Leadership in Beowulf

Leaders in the Beowulf poem are called Kings, Givers of Treasures, that is, they are who distribute a raid's spoils between the fighters. That seems to be the source of their hold on the retainers, and the necessity for having them in the group. They don't really seem to rule, but mostly they give presents, rings and twisted gold chains. Therefore I am a bit surprised by the election as representative of a New York barrio this 29 old healthy good looking portorriquena, Alexandria. I have difficulty in imagining her as an effective politician, although the fact that she made her peregrination to the Holy City of Flint before her campaign is indicative that she has good instincts.

The leadership of the socialist movement in America is heavily Jewish, I mean Jews (not real Jews in my opinion, but in a general sense) are its hard core. Only recently the movement was dying of old age, when it renewed itself by putting in the front visibly non-Jewish furiously anti-Israeli candidates. Not only two colored women were elected (Alexandria and Rachida) but suddenly the movement grew from 30 to 150 chapters. The strategy works. In a metaphorical way, it can compared to Jewish anti-Communists funding the national socialist party in the early nineteen twenties. I feel uneasy with Alexandria and Rachida, but success is success.

Interestingly, in Beowulf there is not one dispute about leadership. The main activity of the Vikings seem to be robbing gold and taking slaves, as well as revenging blood offenses. There is no one lording over them and giving orders. In comparison, the proto-Greek raiders of the Illiad are always competing for leadership - the whole Illiad is the story of the rebellion of the leader of the Mirmidons (the Ant clan) against the authority of the organizer and supreme leader of the expedition. Apparently the Vikings have evolved better genes for co-operative activities.