When I was watching the beginning of the film in class today, I tried to make the connection between this movie and the overarching concept of government and leadership. In retrospect, the movie ideally captures the essence of leadership and the significant role it plays in all different cultures and civilizations throughout the entire world. Particularly in this sense, though (in my opinion), the film portrays the negative aspect of leadership and how the notion of leaders have the potential to allow its constituents to reach new heights, but to decide whether those extremes are positive or negative is in the eyes of the beholder. In this case, I view the concept of leadership is being used to reach negative heights for greater society, and the leader(s) were doing exactly what a leader should do the opposite of! The Stasi monitored and controlled every single aspect of every individual’s life in their area of jurisdiction in Germany. They would not allow for any discrepancy in society that did not accord with their strict laws, regulations, purposes, and philosophy. The dictionary definition of a leader is: the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country; a person followed by others. As the second part of the definition may be true and apply to the situation at hand in the film, the first concept scarcely satisfies the actions, conditions, and principles of the Stasi. The Stasi were central leaders in society, looked up to, respected, accepted, and evidently a significant role in the daily life of a German citizen. As leaders, they lead, commanded, and regulated German society and civilizations in order to fit the shape which they intended for the country to head in; one which they think is the most beneficial, valuable, and merely, best! Therefore, utilizing their leader-like qualities, advancements, and power, the Stasi grasped Germany by its reigns and took every step necessary to whip the country into shape and force it to fulfill the criteria which was set by the Stasi, and for the Stasi. Ironically, a man once said that government is for the people and of the people. This is exactly the conflicting point to what occurred in Germany; their government (the Stasi) was instituted by the leaders of the country, and merely, for the leaders of the country. As they tried to protect and stabilize the population to reflect the individual/greater benefit to the communist cause, the people agreed to it, but only because they had no other option. The Stasi evidently took their power seat and used it to institute what they thought was best and right for society. But, thinking in terms of what leaders have the potential to do, it can be said that the Stasi did the wrong thing! Instead of focusing on specifically on their jurisdiction, they could use their power and apply it internationally, bringing together other countries (Germany included!) and establishing a wider, more potent power. Additionally, the Stasi could have provided minimal limitations to society, allowing it to prosper and thrive in all potential areas. In other words, use their power to indirectly elect and appoint others to make a country-wide power instead of an individual-based power. If artists, writers, singers, actors, etc. were able to fully express themselves and connect with society on greater, more intimate levels. If this were able to happen as a result of the alternative approach to leadership taken by the Stasi, the country would have the potential to reach even further heights; history has shown that when societies and diversity all culminate into one, combined power, the greatest achievements, successes, failures, and catastrophes occur. By definition, if something changes history, significance and authority is gained; the Stasi did have en effect on history, but it could have had a bigger one if it used leadership to its full, positive, and intended possibilities. In the film, the leaders of society are shutting society down of all actions that are not in accordance with what the leaders themselves abide by. They are leading themselves as well as their followers down on a decline, whereas history has been improved and extremely effected when the leaders as well as the followers work together to change it; the Stasi had the wrong approach to leadership, and consequently, an unfavorable history as well.
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