Analysis of the Article about the Allure of Toxic Leaders by Lipman-Blumen - Essay Example

The author, Frank Baum, explains how money plays a vital role in politics. He talks about the two political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. His focus is on the populist movement and the nature of politics in the early days. He explains how populists use the powers they have to their advantage and shows clearly they do not care about the common people; their business is in acquiring wealth (Lipman-Bluemen 2004).

It is clear by the nature of his work his interest is in none of the two parties and their candidates; his interest is not in politics. In his work, he aims to keep readers entertained, but in his view to entertain, it is clear the author disregards the Populist Party. What evidence of support does the author give to defend and/or prove the argument/thesis? In the author’s argument on politics and money, the symbols he uses for representation are characterized. Dorothy symbolizes the medium of transport for the local currency; silver is the value of money, and she wears silver shoes, gold also represents the value of money, while green is neutral.

The common farmer believed that the yellow brick road” which was the term used to represent gold would cause harm”, but in the real sense, it was what was needed to solve all the problems experienced. The argument that populists use the power they have to their advantage shows, as he uses the wizard who takes on many forms, the wizard only agrees to help if there is something to return the favor. The populist showed people a side of them that they knew would be convincing; their true characters and intentions were hidden.

The author Frank Baum was not a politician; he was a writer, and that is why he was well-informed in political settings. In your view, what are the strengths of the article? The article shows how some people are perceived, as dumb and stupid. These people never get the chance to give their own opinion. The scarecrow in the article represents this group of people. It is lifeless and without a brain, what people do not know is that the scarecrow has a brain. The article engages the addressees; the symbols used help one to understand why this article was reviewed.

Each symbol used is relevant to what it represents. The symbol of the wizard represents bad leaders as the article explains how the wizard transforms, this clearly shows how bad leaders hide who they are. In your view, what are the weaknesses of the article? The article does not explain in depth, how money and politics play a part in this article, it shows their symbols but does not explain, how this relates to the common people who are the mice, in this article.