The Power in Doctrine

Authors

Wayne P. Hughes Jr.

Abstract

Teddy Roosevelt was a leader who spoke and wrote with rare clarity. He believed that good ideas that do not lead to action are hollow and that the purpose of words is to foster nobler beliefs and deeds. The pen is mightier than the sword only when education occurs, beliefs change, and actions ensue. The first President Roosevelt is remembered for his forcefulness and resolution. He sponsored reform through legislation--and laws, as we shall see, are an especially obligatory form of doctrine. A man wise in the ways of the world, he plainly understood that good Jaws are enforceable Jaws and that the best laws are those that serve the common weal.

Recommended Citation

Hughes, Wayne P. Jr. (1995) "The Power in Doctrine," Naval War College Review: Vol. 48: No. 3, Article 2.
Available at: https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/nwc-review/vol48/iss3/2