The Lives of Others

Based on this film we watched about the Stasi and the role they had played in East Germany, it portrays the importance a government in society. What I mean by this is the fact that they are able to determine how the life of others, including themselves, and the society will either strive or deteriorate by the type of leadership they show. When people say "What is it mean to lead?" This would mean whether the leader would conquer the society in a negative way, in which would mean making life for the civilians a living hell, only where the leader would benefit from the power he has obtained and the pain and suffering he could inflict upon other people. However, If the Leader were to show good leadership, the type of government would help the people benefit and make it a government worth living in by no corruption and freedom to live by their own beliefs, not being forced to support anyone or anything. In this movie, It depicts how the government shows negative leadership by controlling over everyone, and leaving no privacy, or opinions and beliefs to be spoken. The sword and shield, which keeps this country living is the Stasi, since in order to prevent a rebellion through the civilians, they monitor everyone, to ensure no one is against them, since the only motto they follow is "you either with us, or against us." For those that were found trying to form a conspiracy, which had been either writers, actors, or directors, they had lost there jobs or even worse, killed. An example used in the film is how Jerska had lost his job since the government felt that he wasn't as patriotic or supportive of his country, due to his last play. And to show the kind of power the Stasi had, it demonstrates how they completely bug Dreyman's house, in order to find out if he was against East Germany and Stasi. It shows how the government has no trust in it's people just as the people don't trust the government by how corrupt it is. This society is proof of many other countries that depict these same governments towards their people and the only way to do it is by fear. This would relate to how Haiti was governed by dictators. the only way they managed to get their laws to be followed was by force and the murder of all people who dissent with them, in order to set an example to the citizens of what'll happen if you try to go over us and rebel. This society lacked the opportunity of being ruled by the governed, which is having freedom and democracy. People ask the question "Do a people make their leaders, or do leaders emerge largely on their own merits?" If we were to answer, the formation of a leader would depend on both statements. Leaders of specific countries would arise taking control on their own, implying the beliefs they have in the society, which would bring change onto the people either in positive ways or negative ways. Or, the civilians may inspire an individual to lead in order to get the rights or laws they deserve and desire. Much desire had been met in the movie, when the Berlin Wall came down and Germany had been 1 country once again. A moral leader that arose from the movie had been Wiesler, since even though working for the Stasi for several years, had realized how corrupt their government had been and all the Citizen's careers he ended, so he did Dreyman a favor by saving his life. This shows how even in a bad community, there are still citizen's that will support you for your beliefs and the causes you stand up for.