The following was written by ELP intern Jack Lindsey.
In my first experiences working on local campaigns as a teenager, I came to a realization that felt heavier than I expected: government isn’t just a distant institution in Washington, D.C. In practice, it’s much closer to home. It’s a handful of volunteers, a neighborhood conversation, a name on a ballot.
Local campaigns offered my first real lesson in stewardship: the idea that we are responsible for the corner of the world we inhabit.
This principle of localized responsibility formed the backbone of Ezra Taft Benson’s approach to statesmanship. Before becoming a global religious leader, Benson served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, where he consistently defended limited government and individual agency. He believed the strength of a nation rests in the character of its citizens and the integrity of their homes, not federal programs. When we outsource our responsibilities to distant institutions, he warned, we lose efficiency, but more importantly, we lose the “moral muscles” required for self-governance.
That idea is also evident in how Servant Leadership operates today. True leadership cannot be considered as seeking power. Instead, leadership is the practice of prudence, which means making wise decisions that benefit others. This was used by Benson when he placed his morality above political convenience. It was clear that he did not regard his position as a means to personal gain, but rather as a temporary trust from the people.
Meanwhile, today, many of us, especially young people, feel tempted to wait. We wait for the right leader, the perfect candidate, or a sweeping policy solution to restore a fractured culture. It’s a natural human instinct, but it’s also a misguided one.
The American tradition gives us a different starting point.
The most meaningful act of statesmanship available is governing ourselves, not simply casting a vote. It’s found in the discipline we bring to our studies, the integrity we show in our organizations, and the dignity we extend to those we disagree with across a table or behind a debate podium.
We are, in a very real sense, everyday patriots. We are entrusted with what Edmund Burke called the “little platoons” of society: our families, our clubs, our local communities. These are the proving grounds of character. If we fail there, if we neglect the responsibilities closest to us, no national policy can compensate for that loss.
Benson’s life offers a clear reminder that statesmanship is not confined to high office. It begins much closer to home. It begins with the map in our hands and the neighbors at our door.