It is described how Confucius when asked by one of his disciples what he would do if he were given his own territory to govern the Master replied that he would first and above all “rectify the names” ‒ that is, make words correspond to reality.
It is of the utmost importance that our political leaders communicate with us clearly and truthfully and also not hide essential, even if unfavourable or distasteful, information or prevaricate or seek to mislead or misinform. One of the great lessons of history is that there is a direct relationship between how language is used and how power is exercised. Good governors use language that tries to reflect truth and is clear and understandable. Bad governors use language that hides, manipulates, or cosmetises the truth and is customarily obscure and cliché- ridden to the point of meaninglessness.
Since human nature at its weakest is what it is, people quite often prefer what is cosmetic and obscure to what is true and clear and so bad governors can and do get by quite well for quite long. This is so true that even good governors are sometimes tempted down the road of high-sounding but feckless rhetoric.
