issue 94 The effectiveness of a country's leaders is best measured by examining the well-being of that country's citizens.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.
TS: The effectiveness of the national leaders should be best measured by examining how successful the nations achieved their most important goals. During the second world war, the leaders’ effectivness was ultimately judged by the outcomes of the war. During the cold war, the leaders’ effectiveness could be measured by progress of the space programs. While it is true that leaders are responsible for improving the citizens’ welfare, sometimes they need to work on projects or tasks that may have long-term rather than short-term positive impact on citizens’ well-being.
ts1: in wartime, leaders are considered effective if they could lead the nations to win the war despite the great casualty and loss
- Churchill was effective in resisting the threat of Nazi Germany
- Roosevelt was effective in ending the war in Pacific with atomic bombs
- British and American citizens suffered during the war
- but they were effective leaders nevertheless
ts 2: when nations are competing in certain areas, the effectiveness of leaders could be measured by examining the national achievement in those areas
- after the successful launch of Sputnik by USSR, the US was threatened in the area of space exploration
- the US decided to send men to the moon
- the lunar landing is a great achievement indicating the effectiveness of the US leaders
- although there is no direct positive effects to the citizens’ well-being
ts3: some people may argue that the statement holds true because the leaders are responsible for maintaining the well-being of the citizens
- sometimes the well-being of the citizens are not the top priority
- during the wartime, to end the war is the main goal which is also important for the long-term prosperity of the nation
- during the cold war, to outperform the Soviet in the space is important
issue 147 The effectiveness of a country's leaders is best measured by examining the well-being of that country's citizens. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.