ABSTRACT
When I speak of politicians as strategists, I mean (a) that they have a vision, a broad sense of direction toward which they wish the nation to move; and (b) that they use effective and creative (nonobvious) means in pursuing these ends. Nothing is implied about the desirability of the directions chosen, for then politicians could be strategists only by being in accord with the preferences of the analyst. But I do mean to rule out nondemocratic means and ends, for one of the major tasks of a strategist is to work by persuasion rather than coercion. The more a politician alters prevailing policies and expectations concerning behavior while moving events in the desired direction, that movement and direction being compatible with democratic norms, the better the strategist.
