The literature on stress and political leadership typically views such potential stressors as time-pressure, severe consequences for bad decisions, inadequate information, and conflicting demands as negative influences on political performance. We know, however, that many politicians thrive on or even require such circumstances. Drawing on medical, historical, psychiatric, psychological, and political science literature, this essay proposes that there are at least three major types of leaders in regard to potential stressors: sturdy warriors (who cope with or who even enjoy and are helped by events commonly reacted to by others as stressors), battle-hungry warriors (who are psychologically drawn to potential stressors and “cannot function,” well or badly, without them), and frail warriors (who are unable to cope with stressors). Subcategories, including psychological and political dynamics, are provided.

Drawing on case material from recent and past history, this paper systematically examines the effects of leader disability on political decision making and behavior, giving special attention to the complex relationship between the disabled leader and his inner circle. Four groups of factors are examined: (1) factors related to the illness itself, including whether the illness is physical or mental, and whether the disability is temporary or preterminal, total or partial; (2) factors related to the leader and his reaction to his illness, including the degree to which the leader denies or acknowledges the extent of his disability; (3) factors related to the nature of the political system including whether the society is open or closed, and whether there is a clearly defined succession process; and (4) factors associated with the medical care of the VIP patient, including the conflict between the health needs of the individual and the political needs of the system. In a closed society, with a partially disabled leader, the leader and his inner circle can become locked in a fatal embrace, each dependent upon the other for survival–the syndrome of the Captive King and His Captive Court.

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