A charismatic leader is a person who enjoys a certain authority in the eyes of others. His rule is supported by the masses not due to intimidation, but on the basis of personal convictions, confidence in “God’s chosenness.”
More details about what it means (definition, phenomenon, how it manifests itself, and much more) will be discussed in this article.
Charisma concept
From the very beginning of the existence of mankind, society has had leaders who are capable of not only showing the way, but also leading. Even during periods of severe hardship, their followers did not hesitate for a moment, and endlessly believed in their leader, emperor or king.
This phenomenon was called “charisma,” and a person with such qualities began to be called a charismatic leader. The word itself in translation means “gift of God,” and indeed, this phenomenon is considered by many researchers to be a set of supernatural, or at least superhuman abilities. Initially, this term was used only in relation to rulers or military leaders, but starting from the middle of the last century, almost any person who stood out from the crowd began to be called this way, and often not by personal qualities, but by success, appearance or self-promotion. What a charismatic leader means will be discussed in this article.
The concept of “charismatic leader” in sociology
The concept of “charismatic leader” was introduced into sociology by the German professor of theology and culture Ernst Troeltsch. Subsequently, this term was developed by the German sociologist Max Weber, who formulated a classic definition for it and gave impetus to a comprehensive study of this phenomenon. Some modern researchers propose to give this definition a much narrower concept in order to exclude from the general series such categorically different personalities as, for example, the prophet Moses and Hitler, Gandhi and Genghis Khan.
From the point of view of Weber's concept, the phenomenon of charisma cannot be good or evil, virtuous or immoral. This, however, does not mean that the qualities and activities of such a leader cannot be assessed according to universal human criteria. Thus, many scientists, to remove uncertainty, use another definition, which more clearly allows us to clarify the concept of “charismatic leader.” George Barnes introduced a refined term into sociology, believing that in most cases it is more appropriate to apply the concept of “heroic leader” to outstanding individuals.
Charismatic leaders in human history
History has preserved for us many examples of those who can be called charismatic leaders. First of all, these are famous commanders and rulers: Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon. In the twentieth century, many more such figures are known, and today almost every leader of a successful company or social movement claims this role. The study of this phenomenon is accompanied by certain difficulties. Of course, this happens because science needs an “ideal” definition of this or that concept, but it is not possible to idealize and even systematize individuals directly. A charismatic leader is such an extraordinary figure that it is practically impossible to get an unambiguous answer to the question of whether this or that leader was such. In addition, such a person always appears in crisis conditions, and precisely at a turning point in events, and it is not always possible to understand exactly whether his appearance determined their course positively or negatively.
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Who can be called a charismatic leader in Soviet history? A typical example of such a leader can be called V.I. Lenin, the leader of the Bolshevik Party, the leader and leader of the socialist revolution in Russia. Indeed, according to contemporaries and fellow party members, Lenin stood out among political figures in that he was the only one who was trusted and followed without any reservations. Moreover, Lenin, a charismatic leader, truly had the ability to explain complex economic as well as ideological issues to the vast uneducated masses. They listened to him in fascination, holding their breath, but it should be remembered that this was the beginning of the twentieth century, and the speaker simply did not have any serious technical means other than his own voice.
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin
Joseph Stalin is a charismatic leader, the father of the people, the creator of the most unusual and almost fantastic state ever known. Assessment of Stalin's personality is almost always ambiguous and often biased. Undoubtedly, this ruler had a unique ability to destroy his enemies, who most often were also enemies of the state. Much of his charisma and deification among his fans, undoubtedly, is not pure (although he possessed them to the fullest) - but the feeling of fear that he inexplicably could and can inspire even today.
Many researchers are not inclined to consider Stalin a pure charismatic leader, although it is worth recognizing that his fans and followers were ready for self-sacrifice in the most literal sense of the word for the sake of their leader. Ordinary soldiers went on the attack with his name, which in itself is a rather rare occurrence. Typically, followers in these cases were content with an idea (for example, freedom) or a specific concept of the Motherland, their own country.
Charles de Gaulle
An example of a natural leader is Charles de Gaulle, whose activities still have a significant influence on European political life. The president himself repeatedly turned to the concept of charisma and was an adherent of the idea that a strong human personality has a much greater influence on the course of history than is commonly believed. Moreover, the president, who, after two brutal world wars, managed to lead France to prosperity and to the role of one of the leading world powers, believed that people's love is supported by a certain “miracle effect,” constant success in everything, indicating that this particular person is “ legitimate son of heaven." As soon as this divine gift disappears and ceases to be supported by deeds, the faith of the followers disappears.
Moreover, the charismatic leader de Gaulle in his book “On the Edge of the Sword” repeatedly emphasizes that even the nomination of a national leader in crisis situations does not occur at all on the basis of a choice among the available political figures. The people's leader appears as if at the behest of a “mighty wave,” and the general completely denied historical fatalism, calling it an idea for cowards.
