A second hypothesis is that individual leaders can have a significant
influence upon their countries' diplomatic or military might. The French
emperor Napoleon Bonaparte is an example to demonstrate this hypothesis; he
was considered to be one of France's greatest military generals who
personally led his army from one victory to another throughout Europe. A
third hypothesis states that nations possessing leaders prone to risk-
taking are more likely to wage war. Hitler demonstrated this by first
invading France and later trying to invade Russia despite the enormous risk
of incurring military defeat.
A fourth hypothesis states that nations led by leaders with predictable
behaviors can develop longer lasting alliances. Democratic leaders are
thought to best exhibit this behavior as seen by the close alliance
fostered by the US and Britain through their leaders Franklyn D. Roosevelt
and Winston Churchill. A fifth hypothesis states that the more power is
exclusively concentrated in the...
The grand Ayatollah Khomeini exhibited this behavior best
when he fashioned the Iranian government in a way that made it easier for
him to possess the final say in every political matter.
A sixth hypothesis states that a leader starts becoming more powerful
when the nation is experiencing a time of great change or crisis. A good
example of this happening is when Hitler was able to take full control of
German politics from the people due to the after effects of WWI, the rise
of Communism and
Fascism, and the economic chaos wrought by the Great
Depression.
A seventh hypothesis is that individuals can influence a nation's
internal institutions to reflect his/her
foreign policy choices. So it can
be seen that a leader like Hitler was able to bring various internal
forces, such as the German military and
public, together towards supporting
his ambitions of conquest. An eighth hypothesis is that individuals can
shape their countries'
position of power in the world. A clear example is
how France was able to attain an even greater status as a major world power
thanks to Napoleons military successes in Europe.
Works Cited
Byman, Daniel L. and Pollack, Kenneth M. "Let us now praise great men:
bringing the statesmen back in"
International Security, Vol. 25, No. 4
(Spring 2001). Pp. 107-146
