The cult of the leader

August 22^nd 2007 – French magazine Paris Match has airbrushed a picture of French Prime Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. He was canoeing shirtless and a subtle love handle was digitally removed to polish the iconic image of the French leader. Recently, European media raved about the good shape and physical health of President Vladimir Putin as he was seen strolling through rural Russia…shirtless once again. The media have never been far from these seemingly nonchalant, yet extremely photogenic, vacationing figureheads.

We seem to be back to the absolutist age all of a sudden. Does a love handle imply that our leader will lead the country to financial ruin? Does a flabby chest mean degrading international relations? Does a sturdy and solid build guarantee a strong military organisation for a Nation? OF COURSE NOT! Therefore, the only other alternative implies that governments take us for idiots. They are trying to add a metaphysical aspect to their administration by controlling the physical/metaphorical image of its leader. This process has been called the “cult of the leader” by French historian Michel Winock. I should clarify that this last author actually qualified this concept as one of the six characteristics of totalitarian fascism.

In the 1920s, when Benito Mussolini took power in Italy, his fascist dictatorship greatly incorporated this notion. Mussolini’s office in Rome would always be lit, not to pretend as if he was always working, but to assert that he actually WAS always working. It is a process of semi-deification; the leader was superhuman and thus, was untouchable. Furthermore, “Il Duce”, as he was called, would tour the country to visit the rural and distant estates of his domain. He would then take off his shirt, pick up a scythe and harvest wheat with the farmers for a full day without stopping. Such feats of strength provided an idyllic and undefeatable figure (even icon), and therefore, these characteristics would apply to Italy. Also, it made the superman apparently immune to mistakes, demagogy and assassination attempts.

The Cult of the leader was greatly important in the fascist ideology because the “guide” was not a representative of the nation or its people; he WAS the nation and WAS the people. It rendered democracy redundant and unnecessary.

Sarkozy, Putin and maybe even George W. Bush being photographed on a Texas ranch have adopted this subtle attempt and superhuman status, a cleaver boost to the solidity of their respective administrations. There is nothing wrong with this and you could argue that it is absolutely harmless. I just don’t LIKE being taken for an idiot, do you?

(Pictured: Mussolini posing for a statue-like keepsake - the incredible Sarkozy and his incredible, disappearing flab.)

End.