The Coronavirus Pandemic: Leadership and The Pitfalls of “The Ignoble Lie”
Powerful Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa and Other Third World Countries With Poor Healthcare Systems.
Heads of States, government officials, chief executive officers of corporations and leaders of businesses and institutions around the world are in the spotlight as they make critical, sometimes life and death decisions about the lethal effect of the novel coronavirus.
When a nation faces an emergency or national crisis, the trustworthiness and calming voice of its leader are very crucial for stability and ultimate recovery from the crisis.
As health officials and first responders in the healthcare community try to get a handle on COVID-19 outbreaks, the information and instructions provided by leaders and the tone they set, have significant impact on the coping mechanisms and psychology of the general population. The health and well-being uncertainty, the economic, social, educational and other disruptions of their daily activities make the stakes higher.
Should a leader ever lie to the people or intentionally downplay the severity of a national crisis? Should falsehood be delivered to the people in order to mitigate their anxiety about the situation?
These questions are not new. They have been asked over the ages in response to “The Noble Lie”, in Plato’s monumental work, the “Republic” (Book 111, 414b — 415d). The controversial “noble lie,” is one of the underlying foundations of the “just regime” advocated by “the character” Socrates in the dialogue.
The Noble Lie
In response to the crisis of his day, Socrates, the great Athenian philosopher, wanted to create the mythical “perfect city” and “just regime” in pursuit of the “Common Good” i.e. the “good of the city”. He was more interested in the “good of humankind” than the “happiness of individuals”. In arguably the most important section of Book III in Plato’s Republic, Socrates proposes that he and his fellow interlocutor Glaucon devise a “Noble Lie” (414b). The “Noble Lie” would have two components.
First, Socrates states: “I’ll attempt to persuade first the rulers and the soldiers, then the rest of the city — — — as though the land they are in were a mother and a nurse, they must plan to defend it, if anyone attacks, and they must think of the other citizens as brothers and born of the earth”, (414d — 414e).
In the second part, the citizens are divided into a kind of natural hierarchy of gold, silver, iron and bronze souls that is fashioned by “the god”. “All of you in the city are certainly brothers, we shall say to them in telling the tale, but the god, in fashioning those of you who are competent to rule, mixed gold in at their birth; this is why they are most honored; in auxiliaries, silver; and iron and bronze in the farmers and the other craftsmen”. (415a).
The intent of the “Noble Lie” is that if people can be made to believe it, they will be strongly motivated to care for the city and for each other. Everyone will mind his own business and there would be peace and stability in the city.
However, over the centuries, several great thinkers who have responded to this particular dialogue in Plato’s Republic have felt otherwise.
Immanuel Kant, the influential 18th century German philosopher said under no circumstance should you lie. John Stuart Mill, the great 19th century British philosopher and utilitarian was also an opponent of the “noble lie”. He was particularly interested in utility and consequences. For him, the utility of lying is much less than the utility of telling the truth.
No matter what your views are about Plato’s Republic, it is probably undeniable that the practical implications of the “noble lie” are just as relevant today as they were 2,400 years ago when this dialogue was written.
Trust or lack of trust in the leadership, the fear of the unknown, and the scale and level of social interaction have always been existential constants in the life of the ancients and in our lives. That is why mitigation of widespread public fear based on truth and ensuring trustworthiness in the leadership must go hand in hand.
The Ignoble Lie.
So, what is the “ignoble lie”? The ignoble lie, as construed in this discourse is willful and intentional deviation from authentic data and scientific facts. The “lie” descends precipitously from noble to ignoble when basic scientific facts and realities are ignored for the sake of political gains or personal aggrandizement.
Data and information are important in developing strategy. If there is no data-information, there will be no strategy, and bad or woefully inadequate data-information leads to bad strategy and unpleasant consequences.
Clearly, today in our world, there is a huge disparity in the quality of the healthcare systems and infrastructure in the developed world and the nations of “The Bottom Billion” most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa.
First World nations can recover relatively quickly from Ignoble Lies because of the underlying strength of their institutions, their infrastructure, the depth of scientific knowledge and their economic vitality. Thus, even if a few precious weeks are lost due to ignoble lies, recovery will occur once the lies are corrected.
Not so for Third World nations. Their recovery in such a situation would require major external assistance, and most likely will be accompanied by massive loss of lives. Furthermore, unless an entire sub-continent like Sub-Saharan Africa is put on lockdown, which is totally impractical, the unpleasant ripple effect will be felt across the Atlantic and Indian oceans and the Mediterranean sea. Hundreds of millions of people could be negatively impacted.
So, what are the “dos and don’ts” for the leadership in Third World nations and the developed world when the next epidemic originates in a nation with poor healthcare system?
Given the continuous infringement of mankind into the abode of the lower mammals and the changes in the global ecosystem, it is only a matter of time before the next epidemic originates in Sub-Saharan Africa or in a region with poor healthcare systems. When that happens, the leaders must avoid any form of lie, whether noble or ignoble.
Any deviation from truth and the scientific reality of the situation will most likely result in widespread catastrophy. The leaders, both inside and outside the epicenter of the impending pandemic must address the situation with truth, honesty, wisdom and precision.
The information provided to the public must be based on data and scientific facts and the health and safety of the general population must come first. In most of the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa, if false information is pushed by the leaders, there is virtually no cushion for recovery without suffering massive casualties.
The current coronavirus pandemic is another wake up call for the inept and corrupt leaders of the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa to change course before it is too late. The mammoth corruption in the region must abate, the pursuit of knowledge must take center stage and the leaders must put the well-being of their citizens first.
Without further delay, the leaders of these struggling nations of Sub-Saharan Africa must commence the long overdue process of resuscitating their poor performing nations “From Within”.
No amount of largess from the West, China or India will make a dent in the poverty and misery of the majority in this woefully underperforming region of the world. Sub-Saharan Africa has all the tools, human and natural resources to put its house in order and stop the chronic dependency on other segments of the human race. Time is of the essence.
