Final answer:
The theme of leadership arrogance in the poem relates to the notion that a leader's confidence and charisma, while initially positive traits, can evolve into a harmful sense of invulnerability and self-importance. This can lead to a disconnect with the needs and realities of the people they lead, resulting in potential isolation and despotism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theme of leadership arrogance in the poem The Leader and the Led can be explored through the lens of historical and political analysis. Examining the characteristics of leader behavior presents a dichotomy between the ideals and the pitfalls of those who take up the mantle of leadership. Often, the attributes that make a leader charismatic and capable of rallying people—a strong vision, decisiveness, and confidence—can also lend themselves to a dangerous sense of infallibility and self-importance.
Using political psychology references, the relationship between narcissism and charismatic leadership suggests that leaders can become self-absorbed and lose touch with those they lead. Studies like 'Narcissism and the charismatic leader-follower relationship' highlight potential negative aspects of such dynamic. Furthermore, historical representations of leadership, such as the portrayal of Stalin as a successful military strategist, align with the conception that a leader can become consumed by their own mythos and the Warrior archetype, believing that strength and fear are essential to maintain power.
Leadership arrogance, therefore, in the context of the poem, reflects a theme where leadership can transform into a self-sustaining entity more concerned with its own preservation rather than the welfare of the led. The leader, in becoming like one who 'climbs up a height and then kicks away the ladder', distances himself from the realities and needs of his followers, potentially leading to isolation and despotism.