The Ideal political leader

 These days, if anyone asks what political affiliation I am, I generally reply "The popcorn affiliation". I of course have actual political stances, but I find it less stressful to get into political arguments than I do to munch popcorn as other people get flustered over the same, the drama is rather amusing.

On a serious note, however, a recent discussion I was in about monarchy and its being bound to the same law it enforces had me thinking hard about my ideal political leader.

The 'Code of Hammurabi" the oldest known legal code, has this in its lede as to why Hammurabi considered it his duty to make sure there was a legal code;

When Anu the sublime, the King of the Annunaki and Bêl, the lord of heaven and earth, who fixed the destiny of the country, had committed the whole of mankind to Marduk, the son of Ea, the god of right, when they made him great among the Egigi, had pronounced the sublime name of Babylon, made it great upon earth, had established in it an eternal kingdom, the foundations of which are laid firm like heaven and earth, at that time Anu and Bêl called me, Hammurabi, the great prince, who fears God, to give justice a status in the country, to destroy the wicked and bad, that the strong should not overcome the weak

Putting aside the religious parts, Hammurabi identifies three responsibilities he had as a political leader. Namely, to establish justice for his country, to destroy wickedness and evil, and to prevent the strong from overcoming the weak. It's worth noting in practice his law code was rather hypocritical, prescribing legal penalties based on social class, but it's still a commendable first step forward. Hammurabi's code applied to all people, from Hammurabi to the lowest commoner. It was legally binding on all, made the cessation of crime and perversion of justice an explicit aim, and nodded in clear affirmation of social equality.

If you ask me, this is a good start, but a political leader has more dimensions than this to be truly ideal.

The Book of Deuteronomy has this section, detailing God's own concepts of what would be the ideal king, should the people at the time who were to inhabit the lands that would be Israel decide they needed a king:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+17:14-20&version=ESV

14 “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

This section adds a few more ideal layers to my conception of a good political leader. They must be of the same people as those they rule, in order to ensure they are obeyed or at least considered seriously. God also warns against their becoming overly greedy and worldly, lest it prove a corrosive moral influence on them.

18 “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

This adds even more good ideas. The law that the leader is supposed to enforce would be a law they should be familiar, with and approved by those knowledgeable in that law, and they should give it the same faith and credit they expect of those ruled by it. Finally, they must keep themselves bound to the fear of the consequence of not living up to that law, so that they would not be prone to the sins of pride nor become without law or scruple themselves.

I'd like to also cite an example from the anime series "Code Geass". The series protagonist is Lelouch vi Britannia, the disgraced son of an actual king who gains the "power of kings", a supernatural ability to give commands that must be absolutely obeyed. Even early on, Lelouch, while walking a path of bloodshed and dire consequences for the use and abuse of power, makes clear early on his use of power as a leader of men is ultimately not a gift, not a right, and definitely not something to take lightly. An early speech where he makes his goals clear states he did not intend to point a gun at others unless he was willing to be shot in turn.

It's shown by the end of the series he well remembered that promise and was willing to die for it if necessary. Ultimately, if you ask me, my ideal of a political leader would be wise to remember the ultimate consequence of their use of power and should be fully prepared for the worst outcome if their own exercise of power proves to be so heinous, malicious, or simply infamous enough to provoke others to revolt or attempt an assassination.

While this does not cover all the responsibilities and duties of a political leader, and I agree this is far from comprehensive on that score, the above is definitely my concept of where any political leader should start in order to be regarded as truly ideal.