Follow the Leader: Democracy and the Rise of the Strongman; Quarterly Essay 71

What is true political leadership, and how do we get it? What qualities should we wish for in our leaders? And why is it killing season for prime ministers?

In this wise and timely essay, Laura Tingle argues that democratic leaders build a consensus for change, rather than bludgeon the system or turn politics into a popularity contest. They mobilise and guide, more than impose a vision. Tingle offers acute portraits - profiles in courage and cunning - of leaders ranging from Merkel and Howard to Macron and Obama. She discusses the rise of the strongman, including Donald Trump, for whom there is no map, only sentiment and power. And she analyses what has gone wrong with politics in Australia, arguing that successful leaders know what they want to do, and create the space and time to do it. After the Liberal Party's recent episode of political madness, where does this leave the nation's new prime minister, Scott Morrison?

"The Liberal Party has been ripped apart and our polity is the worse off for having one of its major political parties rendered largely ungovernable ... Malcolm Turnbull's fate came down to a series of judgements made not just by him, but by his colleagues, who spent much of his prime ministership failing to follow the leader and also failing in their own collective responsibility for leadership." Laura Tingle, Follow the Leader

This issue contains correspondence relating to Dead Right by Richard Denniss from John McTernan, W. Max Corden, John Quiggin, Kristina Keneally, Adam Creighton, Danielle Wood, Damien Freeman, Michael Keating, Roderick Best, Richard Denniss

Laura Tingle is chief political correspondent for ABC TV's 7.30. She won the Paul Lyneham Award for Excellence in Press Gallery Journalism in 2004, and Walkley awards in 2005 and 2011. She is the author of Chasing the Future: Recession, Recovery and the New Politics in Australia and two acclaimed Quarterly Essays, Great Expectations and Political Amnesia.