On yesterday’s radio show, Shawn Otto briefly mentioned the Protestant Reformation and its influence on governmental systems. In short, by widely spreading the idea that knowledge was directly accessible to the individual, instead of only through the intermediary of a priest or king ruling by divine right, the Reformation paved the way for our modern democracies.
It is easy, in this era of consolidated power, for our leaders to forget that they don’t lead by the grace of God or unusual virtue on their part, but it is true nonetheless. They lead because we agree to be led. They fall from power when we refuse to follow.
UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi received a lesson along these lines this weekend. Continue reading “UC Davis and the Threat of Numbers”