Adolf Gitler
There is no doubt that Adolf Hitler is rightfully the most striking example of a charismatic personality of the twentieth century. For many centuries, Germany, like a Phoenix bird, either burned down in a series of endless wars in the center of Europe, then rose again, often more powerful than it was before. The Fuhrer managed to give his people a truly mystical idea. Hitler is a charismatic leader who managed to convince the vast majority of not only followers, but also ordinary citizens that they, the Aryans, were a race head and shoulders above all others. This idea managed to unite German society so much that for some time it posed a threat to humanity virtually on a planetary scale.
Now it is customary to portray Hitler as a kind of clot of dark energy, who in an absolutely fantastic way managed to introduce his ideas to the masses of people, and inclined them to mass madness almost through hypnosis. However, it is not. Many contemporaries characterize the German Fuhrer as far from being “an ordinary person.” In addition, it is necessary to understand that he was supported not just by the masses of the middle class, or the poor - but also by the enlightened and also wealthy sections of society, and not only in Germany. Could they go after the madman? Most likely no. Of course, to create his energy, Hitler used every conceivable and unimaginable opportunity. For example, he positioned himself as a simple brave man and repeatedly proved this in practice. He learned to speak from the best actors of his time. He was constantly looking for ways to get closer to his own people, wanting to know the thoughts and moods of not just society, but literally everyone. Coupled with Hitler's fanatical conviction that he was right, this had such an effect that many of the Fuhrer's admirers never doubted him, his ideas or intentions.
Factors causing the phenomenon
Studying the phenomenon of the emergence of this type of personality is a question that actually stands at the forefront of studying the influence of an individual on the historical process. However, despite the huge amount of research, for the scientists themselves it was the phenomenon of the charismatic leader itself that became a “stumbling block.” Scientists, political scientists and sociologists admit that the mechanism of its occurrence is not fully understood. Undoubtedly, both a person’s innate and acquired skills play a role here, but it is often impossible to understand exactly what set of qualities will really create the necessary energy for him. Moreover, scientific research is often aimed not at studying the personality itself, but is more biased towards considering certain positive or negative actions and circumstances of the formation of such a leader. In general, there are three factors that contribute to the emergence of a charismatic leader.
1. Crisis. This could be political, economic, social crises, military failures, and so on, in all their manifestations and interweavings. The onset of the decline of the state is a serious test for society. People can react in many ways. For example, they may experience an increasing horror of the physical destruction of society, they may experience fear of losing their group or class affiliation, or simply feel imaginary pain with the loss of ordinary life values and rituals. Naturally, in such conditions, a person is inclined to trust and follow someone who knows exactly what to do - a leader who already has numerous supporters, and who has repeatedly proven his charisma and God's chosenness.
2. The second serious factor predetermining the emergence of a charismatic leader is cultural and social legitimation, when the majority of society recognizes the legitimacy of the emergence of an often unofficial leader.
3. The third factor is political assistance not only among the masses of the population, but also among parties, their leaders, as well as representatives of official government bodies.
Nowadays the fourth factor, to which previously only minor attention was paid, is becoming increasingly powerful. This is the charismatic leader's reliance on the media. We can say that the media has played a huge role in the development of everyone over the last 100 years, and in today’s realities, the power of support for a particular person in the information field is paramount.
Characteristics of a Charismatic Leader
This type of leader often requires a range of characteristics. The most important of them:
- Awareness and promotion of one’s exclusive role and mission aimed at radical transformations in the name of changing or saving society. This usually requires anticipation of developments, and, often, a plan or program of reforms.
- Personal attractiveness, which does not necessarily consist of having an attractive appearance. Often, on the contrary, a charismatic leader is a person from the masses, similar to the average person, but may have a certain flaw. However, there is no doubt that such a leader simply must have a certain brutality - without this quality it is impossible to become a hero. Women leaders like Joan of Arc, or in the eyes and memories of their contemporaries, were more masculine than most men of their time.
- Sacrifice and struggle usually come first for the most charismatic leader. The ability for self-sacrifice and victory in the constant struggle against circumstances and opponents is an important factor for fans and followers.
- Identity of goals. According to many researchers, the most recognized leader is the one who managed to inspire that his goals most fully coincide with the needs of society.
- The presence of a powerful enemy. Despite the fact that the leader always advocates unification, an important part in his actions is the search, identification and fight against the enemy. Sometimes it is extremely dangerous, and sometimes it doesn’t even exist in reality, or even abstract concepts can act as an enemy.
- The activity of supporters plays a huge role. Often the leader does not even rely on an organization or some kind of management institution. Sometimes he expects that his supporters will independently take the situation into their own hands, which is often justified, and the followers can turn out to be much more radical than their leader.
Charismatic leaders of our time
Modern charismatic leaders in most cases do not rely on the support of people - increasingly, the main factor is the promotion of the individual through the information field, that is, through the media. Behind any attractive image there can be a gray and unremarkable personality, sometimes incapable of independent action.
