NationStates Jolt Archive

In your opinion, who is the greatest head of state and/or head of government in the 20th century? Oh, and a poll is on the way.

In your opinion, who is the greatest head of state and/or head of government in the 20th century? Oh, and a poll is on the way.

Greatest as in "nicest" or greatest as in just a good leader even if he was evil.

Greatest as in "nicest" or greatest as in just a good leader even if he was evil.

Either one.

I'm so glad you put Ataturk in there. He was, IMHO, the most effective. He changed a backwater nation into a semi-modern one almost by sheer force of will.

In your opinion, who is the greatest head of state and/or head of government in the 20th century? Oh, and a poll is on the way.

stallin and hitler and mao were probably the greatest. Mr roosevelt and reagan were probably the "nicest" out there.

Side note: Most of these choices were totally random.

Where is stalin and hitler?

Where is stalin and hitler?

Not enough room. See option #10, though. ;)

Stalin.
http://www.plp.org/books/Stalin/book.html

Bah, I can't decide

I'll nominate one that's not on the list, even though he was never a head of state: Mohandas K. Gandhi.

I voted Lenin because he had the greatest impact, however mixed his legacy is. Started out with some good ideas (The State and Revolution), accomplished some good things (ended Russia's involvement in WWI, overthrew the increasingly autocratic provisional government, a brief flowering of soviet democracy), and then fucked it all up (Kronstadt, the cheka)

Churchill - no question.

Bah, I can't decide

I'll nominate one that's not on the list, even though he was never a head of state: Mohandas K. Gandhi.

Had he been a head of state (or head of government) he'd have definitely been on the poll; as it stands, I strongly considered putting Nehru on.

Corneliu.

I rather like those who don't get lots of people killed. Which, hmmm, excludes every single guy on your list, with the questionable exception of Gorbachev.

I'm also not sure why de Gaulle isn't being mentioned more often. And Adenauer and his French counterpart, they made some pretty monumental decisions. And Deng Xiaoping did a lot of good by abandoning Maoism for good.

I rather like those who don't get lots of people killed. Which, hmmm, excludes every single guy on your list, with the questionable exception of Gorbachev.

Sadly, those who do kill are usually ranked higher than those that don't.

I'm also not sure why de Gaulle isn't being mentioned more often. And Adenauer and his French counterpart, they made some pretty monumental decisions. And Deng Xiaoping did a lot of good by abandoning Maoism for good.

Adenauer!!!! I knew I was forgetting someone big. :headbang:

As for the others, well, I only had 10 options. :(

Had he been a head of state (or head of government) he'd have definitely been on the poll; as it stands, I strongly considered putting Nehru on.

Unfortunately, Gandhi got the Jesus treatment. Anyone who inspires mass movements based on peace, love and understanding will inevitably die a very public and brutal death. Medger Evers, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, John Lennon (okay, I know it's a stretch, but seriously, how threatening is John Lennon): they all got rewarded with death.

I've personally always considered Vladimir Lenin one of the greatest. Although it's obviously arguable what the merits of the Soviet system were in the end, his leadership and the ideas behind the Revolution ultimately catalyzed events that led to the emergence of Russia as the world's only other true superpower.

Although it came at a catastrophically high human cost, Russia did move from 19th century backwater to the world's second most powerful nation in military, economic, and scientific terms in only slightly more than a generation. This is a feat that has not been accomplished by any state since, and likely never will again, if only due to the sheer damage that that rise to power inflicted on the nation.

Unfortunately, Gandhi got the Jesus treatment. Anyone who inspires mass movements based on peace, love and understanding will inevitably die a very public and brutal death. Medger Evers, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, John Lennon (okay, I know it's a stretch, but seriously, how threatening is John Lennon): they all got rewarded with death.

Sad but true.

Arnold Schwarzenegger. He returned from future to prevent global nuclear war.

I've personally always considered Vladimir Lenin one of the greatest. Although it's obviously arguable what the merits of the Soviet system were in the end, his leadership and the ideas behind the Revolution ultimately catalyzed events that led to the emergence of Russia as the world's only other true superpower.

Although it came at a catastrophically high human cost, Russia did move from 19th century backwater to the world's second most powerful nation in military, economic, and scientific terms in only slightly more than a generation. This is a feat that has not been accomplished by any state since, and likely never will again, if only due to the sheer damage that that rise to power inflicted on the nation.

The U.S.S.R.'s "accomplishments" could not have been possible without the aid of "deaf-mute blindmen" (Lenin's phrase) in the West, but that's another topic for another day. If you want to debate that further, feel free to send me a TG.

Other people for the poll could be Ho Chi Ming, Napoleon, Juan Peron and Eva. Also my personal favourite Lange.

Dude, Napoleon wasn't a 20th century leader. ;)

Other people for the poll could be Ho Chi Ming, Napoleon, Juan Peron and Eva. Also my personal favourite Lange.

I voted for Mandela, but I was really thinking "none." Which doesn't really work with a superlative like "greatest," but it's the spirit of the thing.

If you could extend the timeframe my second would be Robespierre.

If you could extend the timeframe my second would be Robespierre.

Why not start a "Greatest Political Leader of All Time" thread? ;)

Dude, Napoleon wasn't a 20th century leader. ;)

Sorry about that.

Sorry about that.

It's okay.

Mahandus K Gandiji! he WAS 20th century.

it is one thing to lead with the resources all the others mentioned had, it is quite another to hobble down the road on foot, knowing you'll be shot at, and without shooting back, be fallowed down that same road, by millions of others, also knowing they'll be shot at.

i don't claim to know how he did it, but i doubt very much that more then a couple, if that many, of the others mentioned, even remotely could have.

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