Most influential Nation in history?

[carmen510]

What do you think?

 

[luiz]

I think that some countries of the list are a joke. Scandinavia? Australia? Brazil? Belgium?

I vote for Italy/Rome. Highly influencial in pretty much all of history since the classical days.

 

[carmen510]

Well, I agree Brazil and Australia were kind of jokes.
However, the Vikings were influential in Russia, France, and England. The Vikings brought French customs and integrated it in English culture.

 

[Red Door]

Romans, Arabs, and Catholics.

 

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

Overall, the Romans.

But most influential to the modern day I would have t osay Russia/USSR. It steered the world to what it is by turning all against it.

 

[civverguy]

Rome and maybe China 50 years later.

 

[A Revolutionary]

As of right now, I have to say Rome and Greece. These two were the original blueprints for Western civilization which has in turn greatly affected the world.

 

[Plotinus]

This poll is meaningless. What do you mean by "influential"? How does a country have "influence" at all?

As of right now, I have to say Rome and Greece. These two were the original blueprints for Western civilization which has in turn greatly affected the world.

But they're not; "western" civilisation is just as much influenced by the northern European peoples whom the Greeks and Romans called barbarians. More elements of the modern world, such as nationalism, parliamentary government, the middle classes and mercantilism, and so on, arose in the Middle Ages than did in antiquity. The idea that modern civilisation is based almost entirely upon classical civilisation is a myth that was invented in the Renaissance and has proven surprisingly durable.

 

[carmen510]

When I say influential, I mean the history of a country most influential in history until today.

 

[amaterasu]

mesopotamia or egypt... I will go with the fertile cresent invented a load of stuff, and then passed it on, made the basics of human society.

 

[silver 2039]

Greco-Romans, India, Arabs, China

 

[Atropos]

Plotinus is correct in saying that the modern world is a product of a wide amalgam of influences, but some of those influences are more important than others.

After some thought, I decided on Italy. Here's why:

1. Influence of Roman law on the modern world - which goes far beyond the mere use of the Civil Code

2. The Italian city-states in the middle ages were critical to the development of the idea of democracy in its modern form

3. Development of fascism (although the intellectual precursors of fascism were mostly French, e.g. Sorel, or studied there)

 

[Bast]

I'm voting India because it's the birthplace of several world religions and Sanskrit - the oldest known language in the world and probably the most important Indo-European language because it retains so much of PIE. It's also a cultural, ethnically and politically diverse place that could really be termed a contient rather than a country.

 

[carmen510]

I've decided Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, USA, and England are the best choices IMHO.

Italy and Greece heavily influenced the Classical Period, giving us the basis of Western Language (Latin), religion (Christianity), etc.

Spain and Portugal are important for the sole reason of colonization, bringing their cultures upon the Americas and Africa.

The US is important for involvement in WW2, the Cold War, and some other events.

Britain is influential also for colonies, their culture during the 1600s, and the integration of French and Angelo cultures.

 

[Rossiya]

My people.

 

[Plotinus]

Italy and Greece heavily influenced the Classical Period, giving us the basis of Western Language (Latin), religion (Christianity), etc.

But Christianity came from the Middle East, not from Rome or Greece. And we're not speaking a Latin-based language right now...

 

[Maimonides]

Besides the points made by Plotinus, this poll is meaningless because it doesn't even scratch the surface of nations which had an impact on world affairs. Notable absentees are the Mongols, Egyptians, Sumerians, Hittites, Assyrians, Huns, Visigoths, Mughals, Babylonians, etc.

One option, Arabia/Mesopotamia, is nonsensical. Arab culture is far different & more recent than Mesopotamian cultures like the Babylonians & Sumerians. Also, Arabia & Mesopotamia are two distinctly different places.

 

[Rossiya]

But Christianity came from the Middle East, not from Rome or Greece. And we're not speaking a Latin-based language right now...

But many of the words we use in everyday speech are of Latin origin.

 

[carmen510]

The Mongols and Egyptians are there. When I say Mesopotamia, I mean all the ancient civilizations there, like Babylonians, Sumerians, etc.

 

[Tee Kay]

I voted for five:

Rome: foundation of all Western civilisations.
China: existed for the longest of all of them and contributed a lot of history, at least in East Asia.
Mongols: conquest, end Chinese world dominance, exchange of knowledge between east and west, spread the Black Death, help end feudalism, fuel European Age of Discovery.
Arabia: Islam, exchange of knowledge between east and west, preserve classical knowledge
Spain: pave the way for conquest of American continents, end Aztec, Inca empires, Age of Discovery.

Honourable mentions:

England: foundation of most governments (Westminster system), the English language, British Empire, invention of steam engine, industrialism
USA: US culture dominated the world, multinational cooperation, WWI, WWII, Cold War
The Vatican: Catholism, very powerful from AD400 to about AD1600, pretty much controls European politics
Portugal: Age of Discovery, overseas colonies.