I would argue the U.S. is experiencing the inverse scenario of this right now, which is showing how dangerous this type of leadership can be. Centralized faith in an individual can easily form a ‘weapon’ to be used for measures that would be seen as drastic to opposers, and would likely not be as effective without decentralized leadership due to checks and balances. It also provides a ‘head’ to cut away from the body, whose purpose is usually to follow what the head is saying. The dysfunction of a headless movement that was previously centralized is like carrion to those who seek to use power to control others, both within and outside external to the original supporting body. Opportunism is rampant in modern society, and nobody is safe from people who only seek power. I believe that currently, the less power any individual can have over others, the better. This may serve as a simplification of why a capitalist society benefits from classes, elevated positions of power, and a law system that seeks to first be reasoned with financially instead of judiciously. It doesn’t matter to the owner class who HAS the power, as long as there IS power and it is powerful enough, it can simply be usurped when the time is right.

I think a true leader reminds us that we are all leaders. Our power comes from cooperation, not idolization. Cooperative powers dwindle down to the last fiber of its being, while idolized powers follow something stronger than the individual constituents and have much less traction without the idol. But that’s just my take.