NationStates Jolt Archive

well...I have FINALLY finished my essay on the Cold War, and my 20th Century History course is just about wrapping up for the year....so I got to thinking who do you think is the most influential person of the 20th Century?

I think I would give the title to Vladimir Lenin for...

Helping pull Russia out of WWI and pretty much creating the world's first Communist nation...alienating the USSR from the "West", and sowing the seeds of the Cold War... but that's just my opinion I really want to hear what everyone else has to say............

...BTW if your going to post a joke option, please write a serious option too...










If anyone says Ronald Reagan I'm gonna SCREAM!!

EDIT: who wants a poll? who should I put in a poll?

well...I have FINALLY finished my essay on the Cold War, and my 20th Century History course is just about wrapping up for the year....so I got to thinking who do you think is the most influential person of the 20th Century?

I think I would give the title to Vladimir Lenin for...

Helping pull Russia out of WWI and pretty much creating the world's first Communist nation...alienating the USSR from the "West", and sowing the seeds of the Cold War... but that's just my opinion I really want to hear what everyone else has to say............

...BTW if your going to post a joke option, please write a serious option too...










If anyone says Ronald Reagan I'm gonna SCREAM!!

Hmm... Al Gore, inventor of the internetz. :D ;)

In seriousness, I'd say either Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, or Roosevelt. I'm too lazy to actually decide.

The guy who shot the other guy in Serbia, in 1914.

Influential? Easy.

Alan Turing.

The guy who shot the other guy in Serbia, in 1914.

That was just a scapegoat. The real reason for WWI was to let off some steam. No one thought it would actually be anything special, but three to four years later... TA-DA! France looks like shit with all of those trenches and the two groups reach standstill.

That was just a scapegoat. The real reason for WWI was to let off some steam. No one thought it would actually be anything special, but three to four years later... TA-DA! France looks like shit with all of those trenches and the two groups reach standstill.

yea no one is that cool, to start a bloody, destructive four year war over...

Thomas Edison, Alexander Fleming, Alexander Grahame Bell, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein.

People of that ilk.

That was just a scapegoat. The real reason for WWI was to let off some steam. No one thought it would actually be anything special, but three to four years later... TA-DA! France looks like shit with all of those trenches and the two groups reach standstill.

Aye, I know, but 'Hitler' seemed too obvious, and he only ever came to power because of a hugely complicated sequence of events. If we went back to the very beginning we'd probably end up with some cave man somewhere, so the Arch Duke seemed as good a place as any to stop.

Did that make even the slightest bit of sense? :confused:

The guy who shot the other guy in Serbia, in 1914.

Gavrilo Princip (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavrilo_Princip)

this guy...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/Gavrilloprincip.jpg

yea no one is that cool, to start a bloody, destructive four year war over...

Again, the leaders thought it would be a six-month deal or less.

Sort of like how the American Civil War/War of Northern Aggression was supposed to be one battle (there were even picnics near the battlefield).

I wish I could truthfully respond "JFK" but I can't.

Influential? Easy.

Alan Turing.

Nice Choice...

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

I wish I could truthfully respond "JFK" but I can't.

It's alright. We didn't either. :)

Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, and Menachem Begin.

The guy who shot the other guy in Serbia, in 1914.

Sarajevo is not in Serbia. :rolleyes:

Dangit...I used to have a theory about how everything was Louis XIV's fault, but he's not of the 20th century.

Sarajevo is not in Serbia. :rolleyes:

The Balkan Territories would be most accurate.

Sarajevo is not in Serbia. :rolleyes:

It was a special guest appearance in Serbia, for one night only.

Nice Choice...

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

Oh, hush. Everyone knows homosexuals cannot be contributive members of society.

Dangit...I used to have a theory about how everything was Louis XIV's fault, but he's not of the 20th century.

And how did this theory play out? Because I've never thought of problems stemming from that time period.

Geez...some insufferable prick, I'd imagine.

Geez...some insufferable prick, I'd imagine.

Is it ever NOT one of those?

Is it ever NOT one of those?

So you admit I'm right?

And how did this theory play out? Because I've never thought of problems stemming from that time period.

