mutual relationships centering on him. Likewise, the world also requires a man of character as the center. (29:125, February 26, 1970)

The taller a tree grows, the deeper its roots go down into the soil. If its root is exposed, the tree will either wither away or be uprooted by a strong wind. A leader is like that root. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

Looking back on your life, you should be able to say, “I took responsibility for the most difficult problem in my church. I took responsibility for the most difficult problem in my nation. More than that, I took responsibility for the most difficult problem in the world.” (113:111, May 1, 1981)

Those who sacrifice positively become central figures. Among the children in a family, the one who sacrifices the most is respected as the filial child. A nation chooses patriots for its leaders because they sacrifice more than ordinary citizens.

Among saints also, the one who sacrifices more than others becomes the saint of saints. This is a heavenly principle. (113:326, May 10, 1981)

Make up for your leader’s shortcomings and help him grow. He who judges his leader stands in the position of Cain. But he who conceals his leader’s faults and tries to take responsibility for him will stand in Abel’s position someday. (Way of God’s Will 1.3)

The biggest obstacle [to good government] is politics. Politicians should not misuse the political process to enrich themselves. They should submit to a system of management. They need to follow the rule of law. Mismanagement of public funds wreaks injustice in society.

The fundamental problem is politicians’ desire for inordinate wealth. No one in a position of power should seek to be wealthier than ordinary people. Instead, they should give the best things to others for the sake of the whole. If leaders are content to live with a below-average income, then equalization will become automatic.

Otherwise, the misuse of public money is the biggest threat to a prosperous future.

The second problem is personnel management—to change people’s positions unfairly and arbitrarily. Democracies and other regimes as well divide into and perpetuate factions—ruling and opposition parties, and their leaders grant position and status based upon party loyalty.

This causes tremendous damage. Experienced and capable people who were settled into their jobs are crushed and removed, or at least blocked from rising higher so they can offer greater service. Left out of favor, they flounder about and cannot improve their status. Such misuse of politics will have to disappear.

A new management system must be instituted that provides equal opportunity to all and rewards people fairly based on their merit. Once again, this requires that public money be distributed fairly and equitably. (324:253-54, June 24, 2000)

The Righteous Leader Keeps Away from Corruption

There is no vice more detestable than avarice, more especially in great men and such as bear sway in the government of a state. Cicero (Hellenism)

He who receives office in order to profit from it is like an adulterer, who gets his pleasure from a woman’s body. God says, “I am called holy, you are called holy; if you have not all the qualities which I have, you should not accept leadership.” Pesikta Rabbati 111a (Judaism)

Do not ask for the position of authority, for if you are granted this position as a result of your asking for it, you will be left to discharge it yourself; but if you are given it without asking, you will be helped [by God]. Hadith of Muslim (Islam)

By God, any official who takes anything from the public funds without justification will meet his Lord carrying it on himself on the Day of Judgment. Hadith of the Muslim (Islam)

Bribery is the door through which all manner of sins. Those who live by bribery cut off their mother’s breasts. Somadeva, Nitivakyamrita 17.184 (Jainism)

The great Way is easy, yet people prefer bypaths: The court is corrupt, The fields are overgrown with weeds, The granaries are empty; Yet there are those dressed in fineries, With swords at their sides, Filled with food and drink, And possessed of too much wealth. This is known as taking the lead in robbery. Far indeed is this from the Way. Tao Te Ching 53 (Taoism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Whether religious leaders or politicians, their greatest weakness is selfishness. (299:105, February 6, 1999)

Among two people, the one who willingly works for the sake of others—for something greater transcending himself—stands on the side of good, while the other who does whatever is expedient for his own self-interest, is evil. Government officials should live for the sake of the nation. If instead they use their office only to benefit their own families, they are evil. (170:175-76, November 15, 1987)

Do not rob from your organization’s funds for your personal use. It is destroying the public environment and every bit as unlawful as robbing the state. Anyone who does such things, no matter how they try to live a good life, will not succeed. (347:85, July 3, 2001)

If you value your personal property more than public property, you are violating heavenly law. If you value your private life more than your public responsibility, you are violating God’s will. (51:291, November 28, 1971)

When you [leaders] arrive in the spirit world, what will be reckoned as the most serious sins you committed on earth? The first is misusing public funds; the second, not doing your very best for your public mission; the third, violating the Principle. These are the three major sins. (97:155-56, March 12, 1978)

You ministers, be careful. Using the church for your selfish purpose is the same as using God. Therefore, when guests visit your church or when you are out evangelizing, you should never occupy your mind with the question, “Would this person donate a lot of money?” (33:164, August 11, 1970)