The Enduring Dilemma of Political Leaders:Struggle from Within or Without

Abstract

Political movements often face cardinal decisions about crucial issues which have long-range implications. Mostly, such issues are not decided unanimously, but rather by majority versus minority. It is then understandably difficult for the minority to accept such decisions, which they consider wrong and sometimes even disastrous to the movement. Consequently, the minority members find themselves in a difficult dilemma, where they must choose between the lesser of two evils. One option is to disengage and found a new movement that espouses their specific ideology, and thus promote their interests. The other option is to remain in the original movement, despite the painful blow, minimize the blow to their important principles and to wait for an opportune moment to rectify the mistakes. The paper discusses two landmark events in the history of the Zionist movement in British Mandate Palestine in the first half of the 20th century. The leaders involved in these crucial events were Ze’ev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky, and Rabbi Meir Berlin. Jabotinsky was the prominent leader of the Revisionist movement, the main opposition body to David Ben-Gurion’s Labor party. Berlin was the leader of the Religious-Zionist "Mizrahi" movement, a faction within the world Zionist movement. These two political leaders responded in different ways when their opinions were repudiated by the majority. Jabotinsky decided to abandon the movement and established a new one. Berlin, in contrast, refused the demands to secede. Faithful to principle, he insisted on remaining and conducting the political struggle from within. Historically speaking, from a retrospective viewpoint, it seems that Berlin’s approach was much more fruitful. Jabotinsky and his followers paid a heavy political price for their defection, as it substantially reduced their influence later. On the other hand, in the long run Berlin’s "Mizrahi" movement reached many achievements by remaining inside, within the sphere of influence.