It was back during my freshman year, but it was somewhat like 6 degrees of separation, only serious. We determined that he'd done something that eventually pissed off Napoleon, who did something that eventually pissed off someone else, and something contributed to economic instability in Austria, and that set the stage for Hitler. Seriously, that was about four years ago, and I've never discussed it since --- it would be cool to find my notes from that class and piece it back together,though.

So you admit I'm right?

Yes, of course. Because everyone important then was an insufferable prick.

Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, and Menachem Begin.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!!!!!!

Geez...some insufferable prick, I'd imagine.

yea, but WHICH insufferable prick :p

It was back during my freshman year, but it was somewhat like 6 degrees of separation, only serious. We determined that he'd done something that eventually pissed off Napoleon, who did something that eventually pissed off someone else, and something contributed to economic instability in Austria, and that set the stage for Hitler. Seriously, that was about four years ago, and I've never discussed it since --- it would be cool to find my notes from that class and piece it back together,though.

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see that if you ever reconstruct it.

It was back during my freshman year, but it was somewhat like 6 degrees of separation, only serious. We determined that he'd done something that eventually pissed off Napoleon, who did something that eventually pissed off someone else, and something contributed to economic instability in Austria, and that set the stage for Hitler. Seriously, that was about four years ago, and I've never discussed it since --- it would be cool to find my notes from that class and piece it back together,though.

you could also I guess link Enlightened Despotism and Absolutism to Totalitarianism and Fascism....

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see that if you ever reconstruct it.

So would I,lol. My classmates and I originally constructed it while studying for a test (okay, so we were really looking for ways to link stuff for the final so we wouldn't forget it the second we saw the blue book). I finally read it out when we were done, and added comments to the connections -- most of them were stunned that we actually made most of the connections! Some were kind of weak, as we were college freshmen in a low-level history course, but hey, we got credit for trying.

So would I,lol. My classmates and I originally constructed it while studying for a test (okay, so we were really looking for ways to link stuff for the final so we wouldn't forget it the second we saw the blue book). I finally read it out when we were done, and added comments to the connections -- most of them were stunned that we actually made most of the connections! Some were kind of weak, as we were college freshmen in a low-level history course, but hey, we got credit for trying.

Weak or not, any flow of causation from one time period to the next tskes considerable effort. Good work.

Oh, hush. Everyone knows homosexuals cannot be contributive members of society.Indeed. Cf. this Rosie O'Donnel, um, thing...

Indeed. Cf. this Rosie O'Donnel, um, thing...

Rosie is the bestest dyke ever. After Eleanor Roosevelt, that is.

Hitler, if you consider him as the "maker" of WW2.

Why? He persecuted the jews, who after WW2 decided that they needed their own country, which means Israel was created. And we all know how that happened, with instability in the Middle East, a base of operation for USA interests and all the problems about oil.

Also, WW2 was what made the independence of most of the imperial colonies to get their freedom possible.

Also, WW2 saw the rise of the US as one of the major powers, and was what enabled the russians to "liberate" west and remain there after the was was over.

Mainly, the WW2 was the major event that shaped the 20th century, and in my opinion, Hitler was one of those that made it all hapen.

Geoffrey W.A. Dummer (Royal Radar Establishment, British Ministry of Defence)
Jack Kilby (Texas Instruments)
Robert Noyce (Fairchild Semiconductor)


For the integrated circuit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_circuit), reducing computers the size of a building to a small box under your desk or in the palm of your hand. The folks at ARPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_Advanced_Research_Projects_Agency) place a very close second for laying the foundations for the network that would connect those small boxes all over the planet.

Mainly, the WW2 was the major event that shaped the 20th century, and in my opinion, Hitler was one of those that made it all hapen.

Incorrect. The men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1944_NormandyLST.jpg) and women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wendy_Welder_Richmond_Shipyards.jpg) of the world united against fascism, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Naciones_Unidas_3.jpg) who sent Hitler to hell, made it all happen.

Oh, hush. Everyone knows homosexuals cannot be contributive members of society.

He was gay? Really? huh. I never knew...

Incorrect. The men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1944_NormandyLST.jpg) and women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wendy_Welder_Richmond_Shipyards.jpg) of the world united against fascism, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Naciones_Unidas_3.jpg) who sent Hitler to hell, made it all happen.?? They only reacted. Hitler started it.

