Giuseppe Garibaldi

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Giuseppe Garibaldi
“The Sword” of Italian Unification

”My goal, which was, I believe, shared by most italians at that time, was to unite the country and rid it of foreign powers. Those who gave Italy her freedom would earn her people’s gratitude” (Garibaldi, page 6). During the age of Italian unification, there were three men who fought for her (Italy’s) freedom. Those men were Cavour the brains, Mazzini the soul, and Garibaldi the sword (Chastain).
Giuseppe Garibaldi was born in Nice in 1807 (Garibaldi, page 173). He spent his life working towards not only Italian unification, but that of France and South America. He is considered by many to be the “Hero of two worlds” (Chastain). He spent most of his complex life on the run from political zealots fighting battles anywhere and everywhere volunteers supported his cause. His is a great leader in all aspects of the framework provided by Kouzes and Posner. With his deep passion for freedom, Garibaldi was a selfless man devoted for the cause, who fought with his soldiers on the field, and met with kings in his spare time. His life is filled with much tragedy including illness and wounds, death, jail, exile, and much, much mutiny and betrayal. A sentence of death was put on his life, but never carried out.
The following paper presents a critical analysis of the leadership qualities of Giuseppe Garibaldi following the framework provided in The Leader Challenge, by Kouzes and Posner. The outline for analysis is presented below:
Model the way
Find your voice by clarifying your personal values
Set the example by aligning actions with shared values
Inspire a shared vision
Envision the future by imagining exiting and ennobling possibilities
Enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations
Challenge the process
Search for opportunities by seeking innovating ways to change and grow, and improve.
Experiment and take risk by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakes.
Enable other to act
Foster collaboration by promoting cooperative goals and building trust.
Strengthen others by sharing power and discretion.
Encourage the heart
Recognize contribution by showing appreciation for individual excellence.
Celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community.

Using the above analysis we will attempt to put in perspective the qualities of Giuseppe which make him an exemplar...

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...ndations for the establishment of Italy as one, unified country. His values spoke out to hundreds of thousands, and his words rallied volunteers to fight towards a common goal, the unification of Italy. His selfless acts allowed the proper figures to replace him once battle was done, whereby creating the chain of events. His radical risk-taking caused many retreated battles, but showed his commitment to the main organizational value of Italy, unification. He was trusted in revered by many, and then hated for some. He was hated and feared from the foreign governments for his evolutionism. They, his opponents, saw him as threat their ‘resort place’, and He saw Italy has having the potential for being a great european power. Giuseppe is an exemplary leader.

Bibliography

Garibaldi, Giuseppe. 2004 (1932). My life. London: Hesperus Classics. Translated by Stephan Parkin, Foreword by Tim Parks.
The History Place. Giuseppe Garibaldi Speech - Encouraging His Soldiers from http://historyplace.com/speeches/garibaldi.htm
Chastian, James. Encyclopedia of 1848 revolutions. Garibaldi, Giuseppe (1807-1882). 9/27/2004. From http://www.ohiou.edu/~chastain/dh/gari.htm

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