How far would you follow your sovereign?

[Alvaro da Luna]

Hypothetical question ahead:

Suppose all the great past kings/emperors of every country on earth were reincarnated in their old form and demanded that they be returned to power as Monarchs/Absolute Dictators. So, hypothetically Napoléon would return to reclaim France, Elizabeth I for England, Gustavus Adolphus for Sweden, George Washington for the USA, Peter the Great for Russia, Suleiman the Magnificent for Turkey, Cyrus for Persia, etc. Since choosing a greatest leader is a thorny issue, it doesn't have to be any of the ones I mentioned, just a leader which you perceive as the greatest in your country's history. How much power are you willing to grant them. Would you die for their glory? Remember that these are the greatest men in your country's history.

Edit: I picked #4 for fun.

 

[Hygro]

American government is not based on leaders but on the constution and our laws. Furthermore, sovereignty in America is shared between the people and the government, but not government in the European sense (the Blair Government, etc) but the American sense (THE government), so this leader would not be sovereign. To have such a past leader come back and be sovereign areign would be the destruction of the American system.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Death to monarchism around the world.

Next question.

 

[Hygro]

let's deface their portraits! err whoops

 

[thenooblet22]

Since when was George Washington a monarch/dictator and when has he shown any ambition to claim personal power (two term precedent)?...

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Washintons campaign to gain supreme authority in the US would be derailed by reports that he was banging Molly Pitcher.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

He said "the greatest ruler" of your country.

 

[thenooblet22]

Washintons campaign to gain supreme authority in the US would be derailed by reports that he was banging Molly Pitcher.

News to me. But I love me a good conspiracy, go on...

 

[warpus]

Jan Sobieski III in part for saving Europe from the Ottoman Empire @ The Battle of Vienna.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Pierre Trudeau. He's the only Prime Minister we've ever had who people respected even when they completely disagreed with him.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Pierre Trudeau. He's the only Prime Minister we've ever had who people respected even when they completely disagreed with him.

Trudeau was a wuss who destroyed any chance we had of having a functional constitution. I mean, notwithstanding clause?

 

[Babbler]

Pierre Trudeau. He's the only Prime Minister we've ever had who people respected even when they completely disagreed with him.

Which why some people celebrated his death.

Seriously, Trudeau is overrated by both his admirers and detractors. Now, Lester B. Person, there is a PM you can set your watch to.

 

[silver 2039]

Follow them till the end of the earth!

 

[Gelion]

The greatest man in my nations history was a woman

 

[Catharsis]

I like monarchs. Perhaps not 'to the ends of the earth' but that's the closest option.

 

[ArneHD]

The greatest man in my nations history was a woman

Catherine the Great?

Personally I would not mind having Einar Gerhardsen back.

 

[Brighteye]

It depends on who the great person is. If it's someone who agrees with my views, then let's give him power. If not, I'd fight any position.

And when it comes to Alfred the Great or King Arthur, it's hard to guess what their views on modern issues would be.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Trudeau was a wuss who destroyed any chance we had of having a functional constitution. I mean, notwithstanding clause?

Yes, the notwithstanding clause is a problem, but honestly -- isn't it better to have a Constitution of our own, however flawed, than not have one?

Which why some people celebrated his death.

Seriously, Trudeau is overrated by both his admirers and detractors. Now, Lester B. Person, there is a PM you can set your watch to.

I realize that Lester B. Pearson was also an admirable PM. So was Diefenbaker. But I can't honestly say I would "follow" them, since I was too young to remember them when they were in office.

As for Trudeau, you can respect somebody without agreeing with him or liking him. I fully understand why he's so hated out here in the West. But he did a lot of good for Canada, and wasn't afraid to say what was on his mind.

 

[sysyphus]

Trudeau was a wuss who destroyed any chance we had of having a functional constitution. I mean, notwithstanding clause?

Seeing as it has yet to be imposed shows that the constitution has all the teeth it needs.

That said, I agree with Babbler, Pearson was Canada's greatest PM. Trudeau does warrant great respect though as Valka eludes to.

 

[puglover]

I'm the idealist type. I like the idea of a good soveriegn leading his people, and if we had a man like George Washington or Abraham Lincoln to do it, I'd be all for it.