NationStates

What do you think is the ideal age for an elected head of state? Young and full of energy, old and full of wisdom, or perhaps you think it is irrelevant.

Personally I think it is very demanding work, both physically and mentally so not too old. But then I think how little I understood what a fool I am when I was younger. So I think the ideal is probably somewhere around 50, maybe ten years either way.

I put 30-40, but I'd like 35-45. Enough time to gain some valuable life lessons without being old or close to death. Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office, and most people are just maturing at age 25-30.

Northern Seleucia wrote:I put 30-40, but I'd like 35-45. Enough time to gain some valuable life lessons without being old or close to death. Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office, and most people are just maturing at age 25-30.

Sorry I edited the poll, I forgot an option.

Emotional Support Crocodile wrote:

Northern Seleucia wrote:I put 30-40, but I'd like 35-45. Enough time to gain some valuable life lessons without being old or close to death. Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office, and most people are just maturing at age 25-30.

Sorry I edited the poll, I forgot an option.

It's fine. I still abide by my answer.

Northern Seleucia wrote:I put 30-40, but I'd like 35-45. Enough time to gain some valuable life lessons without being old or close to death. Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office, and most people are just maturing at age 25-30.

I also like 35-45, but I evened it out against you at 40-50, erring the other way.

I think that makes it statistically valid between us.

Galloism wrote:

Northern Seleucia wrote:I put 30-40, but I'd like 35-45. Enough time to gain some valuable life lessons without being old or close to death. Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office, and most people are just maturing at age 25-30.

I also like 35-45, but I evened it out against you at 40-50, erring the other way.

I think that makes it statistically valid between us.

Close enough. I might switch mine to 40-50 now that you mention it. 35 would round up, anyway.

Leaders in society have generally tended to be 40 - 60. It would be foolish for us to change a general trend that's worked fine since pretty much the inception of Humanity.

Age is not the main thing; the content of a leader's character and ideas are far more important, as well as the nature of the coalitions that back them. It's not nothing, mind you, but more like a 3rd rate thing to ask about.

That said, probably 40s in my opinion. You want someone who is both young enough to live with the consequences of their actions (so will have a more long term view in their policy) but at the same time also have a few life experiences to inform their decisions.

Younger leaders are fine, but it is a lot to ask for, and there's a certain resilience that comes about with age that's vital for elected office. Older and people just start to get a bit too jaded- in my view, you want people who have a certain sense of idealism in top office to chart a course for the nation as a whole. Nobody was ever inspired by a cynical nihilist promising to just take power for the sake of plunder or hollow prestige, after all.

Chan Island wrote:.... You want someone who is both young enough to live with the consequences of their actions (so will have a more long term view in their policy) ....

That is a really nice point I hadn't considered, long term skin in the game. Especially with looming climate change.

Northern Seleucia wrote: Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office,

Joe Biden has enough energy in him for another term in office.

For me, it depends on what the country is. If its a old superpower, then someone young and vice versa. You dont want anyone over 60 in office tho.
PS. so i will choose the 30-40.

Sundiata wrote:

Northern Seleucia wrote: Over 70 is basically asking for a death in office,

Joe Biden has enough energy in him for another term in office.

Biden is a (debatable) exception, not the norm.

2

Adults have done a lousy job, let's give toddlers a chance.

Ethel mermania wrote:2

Adults have done a lousy job, let's give toddlers a chance.

Down with the System. Long live King GooGoo of the GaaGaa Republic.

Mandatory Nap Times sound based.

In the case of a US President, 108. To maximize the chances that they're a drooling invalid who will inflict as little damage as possible.

Ethel mermania wrote:2

Adults have done a lousy job, let's give toddlers a chance.

Niger has a majority population under fifteen, I believe. LONG LIVE THE TEENAGER REVOLUTION!

Northern Seleucia wrote:

Ethel mermania wrote:2

Adults have done a lousy job, let's give toddlers a chance.

Down with the System. Long live King GooGoo of the GaaGaa Republic.

Mandatory Nap Times sound based.

10:30 am - noon is mandatory milk and cookies and a nap

infant

age is not entirely a reliable standard. narcissism should be an absolute disqualifier regardless of age.
as are obvious forms of bigotry and belligerence. these things should not need to be said, yet we seldom see them implemented in real nations in real life.

i'm not of the persuasion there are ideal ages, nor toxic ages, for much of anything.
i'm also not the persuasion the any authority, unless absolutely unavoidable, should ever be invested in any individual person.

for a literal answer, any age from legal majority to retirement ought to be eligible.
granted many people don't regularly display good sense until well into their thirties and forties,
nor is there an age at which senile dementia automatically sets in,
but a person too old, or who feels themselves to be, too old to concern themselves with a future they will not likely live to see,
is also a concern.

but i'm just not persuaded any arbitrary age number is any sort of reliable solution.

and there are people of all ages i would prefer to other people also of all ages.

do states even need heads, unless faced at that moment with the challenges of war or other disaster?

Head of state or head of government?

Because I'm willing to set a higher ideal age for an elected ceremonial head of state than I might for an elected executive head of government.

30-40 range. Old enough to have some experience and be tempered by age, but still young enough to have decades and decades to live in the world they will create. I think knowing they won't be around to feel the long reaching consequences of their actions is a major flaw of older politicians.

30s to 40s seems ideal from my perspective. 0 to 20 years of age max for someone's childhood/education years. 20 to 30 years for someone's early working years, or their time to work in local government or gaining experience about the world in general. 30s to 40+ for someone being ready for national government work if they've been in politics for a while or know relevant skills like if they're a lawyer or judge.

The phases of someone's life can overlap or begin 5+ years earlier for each stage depending on what someone is able to do, but that is the general gist of things. 30 to 40+ years of age seems to be what people think of as a real candidate to be watching for and take seriously.

The Archregimancy wrote:Head of state or head of government?

Because I'm willing to set a higher ideal age for an elected ceremonial head of state than I might for an elected executive head of government.

Why does being grey and wrinkled give dignity?

Ethel mermania wrote:Why does being grey and wrinkled give dignity?

Must be the grey part. Newborns are wrinkled - aren't they? Dignity is overrated.

I'd like to see poll results scaled as a percentage of the respondents' ages. Something like that.

30 to 70. You want people who have lived long enough to have a range of experiences, and have had time for those experiences to sink in -- but still young enough to be mentally sharp. There'll always be some individual variation in how long it takes for people to grow up and catch a clue, and how well their mental faculties hold up as they age, but I think 30 to 70 is about right for most people.

Ethel mermania wrote:

Northern Seleucia wrote:Down with the System. Long live King GooGoo of the GaaGaa Republic.

Mandatory Nap Times sound based.

10:30 am - noon is mandatory milk and cookies and a nap

I support this policy. With fruit drinks available for those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergy.