This document discusses new forms of politics and a potential crisis of leadership. It suggests that leadership styles change over time based on economic and social cycles. While politicians and economic difficulties have contributed to a current lack of leadership in Western societies, changes in communication technologies and an emphasis on individualism have also negatively impacted politics. However, these challenges may not be irreversible, as democratic societies have historically overcome leadership crises when ready to embrace new forms of leadership.

1. New Forms of Politics:
A Crisis of Leadership?
Thibault Muzergues
#CCPC2, Barcelona, April 3 2014

2. A few words about me…

3. And what I do at IRI…

4. Leadership rules
Times and geography

5. Leadership rules
Times and geography

6. Typical qualities of a leader
In today’s societies
Inspiration
Strength
Action
Competence
Proximity

7. A crisis of leadership?

8. The role of the economic crisis

9. The role of politicians
Scandals
Lack of authority
Lack of results
Elections vs.
Governance

10. What if WE were also the culprits?
Changes in society

11. The end of ideology
and the rise of individualism

12. The end of ideology
and the rise of skepticism

13. The Internet and the Web 2.0 have
fundamentally changed politics

14. The positive impact of social media

15. But also a negative impact
- A more frequent and (sometimes) uncontrolled communication
- A spiral of “news making art all price” due to the new 24 hours
news cycle
- Images > text = appearance > content = emotions > reason
- The triumph of negativity
- More personal, more radical types of politics emerge

16. Are these changes and difficulties
irreversible?

17. It may be a question of cycles

18. Lifecycle A – the electoral model
?
Liberty
Individual freedom
End of Cold War
“Third Way”
Multicult./relativism
“End of History”
Freedom/Reform
Security
Fight against terror
???
Austerity

19. Lifecycle B – the economic model
1890s-
1920s
1930s-
1970s
1980s-
2008
2008-?
?

20. Conclusion
• The West’s current crisis of leadership has many (some profound, some
contingent) causes: politicians, economic situation, society and the “end of
ideology” are mostly to “blame”
• However, the current “spiral” of lack of leadership is not irreversible: it is part
of a cycle, and that cycle can be broken if society collectively chooses to do
so.
• This is one of the keys: as democracy advances, leadership also rests on
society being ready to be led (usually through a conscious choice: no
Roosevelt without the 1929 aftermath, no Reagan without the Iran hostage
crisis)
• Closed societies confronted to this type of challenge tend to do less well
when faced with leadership crises todays: think about the Arab Spring or
Maidan

21. Thank you very much!
For more on campaigning (and campaigns):
http://tmuzergues.wordpress.com
Facebook and Twitter: tmuzergues
tmuzergues@iri.org