One of my best friends from college, Andy, hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati is a delightful town, but don’t tell anyone I said that. As a native Clevelander, I’m not supposed to say anything nice about Cincinnati. I don’t think Andy reads this. So, if you know anyone named Andy from Cincinnati, don’t tell him about this. I don’t want to be caught saying nice things about his city.
Andy is why I know the story of Cincinnatus, for whom Cincinnati is named.
According to the legend, in 458 BC, Rome was under attack by the army of the Aequians. The Roman Senate voted to give dictatorial powers to Cincinnatus, who was a retired general. He was working in the fields of his farm when they told him the news. He left his plow in the field, bid his wife farewell, defeated the Aequians and about two weeks later returned to his field, giving up the absolute power that the Roman Senate had given him.
Some of this history is murky, and historians don’t seem to agree on all aspects of the story. They believe Cincinnatus was indeed a historical figure, and that he did voluntarily give up power, but the details of his life are often hard to pin down. It was a long time ago.
His story is an example of the civic virtue we hear of as children and often find absent in our leaders when we reach voting age. We hold up Cincinnatus as an example in the hopes that our leaders are as incorruptible as him.
The details of the story of Cincinnatus may be impossible to verify, but his story had a big impression on George Washington, America’s first president. Washington was an admirer of Cincinnatus, and the story of Cincinnatus influenced Washington’s similar decision to give up power when he could have easily kept it.
After helping America gain independence from England, Washington served two terms as the president of the United States. He could have easily served more because of his popularity but did not want to establish a quasi-monarchy that America had just escaped, so he followed the example of Cincinnatus and returned to the farm. Washington's stepping down from the presidency set the two-term tradition for presidents, which was then codified by the 22nd Amendment to the constitution after FDR served four terms in the mid-20th century.
Where is that spirit today?
Where is the George Washington of today? Where is the Cincinnatus? Where is the man or woman who tells the public that we need to drastically change course and that they will help us do so? What is needed is different, for leaders to step up, rather than step down – but the courage needed is the same. That courage generally isn’t found at the corporate level, at the political level, or in the media. Short-term interests conspire to keep leaders who speak out about what is truly needed to stay silent.
That CEO doesn’t exist, because they would get sued by their shareholders if they put planet over profit.
That political leader doesn’t exist, because they would get voted out of office.
That media figure doesn’t exist, because they need to sell more ads to support more of the consumption that keeps their businesses running.
Companies will trumpet their “green” initiatives as leadership, but these initiatives are at best incremental, and at worst greenwashing, treated as a form of advertising by most companies.
Politicians get elected for promising growth. The first politician friendly to degrowth (if that ever happens) will likely lose their seat.
The first big corporate media organization that consistently supports degrowth or ecological economics will be going against their paymasters (advertisers) by doing so, so don’t hold your breath.
A CEO in the mold of Cincinnatus or George Washington would acknowledge the reality of overshoot and tell customers and shareholders that they have to adjust how they do business to get back within planetary boundaries because survival is more important than profit.
A politician in that mold would tell constituents that he doesn’t care who they vote for in the next election and that he has to be straight with them about the challenges we face and the actions we need to take to save ourselves.
A media figure willing to lead like Cincinnatus or George Washington would talk about overshoot every day because it is too important not to.
I do not expect those in power in companies, government, or the media to soon become modern-day Cincinnatus. Our society doesn’t expect it, require it, or even want it, which is why that leadership is so needed. Washington and Cincinnatus are exceptions.
Power isn’t given away. It is taken away.
The people with power in this world aren’t dumb. They know what is going on. Most of them probably believe climate change is real and that we are in for some tough times as a society in the coming decades.
But they also don’t belong to the same society as most of us. They largely live in a world where someone else does their shopping, someone else sets their schedule, someone else takes care of their children, someone else even feeds them, and likely someone else protects them They don’t rub elbows with the unwashed masses much.
They exist largely outside society, and yet they run it. It is interesting that Cincinnatus and Washington went back to the farm. They were directly connected to the Earth. Our global leaders probably own plenty of farms. But I don’t think any of them know how to run one.
Why are they running things, when they have no real connection to the Earth we are trying to save?
They aren’t going to give up power to save civilization.
You have to take it.
How do you do that?
Take the power with the tools you have already.
I’m not talking about physically taking power through violence.
Violence isn’t strength. Violence is an admission that your ideas aren’t any good.
People in power count on your apathy. They count on the breads and circuses being enough to keep you occupied. They count on not enough of us feeling a sense of urgency to change the system.
So, prove them wrong.
Over the next week or so, I’ll be writing about some ways we can do that, but if you have ideas, please share them.
And if you know of a modern-day Cincinnatus that I should recognize, let me know. I’d be happy to do so.
Justin, great point. I meant political violence but take your point. I also know that when people get pushed too far and their normal redress and rights as a citizen are taken away, they don't see any other option. We are not to that point, and I hope we don't get there - but I can see a future where in many people's minds, we do get there.
For example, the people who stormed the capital on Jan. 6th were told that their rights were being taken away. They were lied to, and a little bit of critical thinking should have been done on their part - but in their minds their actions were justified.
I would hope people in the streets to a critical mass (doesn't have to be everyone) would change things before violence does.
Hope we don't find out.
Well said.