Lincoln's Enduring Legacy: Lessons in Leadership and Democracy

The Power of Principled Rhetoric

As America approaches its 250th birthday, the wisdom of its greatest leaders becomes ever more relevant. Abraham Lincoln, often hailed as the nation's finest president, offers a particularly potent example. His ability to navigate a deeply divided nation, emancipate a people, and inspire with his words provides a timeless blueprint for navigating contemporary challenges to democratic governance.

EconTalk host Russ Roberts and Diana Schaub delve into three of Lincoln's most powerful speeches—the Gettysburg Address, the Second Inaugural Address, and the lesser-known Lyceum Address—to uncover the enduring strength of his message. They explore how Lincoln masterfully wove together America's past, present, and future to address threats to freedom and democracy while upholding the Founding Fathers' vision.

The Lyceum Address: A Premonition of Crisis

Even in his youth, Lincoln demonstrated a profound understanding of the fragility of democracy. His Lyceum Address, delivered decades before the Civil War, reveals a remarkable prescience. He recognized the inherent tensions within popular government, acknowledging both its potential and its perils.

Schaub emphasizes the comprehensive nature of Lincoln's political reflection in this early address. "It is very early. Lincoln is very young," she notes. "But it is a comprehensive reflection on the nature, and especially the dangers and threats, to popular government–to democratic government. He speaks about founding. He speaks about the possibility of destruction. And then he hints at the possibility of saving a republic or what would be necessary to save a republic…"

Lincoln's focus transcended partisan politics, delving into the deeper, more fundamental threats to democracy, threats that could manifest in various political forms, but held a consistent and dangerous undercurrent.

Confronting the Threat of Mob Rule and Demagoguery

Lincoln recognized the dangers of mob violence and fanaticism, seeing them as symptoms of a growing disregard for institutions and a dangerous embrace of vigilantism and demagoguery. Schaub highlights the persistent challenge democracies face in channeling individual ambition, a passion for greatness that, unchecked, could lead to division and destruction.

Lincoln warned that mob rule erodes faith in established legal and democratic processes, creating an opening for autocrats. As one expert explains, reflecting Lincoln's perspective: "When good citizens see government breaking down… they are likely to turn to the strongman—the demagogue who promises that he can get things back in order.”

The Second Inaugural: A Testament to Principle

Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address showcases his unwavering commitment to principle. Even amidst the turmoil of the Civil War, he prioritized upholding democratic processes and the rule of law. His decision to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, driven by his belief in its necessity to preserve the Union, exemplifies his dedication to these ideals.

Lincoln championed the proper use of democratic mechanisms—free speech, free press, assembly, and petition—to address injustice and effect change. He cautioned against civil disobedience, arguing that circumventing these channels undermines the very foundation of majority rule and the principle of equality.

Schaub captures Lincoln's conviction: "Lincoln says, ‘You’ve got to use speech.’… But Lincoln says that is the only allowable method. To go outside that is actually to deny majority rule and to deny the equality principle on which majority rule is based.”

The Power and Peril of Rhetoric

Both Roberts and Schaub lament the decline of political discourse in modern America, contrasting it with the eloquence and substance of Lincoln's rhetoric. They acknowledge the potential for rhetoric to be weaponized by tyrants and demagogues, but also affirm its power to inspire and uplift.

Schaub, echoing Lincoln's own approach, advocates for studying the "annals of political rhetoric" found in America's founding documents and the speeches of its greatest leaders. She believes that immersing oneself in these examples can provide a blueprint for crafting rhetoric that resonates with a modern democratic audience and strengthens the pillars of self-governance, freedom, and equality.