Ten More Good Reasons Not to Have a Leader

1. Leaders represent an unequal power structure of ‘power over’ rather than ‘power with’. A top-down model of ‘leaders’ and ‘followers’ can permeate a whole organisation and indeed the whole of society. While many are comfortable to abdicate responsibility to leaders, it is only with collective responsibility that we will address the massive problems facing the planet and humanity.

2. Not only do ‘hierarchical leadership structures’ go hand in hand with ‘patriarchal structures’ in organisations and in wider society, but it is usually men who have the time and resources to ‘reach the top’. Men are therefore more likely to be the empowered leaders and women the disempowered followers.

3. It’s not just small organisations who’ve realised the benefits of non-hierarchical structures. Some of the biggest and most successful companies are adopting ‘flatter structures’ and empowering all their staff to actively participate in the development and evolution of their companies.

4. It has been suggested that without leaders, the Green Party is an anarchic organisation. This overlooks the fact that we have a constitution and an established system of democratic decision making and policy formulation. We have a well-defined structure which sets out roles, responsibilities and accountability of officers and bodies with the Party.

5. ‘Lack of a Leader’, like ‘unpopular policy’ is often invoked to explain lack of electoral success when the real reasons, such as the ‘first past the post’ system and lack of financial resources are overlooked.

6. In many ways, the differences of the Green Party to other parties are its strengths. As the other parties scramble for the centre ground, our distinctive voice and way of doing things provide a refreshing change from the ‘grey parties’.

7. Many members join the Green Party because it’s different to the other parties. The fact that the Green Party involves its members both in decision making and in communicating Green politics to the wider public is what makes the Party attractive to many of us.

8. On the doorstep, at stalls and in public meetings, the ‘leader issue’ is almost never raised by those outside the Party. When the issues are discussed openly, the reasons for our commitment to non-hierarchical, collective leadership are appreciated.

9. At a time when voter apathy continues to rise and political parties struggle to find new members, we have to ask why politicians are so often distrusted and even despised. It’s politicians who can engage with and listen to the electorate at the local level who are respected. Remote leaders who have little time for individual concerns and personal involvement are a turn-off to many looking to turn their concerns into political activity.

10. Hierarchical and nationalistic power structures have brought humanity to the brink of social and ecological collapse. We need to engage with these structures, but not simply to mirror them.

See also: Ten Good Reasons Not to Have a Leader

Tim Turner
Wandsworth Green Party