MODELS OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN THE ANCIENT EAST

The article is devoted to the historical investigation of the peculiarities of the ancient Eastern models of political leadership. The accent has been made on the specific features of political power in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and India. It has been concluded that any leadership model has its own social and cultural context and reflects the ideological and cultural specifics of the era. The common feature of ancient oriental models of leadership is bright mystical-religious character – the personality of the leader is deified and endowed with special, supernatural qualities which are often opposed to natural and social being. The personality of the ruler is always a kind of sacred authority that is worshiped and which guarantees the integrity and stability of the cosmic order.