MBR Issue 45
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MALTA<br />
BUSINESS REVIEW<br />
EDITORIAL<br />
Malta Business Review<br />
PUBLISHER<br />
<strong>MBR</strong> Publications Limited<br />
OFFICES<br />
Highland Apartment - Level 1,<br />
Naxxar Road,<br />
Birkirkara, BKR 9042<br />
+356 2149 7814<br />
EDITOR<br />
Martin Vella<br />
TECHNICAL ADVISOR<br />
Marcelle D’Argy Smith<br />
SALES DIRECTOR<br />
Margaret Brincat<br />
DESIGN<br />
<strong>MBR</strong> Design<br />
ADVERTISING<br />
Call: 9940 6743 or 9926 0163/4/6;<br />
Email: margaret@mbrpublications.net<br />
or admin@mbrpublications.net<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
Greg Adomatis; Antoine Bonello; George Carol;<br />
Baptiste Chatain; Jean Paul Demajo; Florian<br />
Eder; Hannke Faber; Estefania Narrillo; Zoya<br />
Sheftalovich; Peter Stracor; Joe Weisenthal;<br />
Sarah Wheaton; Minda Zetlin<br />
SPECIAL THANKS<br />
Bloomberg; Dizz Group; DOI; European<br />
Parliament Information Office in Malta; European<br />
Parliament, Directorate- General for<br />
Communication/Press Office; European Research<br />
Council; FIMBank; HSBC; LinkedIn; Edwards<br />
Lowell & Co.; MORGEN EUROPA; OPR; POLITICO<br />
SPRL; Politico Global Policy Lab; PTV Group;<br />
Taylor & Francis Group.<br />
PRINT PRODUCTION<br />
Gutenberg Press Ltd<br />
QUOTE OF THE MONTH<br />
Business opportunities are like buses, there’s<br />
always another one coming.<br />
Richard Branson<br />
Disclaimer<br />
All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by copyright may<br />
be reproduced or copied and reproduction in whole or part is strictly<br />
prohibited without written permission of the publisher. All content<br />
material available on this publication is duly protected by Maltese<br />
and International Law. No person, organisation, other publisher or<br />
online web content manager should rely, or on any way act upon<br />
any part of the contents of this publication, whether that information<br />
is sourced from the website, magazine or related product without<br />
first obtaining the publisher’s consent. The opinions expressed in the<br />
Malta Business Review are those of the authors or contributors, and<br />
are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.<br />
Leadership in Animal Farm is presented as a power over those<br />
not possessing qualities of a leader, that when abused can be<br />
catastrophic for the corrupt leader’s community. A leader can<br />
help their followers reach goals and accomplish tasks that could<br />
never be achieved without his guidance. However, many leaders<br />
do not want to help their followers, merely use them to further<br />
their own goals and desires. These corrupt leaders are the focus of<br />
George Orwell’s novel, which demonstrates the effect a corrupt<br />
leader has on the people they control, and the situation in which<br />
they are placed. The novel displays leadership in its worst form,<br />
highlighting the corruption of those with power, the deception<br />
of followers without power, and how powerful individuals can<br />
impose their decisions and preferences on weaker ones.<br />
Some leaders shown manipulate the animal’s minds to thoughts more favourable, keeping them<br />
distracted from the problems they face, and less likely to rebel against their leaders. A large portion<br />
of this manipulation comes from Squealer, who with phrases such as, “Surely none of you want<br />
to see Jones back?”, associates any thoughts of defiance with horrible consequences that can be<br />
prevented if the leaders are allowed free reign. This manipulation of thought eventually stifles<br />
the animal’s ability to think for themselves, allowing the leaders to take complete control of every<br />
aspect of the farm with little or no resistance. Some forms of leadership however, do not stand out<br />
as much, and are not even associated with power.<br />
In the novel, different types of leaders use their power in different ways, and to achieve different<br />
goals, and it is shown that if a good leader uses his power for the benefit of others, life can be<br />
vastly improved. A good leader can be determined as one who would inspire others to act in order<br />
to improve their lives. Snowball is an example of this, motivating the animals through heartfelt<br />
speeches and hard work to improve life on their farm. During the debate over the construction<br />
of the windmill, the statement, “Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their<br />
sympathies, but in a moment Snowball’s eloquence had carried them away.” Using their power<br />
and influence, corrupt individuals exhibit moral deterioration by using such power to benefit<br />
themselves and, by doing so, cause harm to the greater good.<br />
Corrupting power has been showcased through many stories like Shakespeare’s Macbeth.<br />
Throughout Macbeth, the desire for absolute power is the main drive for the two main characters,<br />
Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. They are consumed with a great craving for ultimate rule, and are<br />
willing to achieve it by whatever means necessary. Power had corrupted the thoughts, actions and<br />
behaviours of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. As a result of their greed, selfishness and longing for<br />
supremacy, they were unable to escape the tragic fate at the end of the play that was a result of<br />
their own doing.<br />
In a way, power is to leaders what the taste of blood is to vampires. Once they get a taste of it,<br />
they cannot let go. The more followers they have, the more corrupt they become. What we may<br />
observe today is that society has become infected by real corruption using real stakes. We think<br />
strong governance mechanisms and strong institutions are the key to keeping leaders in check.<br />
Organisations should limit how much leaders can drink from the seductive chalice of power.<br />
That power corrupts is an inevitable conclusion of Animal Farm. When the pigs take over they<br />
claim that their goal is to preside over a farm of equal animals, all working together to support<br />
one another. Yet power quickly proves to be too much for a pig. Small privileges quickly bloom into<br />
full-scale corruption, and the pigs begin more and more to resemble those whom they claim to<br />
replace.<br />
Enjoy the read!<br />
Talk to us:<br />
E-mail: martin@mbrpublications.net<br />
Twitter: @<strong>MBR</strong>Publications<br />
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaltaBusinessReview<br />
Martin Vella<br />
Editor-in-Chief<br />
Malta Business Review’s editorial opinions are decided by its Editor, and besides reflecting the Editor’s<br />
opinion, are written to represent a fair and impartial representation of facts, events and provide a correct<br />
analysis of local and international news.<br />
Agents for:<br />
www.maltabusinessreview.net<br />
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