View
180
Download
0
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
THE ROOSEVELTS American Leaders
by Ray Cotton
The Three Roosevelts: Patrician Leaders who Transformed America analyzes how political leaders
can inspire change in domestic and international policy.
The book is co-authored by Susan Dunn and James MacGregor Burns. Burns was an eminent historian in the field of
leadership theory and was a Pulitzer-prize winning writer known for his presidential biographies. John Kennedy: A
Political Profile (1960) and Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1970) are two examples of his work.
Burns determined two types of leaders.
• Transactional leadership: When leaders focus on the relationship with their followers
• Transformational leadership: When leaders focus on their followers’ values, needs, and beliefs
The Roosevelts
The Three Roosevelts analyzes the lives of Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, and Eleanor Roosevelt as both a biography and political history. From
Burns’ perspective, the story of the Roosevelts is a chance to discover what
makes someone a great leader.
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” –Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt’s father was inspired by the legacy of Abraham Lincoln. Theodore
Roosevelt, in turn, looked up to his father as a role model.
Teddy paved a path of success in U.S.
politics and international diplomacy.
He emphasized the importance of
moral character while fighting for
public health and worker’s rights.
“It is common sense to take a method and t01 it. If it fails, admit it 6ankly and t01 another.
But above all, t01 something.” -Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Franklin admired his cousin Teddy. He mirrored his career path by advancing from an assistant secretary position at the Navy, to New York governor, to the presidency.
Today, the United States still benefits from public programs like conservation groups. The organizations we have today are descendants of FDR’s New Deal programs, such as the Conservation Corps.
“In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we
make are ultimately our own
responsibility.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
The Roosevelts are great American leaders because they combined moral idealism with
real social change.
The book is 668 eloquent pages of analysis of the
Roosevelt’s legacy. Burns uses vivid details, and failures, that the Roosevelts experienced to complement
their stories of political success.
For further reading, please consider:
• Ray Cotton’s Book Blog
• Wikipedia
• The Roosevelt Family
Recommended