The World of Religions No. 48 – July/August 2011 —
As the DSK affair continues to make waves and spark numerous debates and questions, there is a lesson Socrates imparted to the young Alcibiades that we should reflect upon: "To claim to govern the city, one must learn to govern oneself." If Dominique Strauss-Kahn, until this affair the favorite in the polls, were to be found guilty of sexual assault against a chambermaid at the Sofitel in New York, we could not only pity the victim but also breathe a great sigh of relief. For if DSK, as some testimonies in France also seem to suggest, is a compulsive sex offender capable of brutality, we could have elected to the highest office either a sick man (if he cannot control himself) or a vicious man (if he refuses to control himself). Given the shock that the news of his arrest provoked in our country, one hardly dares wonder what would have happened if such a case had erupted a year later! The astonishment of the French, bordering on denial, stems largely from the hopes placed in DSK as a serious and responsible man to govern and represent France with dignity on the world stage. This expectation arose from disappointment with Nicolas Sarkozy, harshly judged for the contradictions between his grand pronouncements on social justice and morality, and his personal conduct, particularly regarding money. People therefore hoped for a more morally exemplary man. DSK's downfall, whatever the outcome of the trial, is all the more difficult to accept.
Yet, it has the merit of bringing the question of virtue in politics back into the public debate. For while this question is crucial in the United States, it is entirely neglected in France, where there is a tendency to completely separate private and public life, personality and competence. I believe the right approach lies between these two extremes: too much moralizing in the United States, not enough attention to the personal morality of politicians in France. For without falling into the American trap of "sin-hunting" public figures, we must remember, as Socrates said to Alcibiades, that we can doubt the good governance abilities of a man enslaved by his passions. The highest responsibilities demand the acquisition of certain virtues: self-control, prudence, respect for truth and justice. How can a man who has not acquired these basic moral virtues for himself possibly put them into practice in the government of the city? When one behaves badly at the highest level of the state, how can we expect everyone to act righteously? Two thousand five hundred years ago, Confucius said to the ruler of Ji Kang: “Seek goodness yourself, and the people will improve. The virtue of a virtuous person is like the wind. The virtue of the people is like the grass; it bends with the wind” ( Analects , 12/19). Even if this statement sounds somewhat paternalistic to modern ears, it is not without truth.