Presidential success is crucial to the stability and prosperity of a nation. When the president is successful, he is able to persuade the public, make decisions in critical situations, manage the economy successfully and take a lead in setting out policy agendas (Rockman, Waterman, p. 3). External factors, can only limit presidential success when the president fails to demonstrate his presidential skills or use the available resources at his disposal. Therefore, internal factors are most important in determining presidential success since these are the ones that determine the effectiveness of the president and thus predict his success.
Some of the external factors used to explain presidential success are presidential skills and political conditions …show more content…
For Barber there are 4 types of personality; Active-positive, active-negative, passive-positive, and passive-negative (Pika, Maltese, p. 165). A president with an active-positive personality is adaptive, self-confident and uses power as a means to an end. A great example was president FDR. An active-negative personality is compulsive, and power seeking. This type of personality uses power as means of self-realization. An example was President Nixon. Furthermore, a passive-positive personality is compliant, has low self-esteem, this personality is love seeking and is prone to depression, an example is Taft. Lastly, a passive-negative personality is withdrawn, duty burned. This personality avoids power and has low self-esteem, an example of this president is Washington (Pika, Maltese, p. 166). These personalities explain why some presidents are more successful than others at setting their agenda. A successful president must be able to influence congress to work on a policy of interest to the president. The president can’t govern alone. The legislative and the executive branch must work together and compromise in order to get things done (Pika, Maltese, p. 201). Unfortunately, they don’t always compromise and instead engage in difficult confrontations. Congress controls the budget so the president has to work around congress in order to get anything done, …show more content…
Some presidents are more successful than other in achieving their goals because of their different personalities, but it mainly depends if at the time of their presidency there 's high polarization or low polarization. When there is low polarization presidents tend to get what they want from the opposite party and they also gain the support of the public. Additionally, presidential success also depends on a President 's communication, political skills (bargaining), and vision for policy (overarching goals), cognitive style (process information) and emotional intelligence (Rockman, Waterman, p. 267). An example of a successful president is Abraham Lincoln. He was born February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky to parents that were farmers. As he grew up he helped his parents by farming (McPherson, 2000). His parents were very illiterate and the only way he was able to obtain some education was by going to school with his sister Sarah. Throughout early stages of his life, Lincoln had to travel to live in different places. These travels opened his mind in regards to what was going on in his surrounding such as the issue of slavery. Lincoln greatly disliked that men and women were being sold and thus he disliked the institution of slavery itself (McPherson, 2000). He believed that all men are created equal. Nevertheless, Lincoln was
Some of the external factors used to explain presidential success are presidential skills and political conditions …show more content…
For Barber there are 4 types of personality; Active-positive, active-negative, passive-positive, and passive-negative (Pika, Maltese, p. 165). A president with an active-positive personality is adaptive, self-confident and uses power as a means to an end. A great example was president FDR. An active-negative personality is compulsive, and power seeking. This type of personality uses power as means of self-realization. An example was President Nixon. Furthermore, a passive-positive personality is compliant, has low self-esteem, this personality is love seeking and is prone to depression, an example is Taft. Lastly, a passive-negative personality is withdrawn, duty burned. This personality avoids power and has low self-esteem, an example of this president is Washington (Pika, Maltese, p. 166). These personalities explain why some presidents are more successful than others at setting their agenda. A successful president must be able to influence congress to work on a policy of interest to the president. The president can’t govern alone. The legislative and the executive branch must work together and compromise in order to get things done (Pika, Maltese, p. 201). Unfortunately, they don’t always compromise and instead engage in difficult confrontations. Congress controls the budget so the president has to work around congress in order to get anything done, …show more content…
Some presidents are more successful than other in achieving their goals because of their different personalities, but it mainly depends if at the time of their presidency there 's high polarization or low polarization. When there is low polarization presidents tend to get what they want from the opposite party and they also gain the support of the public. Additionally, presidential success also depends on a President 's communication, political skills (bargaining), and vision for policy (overarching goals), cognitive style (process information) and emotional intelligence (Rockman, Waterman, p. 267). An example of a successful president is Abraham Lincoln. He was born February 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky to parents that were farmers. As he grew up he helped his parents by farming (McPherson, 2000). His parents were very illiterate and the only way he was able to obtain some education was by going to school with his sister Sarah. Throughout early stages of his life, Lincoln had to travel to live in different places. These travels opened his mind in regards to what was going on in his surrounding such as the issue of slavery. Lincoln greatly disliked that men and women were being sold and thus he disliked the institution of slavery itself (McPherson, 2000). He believed that all men are created equal. Nevertheless, Lincoln was