All about the Benjamins

Who is a public servant?

Law and Ethics class this morning posed an interesting question: who is a public servant? The list was as long as diverse, ranging from Mother Theresa to Colin Powell; from firefighters to forest rangers; and from husbands and wives to brothers and grandmothers . The most interesting response though was Benjamin Franklin. The response astonished the professor, which he commented was the first reference to Ben Franklin.


The rationale was on point. Franklin was a noted diplomat and civic leader, but my classmate offered it from another angle: Franklin had invented so many useful things (bifocals, lightning rods, etc). that he had become an institution in his own right. This work as an inventor led to many public innovations which - over time - established him a public servant.


Hmmm. That intrigued me. That perspective inspired me to ask (to the class) if Bill Gates would fit into this equation. Bill Gates clearly changed the game from a technological perspective and is clearly considered an inventor. History will establish if he fits the Ben Franklin mode, but can we consider him a public servant outside of his charitable giving foundation and humanitarian efforts? I would argue - and did - that he is clearly on the 'Ben Franklin' track to public service.


Some of my classmates did not agree. They viewed Gates as a profiteering capitalist that saw an opportunity and leveraged it into trillions. At best, he has a big heart. We will let history bear it out.


What do you think?