Political leadership Romulo Betancourt

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Political leadership: Romulo Betancourt

Giving direction to a group of people requires a strong personality. This therefore leads to the question, who is a leader? A leader is an individual who guides others towards a universal objective showing the way by example and develping an atmosphere in which other group members feel actively engaged in the whole process. He or she is not the boss of the team but a person committed to carrying out the mission of the venture (Thomas 349). A good leader should be a good listener focused organized available decisive confident among other traits. In the current world the most outstanding or notable leaders are political leaders or simply politicians. It is striking how politicians tend to be lumped together and stereotyped. Nothing good is often said of them or politics as a profession. This seems strange since these are the people who are entrusted with steering a country. The people that are not recognized are the ones responsible for political, economic and social prosperity of a nation (Thomas 377).

As much as people always have nothing good to say about some of these leaders, there are few who have stood up to fight for the cause of the people. A good example of these leaders is Romulo Betancourt. This is one of the most notable Venezuelan presidents. He is well known and generally referred to as ‘the father of Venezuelan democracy.’ He was born in 1908 a time when the country was violent, facing arbitrary individualism and often chaotic. Brought up in these conditions, this formed a strong basis for his political ambition (Thomas 365). He did get an early exposure to politics. His first exposure was in 1928 at a tender age of twenty while at the university. He was a student leader who led a failed attempted coup.

Just like any other leader, he was not spared a jail term since he ended behind bars. After being released from jail he spent eight years in exile. This is not surprising as this was the political trend in military ruled countries. While in exile his political ambitions did not die. In the words of Robert J. Alexander, ‘no other Venezuelan political leader of his time could have succeeded under all this circumstances.’ After coming back from exile at the age of thirty five he became a very famous politician. Since his life was constantly threatened, he spent most of the years between 1935 to 1944 underground as he continued his opposition against dictators (Thomas 367).

As the book Romulo Betancourt and Transformation of Venezuela puts it, ‘in a country where it was forbidden to the opposition to use the radio that was a golden opportunity to bring its point on view on petroleum reforms to all Venezuelans through a network of national stations.’ He sympathized with communists while he was in opposition (Thomas 378). During his time in hiding he however managed to achieve a great deal of things for instance he laid down the groundwork for what could become Venezuela’s leading party ‘action democratic.’ Since Romulo was a great leader, he had the interest of the people at heart.

During his time in opposition, he championed for democratic leadership, agrarian reforms, universal education, improved health care system as well as the overall growth of the economy. Betancourt was aware of the importance of agrarian revolution as later quoted that, ‘now the waiting is not that of frustration and desperation but that of those who know that there is underway an irreversible process of bringing to the back and abandoned rural areas land for those who work it hygienic housing schools doctors and medicines.’ In 1945 he became president by heading a group of military reformers in a coup d’état. While in power Betancourt achieved a great deal of things. For instance he ruled without dictatorship (Thomas 389).

The policies he introduced in the country such as half of the country’s oil export income is used domestically saw the government improve national housing build more schools for the people as well as clean water services (Thomas 374). The sanitary conditions of the country also improved greatly. Romulo himself once observed that on the basis of 1955 prices as 100 the cost of living had risen in 1958 to 103.4 and five years later was only 108.3. He concluded that, ‘the increase of the cost of living during this period is one percent per year which does not have an equal in any other country of Latin America. While in power he enacted a new constitution in 1947. His advocacy for progressive policies such as foreign investment policy saw an improvement in urban housing (Thomas 375).

The question one should is how he managed to achieve all this. He used a number of tactics to implement the action democratica’s policies. He constantly negotiated with and rewarded all the opposing groups. The leaders that worked with him also integrated organized peasants and labor groups into the party network. He also employed foreign policies that improved his international stature and contributed to the success of his centrist and nationalistic politics. It is no doubt that was a great leader (Thomas371). What might have made him to achieve greatly during his time in office was his personality. He was decisive. He executed a great deal of judgment and was always calm when it came to choosing between conflicting situations.

Betancourt was few of the non materialistic leaders. He never used his position for material gains and neither could he allow those in power during his tern to do so. A historian who specialized in Latin America once wrote that, ‘if moral authority and high principles counted Betancourt loomed as a titan in the history of Venezuela.’ His strong believe in practical idealism was a guiding factor that enabled him to set and achieve his targets (Thomas 379). As a good leader he was a good listener. He had a good capacity to listen to advice but kept to his own counsel. He also exercised a great deal of self control and had great values both morally and physically. His respect for the people and the rights of the individuals made him beloved by all.

Even though Betancourt could rule with a firm hand, he exercised a great deal of tolerance towards political idealism. When faced with situations that called for a keen judgment he was always able to strike a great deal of compromise between different parties and this always moderated aggression (Thomas 374). Betancourt was a man with great ambition with power, ‘vocation for power’ as the Venezuelan phrase goes.

Romulo Betancourt was born in country political unrest military coups individualistic ideas as well as violence was rampant. Feeling for his people he was strongly motivated to seek a long lasting solution to all these problems failure to see a solution emerge is what might have pushed him into politics (Thomas 381). During his political career he did what he had set out to do since he was one of the few leaders to have held democratic elections in his country as well as a peaceful handing over of leadership to the eventual winner in 1965. His denial recognition of any government that came to power by military has led to what is now commonly known as ‘Betancourt doctrine.’

From a keen study of Romulo Betancourt, it is quite clear that current citizens need to fight for a number of issues that will see justice prevail just like Betancourt did. For instance, it is always very important to realize the value of ethical behavior. We need to exercise ethics in performing our duties and exercising the power entrusted upon us (Thomas375). The practice of equity and respect is also another important aspect that we need to look at. Self respect as well as the respect for others will see people serve fairly and equitably. Responsibility is a value that one cannot ignore. To make a good leader one should be responsible and fully accountable for their actions.

In conclusion, Betancourt was a leader worth emulating. His believe in social justice as well as economic development through democratic leadership deserved emulation. Even though he is deceased, he will forever be remembered as the father of Venezuelan democracy for his contribution to the country. His non materialistic nature is a value all leaders should adopt to avoid misuse of public property for their own selfish gains. On Betancourt’s death Ronald Reagan stated that, ‘I speak for all Americans in expressing our heart felt sadness at the death of Romulo Betancourt (Thomas 376). While he was the first and foremost Venezuelan patriot he was especially a close friend of the United States. During the 1950s he considered U.S asylum while he was in exile and we were conceited to receive him. We are honored that this courageous man whose life was dedicated to the principles of the people and those of liberty justice… we join the Venezuelan people and those around the world in mourning his death.’

Work Cited

Thomas, Thomas. Understanding Politics: Ideas institutions and issues. Edition 9. Cengage Learning. Victoria. 2010.