tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26892914337322566.post758247282549433871..comments2023-08-22T01:54:52.968-04:00Comments on Veep Critique: Essence of DSK: Do Leaders Matter?Aaron Manneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12688396444883511392noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26892914337322566.post-12276326673071446892011-05-27T08:42:48.265-04:002011-05-27T08:42:48.265-04:00A technocrat might actually be better. Having some...A technocrat might actually be better. Having somebody with European political ambitions has probably pushed the IMF in directions it should not have gone.<br /><br />Imagine if Ben Bernanke was a potential U.S. Presidential candidate.The Chief Weederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12171400826159130860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26892914337322566.post-87306056598859746432011-05-20T16:32:36.098-04:002011-05-20T16:32:36.098-04:00Great point! That would be a model 2.5 (between t...Great point! That would be a model 2.5 (between the organization and bureaucratic models). The institution needs a legitimate leader to do its thing. <br /><br />Two questions follow:<br /><br />But what if that leader is really inept (say me) and either made bad decisions or just couldn't make decisions?<br /><br />Second, that DSK was a known player among political leaders around the world would seem to be helpful. What if the governors quickly approved Lipsky or some other unknown technocrat - would they really be as capable?<br /><br />Thanks again for the thoughtful comment.Aaron Manneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12688396444883511392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26892914337322566.post-44359508682185962512011-05-20T14:15:53.855-04:002011-05-20T14:15:53.855-04:00"Will the IMF pretty much do its thing regard..."Will the IMF pretty much do its thing regardless of its leadership, or does DSK’s personal influence matter?"<br /><br />It isn't his personal leadership. It's the fact that the IMF traditionally makes decisions top-down. (An insider once characterized it to me as "Stalinist.") So, with no leader---Lipsky is too much of a lame duck---the organization will be unable to make difficult decisions or major changes in direction. <br /><br />Not a problem if, for example, you are the National Weather Service during a U.S. presidential transition. But with the European financial situation blowing up again, and the Europeans needing an adult in the room to tell them what do to...well, the IMF is not going to go out of its way to take that role right now. <br /><br />It's not DSK personally, its the absence of somebody---you, me, or Paul Krugman---that matters.The Chief Weederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12171400826159130860noreply@blogger.com