A memoir titled Power and Principle, written by Zbigniew Brzezinski, a former US National Security Adviser in Jimmy Carter's administration, made one key point -- power and principle must blend as one.
If containment is the highest principle of diplomacy, the exercise of power must adhere to that principle. If morality or human rights is the basic principle of diplomacy, then power can't be exercised as though containment were the guiding principle.
Simply put, any national leader must first grasp his ruling principles. After that, power becomes the servant of principle and the exercise of power cannot overstep these guidelines. Both foreign and domestic policies should comply with these rules.
In domestic policy, "partisan struggle," "the middle road," "minority government" and "coalition government" are also different principles. The principles may be abstract ideas or practical goals. But in any case, can different principles cannot coexist.
If a national leader, for example, takes "reconciliation between political parties" as his ruling principle, then he can't at the same time engage in "partisan struggle." Reconciliation and struggle are two conflicting principles.
But why do spoken principles and those which are put into practice contradict one another ? One factor is that politicians can be blinded by power to the extent that they sacrifice principles; some politicians have no principles at all. Some so-called principles are no more than false pretenses to facilitate the exercise of power.
Consider President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Plans to form a coalition government following the December elections represent the highest principles of state management within Chen's current domestic policy. With this principle already clearly defined, Chen should adhere to it in the exercise of all of his presidential powers. Yet his current words and deeds run counter to it.
If Chen wants to facilitate the creation of a coalition government, he needs not only to express goodwill, but also to build an atmosphere of reconciliation.
Instead, Chen has published a book in which he lashes out at all opposition leaders, as though he has been wronged by everyone. The goal of the creation of a coalition government is to make allies of enemies, but, to date, Chen has not only failed to reduce his enemies in number, he has successfully turned them into to fight-to-the-death foes. In such circumstances, how can a coalition government ever become a reality?
In addition, though hurling abuse at the opposition while stumping for DPP candidates is unavoidable, Chen has forgotten his role as president. When the president "lashes out," his "lashing" must befit his standing as the nation's president.
Chen must not be bitter or resort to character assassination at the slightest provocation. The need for the president to behave "presidentially" cannot be altered just because Chen is out campaigning. A-bian is clearly a pure "situational politician." In the current election campaign he has forgotten his status and his principles.
Politicians who are capable of merging power with principle -- even if they ultimately fail -- will enjoy a good conscience and command respect.
Even if they enjoy power for a time, politicians who have "power without principle," who are "heavy on power but light on principle," or who have "real power but bogus principles" will have difficulty escaping the judgment of history. They will also trap themselves in an administrative predicament. Isn't this too big a price to pay?
Wang Chien-chuang is president of The Journalist magazine.
Translated by Ethan Harkness and Scudder Smith
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