Power, wisdom and world leaders...

“If we Sapiens are so wise, why are we so self-destructive?” wrote Yuval Noah Harari in his latest book, Nexus. It’s a question that should echo in the halls of parliaments, presidential palaces, and global summits.

I cannot escape the uneasy thought that our current crop of world leaders, like many before them, have often failed to exercise wisdom alongside power. They inherit authority, sometimes with charisma, sometimes through calculation, yet too often without the humility or foresight needed to guide humanity through complex crises.

History is rich with cautionary tales of leaders who wielded immense power but failed to marry it with wisdom. The Roman Emperor Nero, remembered more for his excesses and vanity than for any constructive legacy, watched his empire slide into turmoil.

In the 20th century, Benito Mussolini’s aggressive nationalism promised glory but delivered ruin to Italy, while Adolf Hitler’s destructive ideology plunged the world into the deadliest conflict in human history. These examples are not cited here to indulge in condemnation for its own sake, but to underline a pattern, when leaders confuse power for infallibility, the results are catastrophic.

As the historian Lord Acton famously observed, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” The tragic irony is that the more power some leaders gain, the further they drift from the very wisdom that could save them and their people from ruin.

Psychology offers insights into this imbalance. The “power paradox,” as described by Dacher Keltner, notes that while power is often earned through empathy and social intelligence, it is frequently lost through self-serving and impulsive behaviour.

Over time, leaders can become insulated from dissenting voices, cocooned in echo chambers where flattery replaces constructive criticism. When leaders stop listening, they stop learning. And when they stop learning, they start ruling in ways that serve their own image rather than the public good.

In the modern era, we see echoes of these failings, though in a more complex and globally interconnected context. Political figures in various parts of the world, from superpowers to small states, often seem trapped between short-term popularity and long-term responsibility.

Consider the divisive leadership styles of figures like Donald Trump, whose rhetoric polarised the United States and weakened international alliances, or Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, whose dismissive approach to environmental stewardship drew global concern over the Amazon’s future.

Even in democracies admired for their institutions, such as the United Kingdom, leadership miscalculations around Brexit revealed how political ambition can overshadow prudent, fact-based governance. On the other end of the spectrum, Vladimir Putin’s pursuit of geopolitical dominance in Ukraine has destabilised not only his own economy but also global security. These leaders may differ in ideology and approach, yet they share a dangerous tendency to prioritise personal or national ego over collective human welfare.

The safety of populations under such leadership is questionable. The interconnectedness of today’s problems, climate change, economic inequality, pandemics, technological disruption, demands leaders who can think beyond electoral cycles or personal legacies.

A leader’s failure to act wisely on climate policy, for instance, is not a distant threat; it is a present danger, as wildfires, floods, and food insecurity affect millions. The philosopher Plato warned in The Republic that “the heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior.” The modern equivalent is that our reluctance to demand accountability invites leadership that is reactive rather than visionary.

Power and wisdom need not be enemies. Wisdom, rooted in knowledge, ethics, and empathy, should be the guiding principle of power. The biblical King Solomon is often cited as a model, using his authority to seek justice and resolve disputes with insight. Similarly, leaders like Nelson Mandela demonstrated that moral courage and inclusive vision can wield as much influence as military might or economic leverage.

Yet in practice, the union of power and wisdom is rare. Too often, leaders see wisdom as a constraint rather than a compass, fearing it will limit their capacity to act decisively. This is a misunderstanding. Wisdom is not the absence of boldness; it is the discipline that ensures boldness serves a greater good.

If we are to reverse the self-destructive tendencies Harari speaks of, we must demand more from our leaders and perhaps more from ourselves. Leadership should be measured not by the number of laws passed, enemies defeated, or GDP points gained, but by the depth of long-term stability, fairness, and dignity it provides to citizens.

The French writer Voltaire once quipped, “It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.” In our era, it is dangerous for the world when leaders refuse to admit they are wrong at all. Humility, informed decision-making, and the courage to act in the interest of future generations, these are the marks of truly wise leadership.

Until such qualities become the norm rather than the exception, the doubts about our safety under current rules will remain valid. Power without wisdom is a loaded weapon in unsteady hands. Wisdom without power is a moral voice unheard. Humanity’s survival may depend on finding leaders who can hold both firmly and responsibly.