NationStates Jolt Archive

Many people marked the 20th century, only a few really achieved important goals, evil or good ones. Vote for the most influent personality of the ten last decades.

Ugh! Another thread? Can't you put some decent people into the poll like Winston Churchill, Charles de Gaulle... or... Rene Lavesque *snicker*

You give three choices: one of the most evil men to have ever lived, serving as the architect of an action that led to over 30,000,000 deaths, another who helped Russia become the Soviet Union, and warned everyone not to trust Joseph Stalin - who ultimately replaced him, and the third who spent most of his adult life enamoured with the ideals of a system that couldn't work, yet he still felt compelled to "export" revolution to other nations.

What of the statesmen (and women) of the century who did not kill - or who worked tirelessly to change the world around them?

What of Mahatma Ghandi, rejecting violence over civil disobedience?
What of Nelson Mandela, never giving up hope of a free South Africa?
What of Desmond Tutu, never giving up his faith that things would change, despite all evidence to the contrary?
What of Mother Theresa, dedicating her life to helping those less fortunate?

A list could be virtually endless before the likes of a Hitler, Stalin or Che need be added.

Queen Mezzen

You give three choices: one of the most evil men to have ever lived, serving as the architect of an action that led to over 30,000,000 deaths, another who helped Russia become the Soviet Union, and warned everyone not to trust Joseph Stalin - who ultimately replaced him, and the third who spent most of his adult life enamoured with the ideals of a system that couldn't work, yet he still felt compelled to "export" revolution to other nations.

What of the statesmen (and women) of the century who did not kill - or who worked tirelessly to change the world around them?

What of Mahatma Ghandi, rejecting violence over civil disobedience?
What of Nelson Mandela, never giving up hope of a free South Africa?
What of Desmond Tutu, never giving up his faith that things would change, despite all evidence to the contrary?
What of Mother Theresa, dedicating her life to helping those less fortunate?

A list could be virtually endless before the likes of a Hitler, Stalin or Che need be added.

Queen Mezzen

You give three choices: one of the most evil men to have ever lived, serving as the architect of an action that led to over 30,000,000 deaths, another who helped Russia become the Soviet Union, and warned everyone not to trust Joseph Stalin - who ultimately replaced him, and the third who spent most of his adult life enamoured with the ideals of a system that couldn't work, yet he still felt compelled to "export" revolution to other nations.

What of the statesmen (and women) of the century who did not kill - or who worked tirelessly to change the world around them?

What of Mahatma Ghandi, rejecting violence over civil disobedience?
What of Nelson Mandela, never giving up hope of a free South Africa?
What of Desmond Tutu, never giving up his faith that things would change, despite all evidence to the contrary?
What of Mother Theresa, dedicating her life to helping those less fortunate?

A list could be virtually endless before the likes of a Hitler, Stalin or Che need be added.

Queen Mezzen

I'd say John Paul II. Perhaps you could include more people in the options.

You give three choices: one of the most evil men to have ever lived, serving as the architect of an action that led to over 30,000,000 deaths, another who helped Russia become the Soviet Union, and warned everyone not to trust Joseph Stalin - who ultimately replaced him, and the third who spent most of his adult life enamoured with the ideals of a system that couldn't work, yet he still felt compelled to "export" revolution to other nations.

What of the statesmen (and women) of the century who did not kill - or who worked tirelessly to change the world around them?

What of Mahatma Ghandi, rejecting violence over civil disobedience?
What of Nelson Mandela, never giving up hope of a free South Africa?
What of Desmond Tutu, never giving up his faith that things would change, despite all evidence to the contrary?
What of Mother Theresa, dedicating her life to helping those less fortunate?

A list could be virtually endless before the likes of a Hitler, Stalin or Che need be added.

Queen Mezzen

You give three choices: one of the most evil men to have ever lived, serving as the architect of an action that led to over 30,000,000 deaths, another who helped Russia become the Soviet Union, and warned everyone not to trust Joseph Stalin - who ultimately replaced him, and the third who spent most of his adult life enamoured with the ideals of a system that couldn't work, yet he still felt compelled to "export" revolution to other nations.

What of the statesmen (and women) of the century who did not kill - or who worked tirelessly to change the world around them?

What of Mahatma Ghandi, rejecting violence over civil disobedience?
What of Nelson Mandela, never giving up hope of a free South Africa?
What of Desmond Tutu, never giving up his faith that things would change, despite all evidence to the contrary?
What of Mother Theresa, dedicating her life to helping those less fortunate?

A list could be virtually endless before the likes of a Hitler, Stalin or Che need be added.

Queen Mezzen

Me

None of them. How about Elvis Presley :?: Surely one of the most culturally significant men of the 20th century :?: Besides, the others couldn't sing :!: :wink:

Why did you list three of the most evil men ever to have lived?

I realize that you were going for the most significant person, not necessarily the best person, but still...

how about Johnny Rotten? or Sid Vicious?? or even ... Bakunin or Proudhon??

Definitely a tie between Bush & Blair. :D

Why did you list three of the most evil men ever to have lived?

I realize that you were going for the most significant person, not necessarily the best person, but still...

Three most evil men ever to lived? You make me laugh. Hitler? Okie, I agree on this one. Lenin? His intentions weren't as bad as his results. Che? Well, I would like to place him at the top of my list over 'good' people ever lived, even though he killed people.

Lenin? Che?

Holding and promoting evil ideas is itself an evil act.

what about einstein?

Einstein changed the history of the world more than these political leaders.

His insights have already outlasted their philosophies.

I have to go with Elvis on this one. :)

Einstein changed the history of the world more than these political leaders.

His insights have already outlasted their philosophies.

exactly.

as the great man once said "politics is for the moment, an equation lasts forever"

i'm sure i misquoted him, but that was the essence of it.

three forces of evil?


I vote for George Marshall, US Army Chief of Staff during WWII. Secretary of State that devised the aid plan to rebuild Europe and Japan.

Given those three choices, i choose none of the above.

The people who go down as most influential in my book are people who are like Leonardo Da Vinci and Ben Franklin; very good at most everything they try. However, the 20th century doesn't seem like a lot of them exist. So I don't know who'd be most influential. Of course, IMHO, the most influential entity of this century - or any century - is God..