Professor Ed Larson Presents "George Washington, A Case Study in Republican Leadership through Retirement" -- George Washington Presidential Library

Professor Edward J. Larson presented the keynote address, "George Washington, A Case Study in Republican Leadership through Retirement," at the 2024 George Washington Symposium.  The symposium, titled "Founding Fellows, Ten Years of Academic Excellence," was held at the George Washington Presidential Library in Mount Vernon, Virginia, on November 1-2.

From the George Washington Presidential Library:

Ed Larson: George Washington: A Case Study in Republican Leadership through Retirement

George Washington voluntarily retired as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in 1783 and then again from the United States presidency in 1797. In doing so, he greatly strengthened the American experiment by demonstrating values of civilian rule, rotation in office, rule of law, and not having leaders above the law. Leaders need to know when to step away in order to best advance the interests of their followers and the institutions they have led. The temptations to remain in power are enormous. In resisting those temptations Washington greatly enhanced his stature as one of the greatest of all leaders. In both instances, he retired and made his Mount Vernon estate the symbol of his retirement. Preservation of the estate by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association then reinforced national unity and the core values of republican government that Washington had come to personify.

Additional information may be found at George Washington's Mount Vernon