He was gay? Really? huh. I never knew...Which means you didn't read the wiki article that link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing#Prosecution_for_homosexual_acts_and_Turing.27s_death) links to...

Which means you didn't read the wiki article that link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing#Prosecution_for_homosexual_acts_and_Turing.27s_death) links to...

Precisely. Recognized the name, figured I knew enough not to read it. My bad:)

It was back during my freshman year, but it was somewhat like 6 degrees of separation, only serious. We determined that he'd done something that eventually pissed off Napoleon, who did something that eventually pissed off someone else, and something contributed to economic instability in Austria, and that set the stage for Hitler. Seriously, that was about four years ago, and I've never discussed it since --- it would be cool to find my notes from that class and piece it back together,though.

I'd be very interested in reading it, if you should ever revive it. Prepare to have it ripped to shreds, though. :(

Lenin, mostly for all the reasons listed in the OP. Also, his political testaments and writings coupled with the original Marxist texts has influenced generations of young political activists around the world, ergo the political minds of the day, and tommorow.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Meh. He gained international recognition for his role in attaining Indian independence. But not too much else. If he created a massive pacifist political movement, maybe, but...

Basically he's important, but not as influential as other important figures of the 20th century.

Lenin, mostly for all the reasons listed in the OP. Also, his political testaments and writings coupled with the original Marxist texts has influenced generations of young political activists around the world, ergo the political minds of the day, and tommorow.Blame the Germans, who sent Lenin to Russia...

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.Blarb. He may have achieved independence, but also the division of India. And he had no global significance.

Incorrect. The men (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1944_NormandyLST.jpg) and women (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wendy_Welder_Richmond_Shipyards.jpg) of the world united against fascism, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Naciones_Unidas_3.jpg) who sent Hitler to hell, made it all happen.

That was beautiful :) It makes me want to go to war...

That was beautiful :) It makes me want to go to war...Oh, which one? Afghanistan or Iraq? And on which side respectively?

Oh, which one? Afghanistan or Iraq? And on which side respectively?

Oh who cares, just war...or perhaps a war on war You know? War for the sake of War...It seems par for course...alas what aggressive creatures we humans be

No one can really say. After all, it's really a matter of opinion based on one's own of historical information about a certain individual and his or her lifetime accomplishments that supposedly set them apart from others. From this perspective, I'm of the contention that there are too many to name because they were influential in their own way, shaping the world from their side of the planet.

Jean Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau Ponty, Michel Foucault

Blarb. He may have achieved independence, but also the division of India. And he had no global significance.

Well, apart from the 1 billion people in India that is.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, whose reckless foriegn policies helped escalate the World War I to the scale it reached. He also sent Lenin back to Russia, allowing for the Communist take-over and all that nonsense.
He also had a most impressive moustache and a wide selection of awesome hats.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/kaiser_wilhelm_II.jpghttp://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/wc0052-3b22723r.jpg

Kaiser Wilhelm II, whose reckless foriegn policies helped escalate the World War I to the scale it reached. He also sent Lenin back to Russia, allowing for the Communist take-over and all that nonsense.
He also had a most impressive moustache and a wide selection of awesome hats.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/kaiser_wilhelm_II.jpghttp://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/wc0052-3b22723r.jpg

what a mustache....:eek:

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrgh!!!!!!

Well, I'll give him Ronald Reagan, as he is the man whom basically put the Neo-conservative movement in America, and put some major stepping-stones into the complete destruction of American credibility. But really, that's only an American thing, not a world thing.

I'll have to agree with the OP with saying Lenin, though.

Well, I'll give him Ronald Reagan, as he is the man whom basically put the Neo-conservative movement in America, and put some major stepping-stones into the complete destruction of American credibility. But really, that's only an American thing, not a world thing.

I'll have to agree with the OP with saying Lenin, though.

thank you..:)

I wish I could truthfully respond "JFK" but I can't.

If, at some point in the future, reaching the Moon is taken as the crowning achievement of the 20th century, then he shall have to at least be considered.

Blarb. He may have achieved independence, but also the division of India.

He did not accept partition. He fought against it until the end...until Direct Action Day made it inevitable.

