Nicole Machiavelli, the Italian political strategist, is perhaps best remembered for his discussion of the most effective way to lead – by fear or by love. Machiavelli chose fear as the best way to lead. Fortunately for Great Britain Queen Elizabeth chose love rather than fear.
There are countless pictures and stories of the Queen smiling, laughing, greeting people warmly and being a wonderful mother and grandmother. Now granted as Queen, Elizabeth held a largely ceremonial position in the hierarchy of national power but her national role was critically important as a unifier, living symbol of past and present greatness, and perhaps most importantly as the source of what is often called political culture- the primary means through which key national values and beliefs are advanced. To say that Elizabeth was the embodiment of “Englishness” would be spot on.
The above blog article is an excerpt from The Commentary from the Commonwealth blog.