Best Leader of History?

[Fayadi]

This thread is so old......
By the way,I admit I was once a "racism/fundementalism" months back.I was wrong to say Stalin is my favourite leader and was wrong to say something bad about Arabs

There are actually a lot of great leaders in this world,my favourite leader vote should go to Deng Xiao Ping. China was at its most disastrious period in her history after being destroyed by the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution and lowest period in her economy probably in the history. Deng launched a big reform to liberase the economy that greatly improved the people's lives. I cant wonder what if Deng didnt take over China...........She would probably be one of the poorest nation in the world
Yes I admit China was still very poor now,but look,East China(Chinese cities near the seas) has a high GDP per capita and some are one of the world's best cities ,China didnt achieve this under Mao!

 

[Gandalf13]

My top 8:

Julius Caesar-conquered gaul, agrarian reforms, solution to debt problems, defeat of Pompey and the optimates, amazing politician, and an excellent general. Loved by the Roman people and forged an amazingly devoted army.

Abraham Lincoln-saved the U.S. from becoming two countries, brought America from a group of states with a common government into a closely knit country.

Otto von Bismarck-created one german state which became a major player in world affairs, with an army and navy to rival almost any nation at the time of World War I.

Napolean Bonaparte-changed France from a country in political turmoil into a closely knit country with a powerful army that conquered almost all of Europe.

Ghengis Khan-created an enormous empire stretching from Mongolia and China in the east to Poland in the west and transformed warfare.

Nelson-his victory at Trafalgar destroyed the French and Spanish fleets and transformed ship warfare.

Alexander the Great-great general, conquered Persian empire.

Winston Churchill-arguably the greatest statesman of the 20th century.

 

[God]

My top 5:
- Genghis Khan
- Darius
- Augustus
- Suleiman the Great
- Napoleon

 

[Gandalf13]

What about Caesar!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[EdwardTking]

I do not interpret 'Best Leader' as most powerful or destructive.

I think that being a good leader means achieving something:

(a) against the odds;
(b) intentionally;
(c) lasting;
(d) without unnecessary destruction or suffering; and
(e) worthwhile.

All the 'let's conquer the world' types Alexander, Attila, Caesar, Ghengis, Hitler, Napoleon, Richard 1, Willim 1 and Stalin fail
(d) and/or (e).

George Washington won his war but it was a qualified success as it did not obtain independence for each State as they wanted;
(they signed up to be the USA instead of King George's realm.)
I also believe that independence could have been negotiated;
so failing on (b) and (d). I dare say US posters will disagree?


In many ways; it is the religious leaders who best meet my criteria; such as Bhudda, Jesus & Mahomet.


If limiting choices to secular leaders; my list is:


(1) von Braun

Humanity reached the moon.


(2) Churchill

Permanent and enduring elimination of evil Hitler cult.


(3) Ghandi

Obtained independence (without bloodshed - IMHO a very
much greater achievement than George Washington).
Altghough Pakistan separated and there were wars;
the rest of India has stayed together despite difficulties.


(4) Confucious

His philosophy, although much criticised since, was a
great improvement upon the thinking of the time and
helped the various chinese peoples achieve a great
degree of stability.


(5) Eddison

He was the first person to work out how to lead teams
of inventors and scientists (notoriously difficult to lead
independent intellectual thinkers) and developed
electric power in its entirety for us all to benefit from.


(6) Elizabeth 1st

Despite being a women at a chauvainistic time when
it was considered impossible for a woman to reign as
sole monarch; she did so and was able to maintain a
united country despite religious divides and the hostility of
France and Spain, and managed an orderly succession.


......insert other non megalomaniac benefactors please.....


(97) Zhukov

His leadership stopped and defeated the Germans
despite Stalin.


(98) Arthur Wellesley

He was able to take a motley mix of untrained criminals
and raw recruits and turn them into soldiers and check
and defeat veteran armies which had more men and
unbroken success behind them.


(99) Augustus


Stabilised the Roman empire after several civil wars.

(100) Monty

Defeated the Nazis and invented the flying circus.

 

[Kryten]

There is a story that in his early days at NASA, Wernher von Braun put up a large poster in the corridor outside his office which said "WE AIM FOR THE STARS!". Apparently some comedian wrote underneath in pencil "....but sometimes we hit London...."

 

[Archbob]

Originally posted by Fayadi
I think nobody has yet voted for the greatest leader of the history!I vote for Joseph Stalin ,I find that his five year plan is very ideal!He was great as because of him USSR became superpower .

I wouldn't call him the greatest leader, more like one of the most ruthless ones. I'd have to say Octavian 'Augustus" or someone like that who start the 'Pax Romana'.

 

[Gandalf13]

Augustus didn't "start" the pax romana. It was not something that the Romans just decided to do. It was a gradual process which began in Italy, then spread after the Punic Wars. Augustus, IMHO, was not a brilliant leader. He was efficient, but he didn't come up with any amazing solutions to the issues of the day. It was Caesar that solved the debt problems of Rome, introduced Agrarian reforms to take an enormous load of the Roman treasury while also allowing the homeless and poor citizens of Rome to settle in colonies.

 

[Philosopher12]

WOW!!!!!! Someone else that is a roman history person!!!!!!

 

[MrPresident]

"introduced Agrarian reforms "

That wasn't Caesar that was one of the Gracchi brothers, I forget which one.

 

[Ozz]

Originally posted by MrPresident
"introduced Agrarian reforms "

That wasn't Caesar that was one of the Gracchi brothers, I forget which one.

The Brothers didn't survive their attempt at agrarian reforms.

 

[MrPresident]

Lex Agraria I think it was called. I know the brothers didn't survive but they did 'introduce' the agrarian reforms.

 

[Ozz]

Originally posted by MrPresident
Lex Agraria I think it was called. I know the brothers didn't survive but they did 'introduce' the agrarian reforms.

I can't think of anyone who ever has succeeded in agrarian reforms, (not Stalin, Castro maybe?), Augustus tried didn't
he?

 

[Gandalf13]

The Gracchi introduced agrarian reforms, but they were both murdered before the law had any effect. Caesar introduced more far reaching reforms which had a huge effect on Rome. He was really the only Roman leader of his day that realized that Rome needed change, and that the squabbling, feuding senators couldn't get the job done.

Thank you Philosopher 12, I really love roman history.

 

[Gandalf13]

Augustus did not attempt agrarian reforms, Ozz, he just kept Caesar's.

 

[bingitz]

Bringing back Stalin, he had at least twice as many people killed as Hitler, not counting famines, but other than that he would be in my opinion the best leader.

 

[amadeus]

Well, what about Zedong? 60 million died under his dictatorship, that's about what...three times Stalin? Some "Great Leap Forward," huh...

In terms of best leaders, I'd put my vote down for Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. If some wacko took over after the previous General-Secretary's death, we might not be here right now :\

 

[thedisturbedpop]

1. Bob Dole
2. Confucious "One who stand on toilet must be high on pot"

 

[Charles XII]

Gustav Adolphus Champion of the protestent cause, more balanced than Charlie the XII he put Sweden on the map.:Goodjob:

...you'd be suprised how much bacon they produce...

 

[thedisturbedpop]

Good old canadian bacon........ tastes, like, well, ham. cuz it is