And he had no global significance

Yeah....MLK and Mandela...those are very insignificant people who did very insignificant things inspired by the very insignificant philosophy and life of Gandhi..

You are right...

Kaiser Wilhelm II, whose reckless foriegn policies helped escalate the World War I to the scale it reached. He also sent Lenin back to Russia, allowing for the Communist take-over and all that nonsense.
He also had a most impressive moustache and a wide selection of awesome hats.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/kaiser_wilhelm_II.jpghttp://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/Fiddlebottoms/wc0052-3b22723r.jpg

Its either this guy or Hitler.

If Hitler actions led to WW2, and If you consider the consequences of WW2

Research and testing and use of Nukes.
The USSR emerges as a super power.
Creation of Israel and redrawing of the Middle East.
Development of Missiles.
etc

The guy who shot the other guy in Serbia, in 1914.

The architects of the convoluted alliances and the misguided policies in European politics were the bomb-makers who built the powder keg that was Europe in 1914.

Gavrilo Princip was the match that lit it. So, I somewhat agree that if you had to name one person whose actions most affected the 20th century, it could be him. It is, however, likely, that some sort of war would have occurred anyway. Exactly how this would have transpired we can only guess, there's no way of ever knowing.

Lenin.

The architects of the convoluted alliances and the misguided policies in European politics were the bomb-makers who built the powder keg that was Europe in 1914.

Gavrilo Princip was the match that lit it. So, I somewhat agree that if you had to name one person whose actions most affected the 20th century, it could be him. It is, however, likely, that some sort of war would have occurred anyway. Exactly how this would have transpired we can only guess, there's no way of ever knowing.

Simple. They'd just find another scapegoat. They needed that war to occur because they had a lot to solve and thought a quick brawl was what Europe needed.

What did they get? Trenches and dust everywhere. Millions dead. Millions more scarred. :(

I would actually have to say Hitler.

Marx...Groucho Marx :D

Well, I'll give him Ronald Reagan, as he is the man whom basically put the Neo-conservative movement in America, and put some major stepping-stones into the complete destruction of American credibility. But really, that's only an American thing, not a world thing.

I'll have to agree with the OP with saying Lenin, though.
In all honesty I would give him Milton Friedman. Reagan did some things as president and is the saint of Republicanism, but the ideas that shaped Reagan are more influential than the man himself in my opinion. The intellectual effort put forward by Milton Friedman changed fundamentally change the view of economics at the time and still today, his effects are not just felt in one nation but throughout the world with a few of the Eastern European nations now basing their economic policies on his views, heck, one of the former Prime Ministers of Estonia claims that the only economics book he read before taking office was Free to Choose. Friedman is definitely on my list of most influential thinkers. I would put Lenin higher though, if not highest. The Cold War had a very deep impact on the world, possibly greater than WW2.

Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, and Menachem Begin.
Hayek influenced the first three significantly, even if they never fully understood his work (leading him to disown any association he had with either Reagan or Thatcher).

Hitler was, of course, in my view, the most influential individual of the 20th century.

Marx...Groucho Marx :D

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world, if only that was true?

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world, if only that was true?

Why it is my friend...

Be free my friends. One for all and all for me, and me for you, and three for five, and six for a quarter. :)

I'll opt out for the most obvious one: Hitler. He helped pull the world out of the Great Depression (inadvertently sure, but he still did it), started the worst war in history which led to the immense changes.
Because of WWII, several countries (eg Prussia) ceased to exist, Russia became a dominant force on the international scene (and took over several countries in the process), the USA being the world power, the Cold War started, Atomic weapons were developed earlier than they would have been, rocketry was developed, the nation of Israel was founded, the UN was founded, Britain (and France for that matter) lost it's empire, and so on.

Without Hitler it's extremely unlikely that WWII would have been: thus we can thank him for everything (good and bad) that came from that conflict.

I would say Hitler. His hatred & insanity resulted in the attitude & conduct of the post WWII world, and particularly Europe, being very different to the pre WWII world.

Why it is my friend...

Be free my friends. One for all and all for me, and me for you, and three for five, and six for a quarter. :)

Thank you for the reminder that we choose. Namaste!

If, at some point in the future, reaching the Moon is taken as the crowning achievement of the 20th century, then he shall have to at least be considered.
I doubt that will happen with computers and whatnot.

