Page 296 - https://ia800806.us.archive.org/12/items/mwk-eng-book/Leading-a-Spiritual-Life.pdf
P. 296
Here is a Silver Lining
Positive leadership gives the right direction to its people, so
that they set about struggling for what is right, rather than
just register complaint after complaint.
he British historian Arnold J. Toynbee (1889 – 1975)
Tis best known for his 12-volume work, A Study of
History, which was published from 1934-61. In this
work he has examined the rise and fall of 26 civilizations
throughout the course of history and has developed
a theory regarding the growth and disintegration of
these civilizations. According to his analysis, history is
governed by a law of nature. This law is based on what
he terms, the ‘challenge-and-response’ mechanism.
According to this theory, all the great civilizations were
created by minority groups.
A minority always comes under the influence of
historical factors, which have a profoundly motivating
effect upon it. This motivation enhances the minority
community’s general capacities until it is finally
recognized as the most creative segment of the country
or region to which it belongs. All civilizations have been
the culmination of the efforts and struggle of some such
minority.
This law of nature itself is not enough to make the
295