“Put two or three men in positions of conflicting authority. This will force them to work at loggerheads, allowing you to be the ultimate arbiter.”
- January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945
- American
- Politician
- [Achievements]
- As president of the United States, he promoted economic recovery from the Great Depression with the New Deal policy
- He led the Allied powers to victory in World War II
- [Criticism]
- His hard-line policy toward Japan triggered the attack on Pearl Harbor
- He pushed for the forced internment policy of Japanese Americans due to racist feelings toward the Japanese
- He promoted the Manhattan Project, a plan to develop the atomic bomb
Quote
“Put two or three men in positions of conflicting authority. This will force them to work at loggerheads, allowing you to be the ultimate arbiter.”
Explanation
In this quote, Franklin D. Roosevelt outlines a strategy for maintaining control in a situation where conflicting interests or authority are at play. By intentionally creating a situation where individuals or groups have competing power or responsibilities, Roosevelt suggests that they will be forced into conflict, which provides an opportunity for the leader (in this case, Roosevelt himself) to step in as the final authority or arbiter to resolve disputes. The tactic essentially uses division and competition between parties as a way to maintain centralized control and ensure that the leader has the ultimate say in important decisions.
Roosevelt’s approach can be seen as a strategic move to ensure effective leadership and to manage power dynamics within his administration. By allowing conflicting authorities to exist, he could keep key figures or agencies in check, ensuring that they remained focused on their roles and, perhaps, preventing any one faction from gaining too much influence or independence. This approach also gives the leader the opportunity to shape outcomes and direct the course of action without directly imposing decisions from the outset.
In modern contexts, this quote reflects a tactic sometimes used in organizational leadership, politics, or business, where leaders intentionally create competition or conflict between groups to drive decision-making or prevent any one group from becoming too powerful. While effective in some cases, it also raises ethical considerations about the potential for manipulation and the risks of fostering unhealthy power dynamics. Roosevelt’s words suggest the role of a leader as not just a decision-maker, but also as someone who must navigate competing interests to ensure control and maintain authority.