Which means I vote Alan Turing.

Simple. They'd just find another scapegoat. They needed that war to occur because they had a lot to solve and thought a quick brawl was what Europe needed.

What did they get? Trenches and dust everywhere. Millions dead. Millions more scarred. :(

What sort of event do you think would have acted as a trigger if Franz Ferdinand had not been assassinated? How much longer do you think it would have taken before something else set it off?

I really don't think it's as simple as you might like to cut it. I mean, different justifications may have had different power to pull people in, bring them to war. Some at the time even thought that the war would consist of a few skirmishes and that it would get sorted out diplomatically in short time.

I'll say Deng Xiaoping (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deng_Xiaoping).

Fidel Castro. Sexiest man ever.

Frank Sinatra.

Clement Attlee

Hitler.

Hitler.

Fascist

Fascist

Well done. Hitler was a fascist. Kudos to you. *pats on head*

well i would have to say the most positively influential person was mahandus k ghandi. would that his influence were at this juncture somewhat more universally pervasive.

many many others of course, could be counted as most influential, each in their own spheres of interest.

many who'se names are known but to a few, myself not being one of those few.

there have been several genocidal tyrannts this past century. i would not reguard any as having greater influence then their own foul works.

though i do largely blame one mentioned for the interstate freeway system and the worship of the automobile at the expence of more envirnomentaly sensable means of mobility.

and rachael carlson i must credit for raising awairness of the consiquences of environmental indefference, and that we might NOT be able to get away with it indeffinately

=^^=
.../\...

Well done. Hitler was a fascist. Kudos to you. *pats on head*
__________________
Pythogria: I do object to the reproductive system.

MeansToAnEnd: I don't think old men seducing underage children online should be outlawed.
Economic Left/Right: -5.00
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.56


Which is worse even than being a pederast. B'doom-tish.
Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother?

Politically
Nelson Mandela for giving 41 million ppl the right to vote
Economically Bill Gates not only for his work in developing soft ware that every person on the planet is forced to use but also for his humanitarian work
I,d also say Oprah Winfrey in the media
George W has made more impact negatively than any other US president before him.

and rachael carlson i must credit for raising awairness of the consiquences of environmental indefference, and that we might NOT be able to get away with it indeffinately

=^^=
.../\...

Rachel Carlson, very good pick!

well i would have to say the most positively influential person was mahandus k ghandi. would that his influence were at this juncture somewhat more universally pervasive.

many many others of course, could be counted as most influential, each in their own spheres of interest.

many who'se names are known but to a few, myself not being one of those few.

there have been several genocidal tyrannts this past century. i would not reguard any as having greater influence then their own foul works.

though i do largely blame one mentioned for the interstate freeway system and the worship of the automobile at the expence of more envirnomentaly sensable means of mobility.

and rachael carlson i must credit for raising awairness of the consiquences of environmental indefference, and that we might NOT be able to get away with it indeffinately

=^^=
.../\...

Clement Richard Attlee had more influence than Mohandas K. Gandhi. Gandhi changed many people's minds about the meaning of the British Empire, but only Attlee possessed the influence to actually carry off Indian Independence.

Good point. It is dangerous to ascribe influence to perpetrators of war and genocide. It encourages the belief that only a race of genocidal murderers is able to survive and decide what constitutes 'influence'.

Adolf Hitler instigated the motorway (freeway)-building programme in the 1930s, originally in Germany to facilitate the movement of vehicles carrying troops and matériel with which to invade and subjugate the neighbouring countries on the Continent. He was foiled in this by the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. I expect that to this day Mercedes designers are still working on a new type of combustion engine that will run on Equatorial rainforest, Canadian tundra, Siberian taiga, old car tyres, Chinese fridges, murdered children, human souls, anything. So ride a bicycle.

Who's Rachael Carson?

My post is being stopped for 'moderation'. I can't wait all day to see if my reply shows up. This is obviously a forum for liars with a German moderator who makes sure that nobody speaks a word of truth. Don't say nobody warned you.

My post is being stopped for 'moderation'. I can't wait all day to see if my reply shows up. This is obviously a forum for liars with a German moderator who makes sure that nobody speaks a word of truth. Don't say nobody warned you.
It's just because you're new. Suck it up until you've got some posts behind you.

