Winner
Diverse in Unity
Stalin, by far. I just watched the "WW2: Behind Closed Doors" documentary, pretty interesting - and horrifying. Stalin was indeed a monster in human form.
Most Paranoid Leaders of All Time!
- Thread starter B-29 Bomber
- Start date
Well, I don't think he was the most paranoid, and my thesis actually tried to look for logic in his apparently paranoid actions, but I'll mention Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah of the Fatimid dinasty, X-XI century ruler of Egypt, North Africa and Greater Syria.
It would take a long long time to describe his follies. His killing of most of his viziers (according to one chronicle, he was extremly sad after visier Zur'a ibn Nasturus fell ill and died - because it robbed him of the possibility of killing him) and lots of people around him; his persecution of nearly everyone (persecution of christians was the harshest, he ordered all churches to be destroyed etc, but he also persecuted Jews to some extent, sunnis a tiny bit, and a certain point even shias); his policy towards women, which eventually led to confining them to their houses (a women could get an official permission to leave the house if she was needed in helping another women giving birth) to the point he even forbade making women shoes, in order to hinder their travels; his fight against alcohol to the point of destroying products that alcohol could be produced (grapes, honey); his alleged behaviour, which I doubt as real, such as threatening his capital by destroying its grain supplies and eventually burning them;
his evenytual fondness of a religious group which proclaimed him divine; his ascesy, which made him stop caring about his looks of dress whatsoever, and allegedly kill his concubines etc; his night travels on a donkey in the wilderness; his alleged whimpsical behaviours, such as punishing a bad trader by an anal rape by his black servant, or having fun by promessing to give money to anyone who managed to jump into a pool from a certain point, and then observing people crush into the floor, laughing, etc.
It would take a long long time to describe his follies. His killing of most of his viziers (according to one chronicle, he was extremly sad after visier Zur'a ibn Nasturus fell ill and died - because it robbed him of the possibility of killing him) and lots of people around him; his persecution of nearly everyone (persecution of christians was the harshest, he ordered all churches to be destroyed etc, but he also persecuted Jews to some extent, sunnis a tiny bit, and a certain point even shias); his policy towards women, which eventually led to confining them to their houses (a women could get an official permission to leave the house if she was needed in helping another women giving birth) to the point he even forbade making women shoes, in order to hinder their travels; his fight against alcohol to the point of destroying products that alcohol could be produced (grapes, honey); his alleged behaviour, which I doubt as real, such as threatening his capital by destroying its grain supplies and eventually burning them;
his evenytual fondness of a religious group which proclaimed him divine; his ascesy, which made him stop caring about his looks of dress whatsoever, and allegedly kill his concubines etc; his night travels on a donkey in the wilderness; his alleged whimpsical behaviours, such as punishing a bad trader by an anal rape by his black servant, or having fun by promessing to give money to anyone who managed to jump into a pool from a certain point, and then observing people crush into the floor, laughing, etc.
Excellent Use of Capitals, Dachs.
Does Justinian's fear of Belisarius deposing him through a coup count as paranoia? Marching on the capital at the head of an army was a popular route to becoming Emperor in ye olde Roman times.
Don't forget the fact that his ruse to enter Ravenna in the Gothic War was claiming that he wanted to start a civil war and become Emperor, and needed the Goths on his side if he were to do that - then moving in and slaughtering the lot of them.
Does paranoia here have to be unjustified? Henry VIII probably has a hand in, as does his father (although your opinion may vary as to to what extent he was paranoid or just very good at abusing rules set up to ensure his security - he allegedly tried, convicted and almost bankrupted the Earl of Oxford for keeping a private army, after his servants came to meet the King on a visit wearing matching clothes). Justified paranoia awards to just about every communist dictator in history, especially Stalin, and Castro to have survived some of the things he has must be checking under his bed by now.
Justinian with Belisarius, indeed, is a good one. Tacitus' account of Nero mocks him for being terrified of his mother, who while undoubtedly influential was hardly, as Nero apparently feared, going to march through his entire bodyguard to assassinate him (in revenge for a failed assassination attempt) or to bring about a civil war. Didn't Caligula have quite a paranoid streak as well? Draco of Athens, perhaps, for his literally draconian methods of trying to keep law and order he must have been really scared of criminality.
Justinian with Belisarius, indeed, is a good one. Tacitus' account of Nero mocks him for being terrified of his mother, who while undoubtedly influential was hardly, as Nero apparently feared, going to march through his entire bodyguard to assassinate him (in revenge for a failed assassination attempt) or to bring about a civil war. Didn't Caligula have quite a paranoid streak as well? Draco of Athens, perhaps, for his literally draconian methods of trying to keep law and order he must have been really scared of criminality.
Paranoia itself is irrational fear and has negative implications.
If someone is out to get you, and you have reasonto believe this, then there is nothing irrational or negative about it. However if you randomly think they are out to get you, and they just happen to be (or more likely your fear causes them to take actions against you), it is still irrational. THey key is if you have reason to expect it.
LightSpectra
me autem minui
That is definitely not why he invaded Grenada.
7ronin
海軍少佐
There is no "history" on the History Channel. The History Channel barely registers on the seismograph of historical objectivity and accuracy.
Gen.Mannerheim
Grand Moff
Reagan, haha sorry what?
The most paranoid U.S. president is probably Nixon or John Quincy Adams.
The most paranoid U.S. president is probably Nixon or John Quincy Adams.
LightSpectra
me autem minui
Nixon, sure. John Quincy Adams... wha? He had probably the most successful foreign policy of any president in history. What about him was paranoid?
Gen.Mannerheim
Grand Moff
Yea sorry, I wrote that at like 3 a.m. my time after playing the new batman game. I guess I was thinking about his ugly campaign against Jackson so yea strike JQA off.
