NationStates Jolt Archive

Who do you think it was?

My vote goes to Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

King Henry the Eighth

Why is George Bush up there?

He may not have the most popular opinions, but he can hardly be counted among the most eccentric.

This is just another example of uber-vilification of those whom we disagree with.

Papa Doc Duvalier.

Why is George Bush up there?

He may not have the most popular opinions, but he can hardly be counted among the most eccentric.

This is just another example of uber-vilification of those whom we disagree with.

I put him there to be facetious.

Doc Banda is pretty...unique, I'd agree.

Idi Amin - King of Scotland.

Papa Doc Duvalier.

DAMN IT! I forgot him! :headbang:

Idi Amin - King of Scotland.

I forgot him, too!? :headbang:

I forgot him, too!? :headbang:

Admit the truth, there's so many whacko world leaders out there, that, well, you can't fit 'em all in a poll.

Admit the truth, there's so many whacko world leaders out there, that, well, you can't fit 'em all in a poll.

That's true. :p

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, the first and only Emperor of the United States.

The Queen of Hearts "Off with their heads!"

The Queen of Hearts "Off with their heads!"

:D

I want to change my vote.

Caligula he apointed a horse to a position in goverment, you don't get much more eccentric than that.

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, the first and only Emperor of the United States.

Oh, that's a good one, too.

I'd go with Idi Amin. He was completely bonkers.

I'm the only one that voted for Turkmenbashi (Niyazov) so far? For shame.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niyazov

Claiming Turkmenistan to be a nation devoid of a national identity, he has attempted to rebuild the country to his own vision. He renamed the town of Krasnovodsk, on the Caspian Sea, Turkmenbashi after himself, in addition to renaming several schools, airports and even a meteorite after himself and his immediate family. Niyazov's face appears on Manat banknotes and large portraits of the president hang all over the country, especially on major public buildings and avenues. Statues of himself and his mother are scattered all over Turkmenistan, including one in the middle of the Kara Kum desert as well as a gold-plated statue atop Ashgabat's largest building, the Neutrality Arch, that rotates so it will always face into the sun and shine light onto the capital city. Niyazov has commissioned a massive palace in Ashgabat commemorating his rule. He has been given the hero of Turkmenistan award five times. "I'm personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets - but it's what the people want," Niyazov has said.

The education system indoctrinates young Turkmen to love Niyazov, with his works and speeches making up most of their textbooks' content. The primary text is a national epic written by Niyazov, the Ruhnama or Book of the Soul. This book, a mixture of revisionist history and moral guidelines, is intended as the "spiritual guidance of the nation" and the basis of the nation's arts and literature. With Soviet-era textbooks banned without being replaced by new publications, libraries are left with little more than Niyazov's works.

Freedom of speech is virtually non-existent under Niyazov - any criticism of the leader is considered treason and is punishable by lengthy prison terms, imprisonment in mental institutions, or exile to camps near the Caspian Sea.

Gotta love a leader so great that any criticism must therefore be a sign of mental illness. ;)

As President-for-Life of Turkmenistan, he has issued many unconventional decrees, such as...

...In April 2004, urging young people not to get gold tooth caps or gold teeth, suggesting instead that they chew on bones to preserve their teeth.

...In February 2005, ordering the closure of all hospitals outside Ashgabat, saying that if people were ill, they could come to the capital; also ordering the closure of all rural libraries of Turkmenistan, saying that ordinary Turkmen do not read books anyway.

...In November 2005, ordering that physicians swear an oath to him instead of the Hippocratic Oath.

...In December 2005, banning video games, stating that they were too violent for young Turkmen to play.

(among others, most of which are callous rather than simply weird.)

and finally:

# 2005 was declared the year of Ruhnama by the parliament.
# The second Sunday of every August is known as Turkmen Melon Day following a decree given by Niyazov in 1994. Melon Day is a national holiday in celebration of the country's muskmelon, a close relative of the watermelon.[7

^ my personal favourite. :D

# In October 2005, 100,000 copies of a new book by Niyazov were printed. The book includes his lyrical poetry and short stories.
# Niyazov has ordered the building of a new university to be named after Ruhnama. The university is scheduled to be built in 2010.

aaand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruhnama

An enormous mechanical replica of the book is located in the capital; every night at 8:00PM it opens and passages are recited with accompanying video.

How can he possibly lose? ;) Go Turkmenbashi!

I'm voting for Turkmenbashi as well.
Though Idi comes a close second.
Also why isn't Kim Jong-il on the list?
A man who has 20 000+ videos and is referred to as 'Dear Leader' is obviously not all there.

Caligula he apointed a horse to a position in goverment, you don't get much more eccentric than that.

I totally agree with Caligula. That man was a basket case. He tried to give a c-section to one of his sisters. It was his baby.

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, the first and only Emperor of the United States.

Yep.

What did Mossadegh do? (apart from getting deposed by the CIA):p

What did Mossadegh do? (apart from getting deposed by the CIA):p

He was a bit eccentric. Addressed Parliament in his pajamas, wept in public, etc.

He was a bit eccentric. Addressed Parliament in his pajamas, wept in public, etc.

But Pajamas is the national dress of Iran.:confused:

*kidding*:p

I have to question you; how, in your right mind, could you put GWB on the poll? He doesn't come anywhere near close.

And, of the ones there, Saparmurat Niyazov. Seriously. He renamed BREAD after his MOTHER.

"So, who wants a slice of Martha?"

I think that Nero would qualify, if he was half as eccentric as Peter Ustinov rendered him.

How can he possibly lose? ;) Go Turkmenbashi!

This man has officially moved up to #2 on my Top 5 Dictators of all time.

And he's officially my hero.

Idi Amin. He praised his former defence minister as 'delicious'. At least according to the Onion.



New Zealands best effort was Rob Muldoon who appeared on TV visibly intoxicated and called a snap election. Gold.

What?!? A poll about eccentric leaders, and Ludwig II is not even mentioned? The guy who did everything he could to live in a Grimm fairy tale?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/LouisII.jpg/220px-LouisII.jpg

What?!? A poll about eccentric leaders, and Ludwig II is not even mentioned? The guy who did everything he could to live in a Grimm fairy tale?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/LouisII.jpg/220px-LouisII.jpg

boy did he ever

What?!? A poll about eccentric leaders, and Ludwig II is not even mentioned? The guy who did everything he could to live in a Grimm fairy tale?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_II

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/dd/LouisII.jpg/220px-LouisII.jpg

Yeah, but he was good.

Michael Jackson.

oops, hasn't been elected yet!

Yeah, but he was good.

So? Good people can't be eccentric?

So? Good people can't be eccentric?

He doesn't exactly fit in with Banda and Niyazov.

He doesn't exactly fit in with Banda and Niyazov.

True, but the question was "who was the history's most eccentric leader", not "who was the most violent nutcase"...

Idi Amin - King of Scotland.

i was wondering why he wasnt on the poll?

offtopic. where does one get the moral rule thingy you have on your sig?

it has to be Saparmurat Niyazov. I mean, he actually named April after himself.

Proabably Idi Amin, last King of Scotland, heavyweight boxing champion and President of Uganda. What a guy.

it has to be Saparmurat Niyazov. I mean, he actually named April after himself.

*clears throat*

"So, who wants a slice of Martha?"

idi amin, if we're talking bat-shit insane leaders.

Caligula he apointed a horse to a position in goverment, you don't get much more eccentric than that.

That's not all he did to the horse, but that's a different topic.