Oh, and I still stand by my previous nomination. Technological development is the defining characteristic of the 20th century, and it seems impossible to consider our current world without the fruits of Turing's work.

I'll say Deng Xiaoping (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deng_Xiaoping).

Capitalist dictators are a dime a dozen. If one really wants to screw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Leap_Forward) up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution) a country, there can be only one Chairman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao).

Musically, one of Debussy, Schoenberg and Stravinsky.

Capitalist dictators are a dime a dozen. If one really wants to screw (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Leap_Forward) up (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_Revolution) a country, there can be only one Chairman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mao).

Xiaoping effectively dismantled the Maoist system in China. China is still authoritarian, but it's economic rise is in large part due to that cruicial step...and an huge factor in China's rise as a global power.

I think in 100 years, Xiaoping will be considered more influential than many, if not most of the names listed in this thread...he will certainly be considered more influential than Mao. Mao's system is dead...while Xiaopings thrives.

Time will tell.

Ronald Reagan, Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, and Menachem Begin.

I must agree. :)

Hitler may have caused more evil than anyone, but I focus on the good.

Xiaoping effectively dismantled the Maoist system in China. China is still authoritarian, but it's economic rise is in large part due to that cruicial step...and an huge factor in China's rise as a global power.

I think in 100 years, Xiaoping will be considered more influential than many, if not most of the names listed in this thread...he will certainly be considered more influential than Mao. Mao's system is dead...while Xiaopings thrives.

Time will tell.

Mao's influence is similar to what is attributed to Hitler; he started the whole mess to begin with. Besides, regardless of which economic perspective worked better than the other, the practice of predicating everything on the continued domination of the communist party lives on. Intellectuals can say whatever they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_flowers) Students can say whatever they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Wall) IT entrepeneurs can make China all the money they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_by_China)

Mao is dead, long live Mao.

Alan Turning, Sir Frank Whittle, Barnes Wallis ,Ernest Rutherford

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Certainly the most influential Indian man of the 20th century. Gandhi was awesome. But ironically, I'm gonna have to go with someone who was definitely not down with Gandhi: Churchill. He rallied the world and helped make it possible to defeat t Germany. Pretty important fellow, I'd say.

My vote goes for Albert Einstein, who revolutionized science, marking the big difference between century XIX and the XX. He also revolutionized the whole world, contributing to the invention of the nuclear weapons that ended the WWII and began to the Cold War. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einstein

Possibly we could admit Hitler also as the most influential person on the dark side... but I tend to look at the bright side of life.

My vote goes for Alan Turing. Computers are the single most important achievement of the twentieth century and almost all of modern computing is based on what good old Turing did. Sure, some will hate him because he was gay, but screw those bigots.

Mao's influence is similar to what is attributed to Hitler; he started the whole mess to begin with. Besides, regardless of which economic perspective worked better than the other, the practice of predicating everything on the continued domination of the communist party lives on. Intellectuals can say whatever they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_flowers) Students can say whatever they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Wall) IT entrepeneurs can make China all the money they want, until they question the party. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_censorship_by_China)

Mao is dead, long live Mao.

You can stop posting links...I'm well aware of the abuses perpetuated by the Chinese government.

Would you have prefered Xiaoping took the route of Gorbachev, and allowed dissention before the economy was retooled? We all saw how well that worked out...Russia still hasn't fully recovered, and it's been nearly two decades.

In any case, Xiaoping is influential regardless of your opinions regarding the current Chinese government. I see him having far more of an effect on the future of China and the world than Mao ever will, and China's growth into a world power over the last three decades is of his making, not Maos.

You are, of course, free to disagree.

My vote goes for Alan Turing. Computers are the single most important achievement of the twentieth century and almost all of modern computing is based on what good old Turing did. Sure, some will hate him because he was gay, but screw those bigots.

I would like to add Von Neumann to the list given his advances in computing at a similar time to Turing and almost as influential.

I don't get why everyone is saying Hitler, because I'm going with Stalin.

I don't get why everyone is saying Hitler, because I'm going with Stalin.

Most unintentionally arrogant post ever? :p