The Political Scientist

There are many ways to gain power and leadership.

One way, famously described in Robert Graves’ novel I, Claudius, is to try your best not to offend people and stay (or be kept) out of the way of others’ machinations.

Once everyone else has ‘killed’ each other off, you’ll be the only remaining option for those capable of putting you there.

It is also apparently useful to appear ineffectual – and to stammer.

It’s tempting to see similarities between Claudius’ journey to the laurel crown of a Caesar with David Shearer’s reluctance to offend anyone, his hesitancy in interviews and the general air of vagueness and uncertainty he’s cultivated in the public’s mind, intentionally or not.

Perhaps Shearer is on to a – surprisingly unlikely – winning strategy, given Claudius’ success?

Maybe. But despite how tempting it is to draw the analogy, such a strategy is not guaranteed to succeed.

[And the word ‘Caesar’ literally means “a fine head of hair”. Perhaps not the best omen for Shearer.]

One particular advantage Claudius had that does mirror Shearer’s rise to Leader of the Labour Party, however, is that the Roman citizenry had almost no idea who he was prior to him gaining the crown.

Pretty soon, tomorrow in fact, we’ll all know Shearer – and what his potential ‘reign’ might signify – a lot better. He is due to deliver a series of speeches that will set his political course for the next while – and perhaps also set in concrete his political destiny.

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