An example of a modern “television” leader in Russia is Vladimir Zhirinovsky. In fact, he cannot influence a single political decision, and does not have sincere, fanatical fans capable of going to death with him. However, Zhirinovsky, thanks to his excellent acting qualities, has a certain energy of a leader.
The second undoubted charismatic leader is the current president of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Despite the presence of problems in the economic and political life of the state, its actions predominantly find support among the masses. Putin, in fact, does not have the full range of qualities characteristic of this type. For example, he does not have oratorical qualities. Despite the absence of characteristic features of a people's leader, this person continues to remain popular among the population of the country.
Among the living, the most striking example of a “pure” charismatic leader is Fidel Castro. An ardent revolutionary, a brilliant orator, a successful military leader with an invariable Havana cigar in his mouth, he acquired his still unshakable authority precisely thanks to his personal qualities. He not only won the respect and worship of his people, he achieved the complete independence of Cuba. His name is known in all corners of the globe, the story of his life is surrounded by an aura of honor, for many years he truly ruled his country wisely. Many regard his rule as dictatorship, but it should be remembered that this is precisely the form of governance that is characteristic of charismatics, who often do not recognize any parallel rivalry.
Fidel Castro is the organizer of numerous uprisings and revolutions; he personally took part in battles and survived 638 assassination attempts. The third longest reigning in human history, twice included in the Guinness Book of Records, Fidel Castro “risks” ending his life not like most “heroic leaders” - on a cross or at the stake, from poison or in gloomy loneliness - but in his own bed, surrounded numerous relatives, a huge number of admirers and followers.
"One man's hero is another man's villain!" - says the famous aphorism. No matter how much one emphasizes the effectiveness and merits of certain political programs, the callous methods by which some leaders have tried to achieve their goals have no justification. After all, from any point of view, but, for example, the construction of a tower of living people held together with bricks and mortar is an extremely cruel act.
Business Insider has compiled a list of the most ruthless leaders of all time who used ruthless tactics to achieve their political and military goals.
Note: The politicians on this list (which only includes deceased leaders) ruled until 1980. All of them are arranged in chronological order.
(Total 24 photos)
1. Qin Shi Huang
Reign: 247-210 BC.
Qin, also called Qin Shi Huang, unified China in 221 BC. and reigned as the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. He was known for the contract killings of scientists whose ideas he did not agree with, and for the burning of “critical” books.
During his reign, construction began on the Great Wall and a huge mausoleum containing more than 6 thousand life-size terracotta warriors. A huge number of people gathered to build the wall died, and those who worked on the construction of the mausoleum were killed in order to preserve the secret of the tomb.
"Every time he captured people from another country, he castrated them in order to mark them and turn them into slaves," says Xun Zhou of the University of Hong Kong.
2. Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Caligula)
Reign: 37-41 AD
Caligula was incredibly popular because he first freed unjustly imprisoned citizens and abandoned the imposition of a harsh sales tax. But then he got sick and radically changed his behavior.
He eliminated political rivals (by forcing their parents to watch executions) and declared himself a living god. According to historians, Caligula entered into intimate relationships with the sisters and sold their services to other men, raped and killed people, and even appointed his horse as a priest.
He was eventually attacked by a group of conspirators, stabbing him more than 30 times with daggers.
Reign: 434-453 AD
After the murder of his brother, Attila became the leader of the Hunnic Empire, centered in modern-day Hungary, and ultimately proved to be one of the most dangerous opponents of the Roman Empire.
He expanded the Hunnic Empire into modern-day Germany, Russia, Ukraine and the Balkans. He also invaded Gaul with the intention of conquering it, but was defeated in the Battle of the Catalaunian Fields.
“Where I have passed, grass will never grow again,” he said during his reign.
4. Wu Zetian
Reign: 690-705 AD
Wu Zetian went from a 14-year-old junior concubine to the Empress of China. She mercilessly eliminated her opponents, exiling or executing them - even if they were her own family.
The Chinese Empire expanded greatly during Wu's reign, and although she was a brutal tactician, her decisive character and talent for ruling were praised by historians. Notably, the military leaders handpicked by Wu took control of large parts of the Korean Peninsula.
5. Genghis Khan
Reign: 1206-1227
When Genghis Khan was 9 years old, his father was poisoned. He lived in complete poverty as a teenager before uniting the Mongol tribes and setting out to conquer vast parts of Central Asia and China.
His style of government is characterized as extremely cruel. Historians note that he massacred civilians. One of the most famous examples is the murder of the aristocrats of the Khorezmshah state.
6. Tomas Torquemada
Reign: 1483-1498 (as Grand Inquisitor)
Torquemada was appointed Grand Inquisitor during the Spanish Inquisition. He created tribunals in several cities, compiled 28 articles as a guide for other inquisitors, and authorized torture to extract confessions.
He reportedly urged King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to give Spanish Jews a choice between exile and baptism, causing many Jews to leave the country. Historians believe that Torquemada was responsible for the deaths of about 2 thousand people, burned at the stake.
Interestingly, according to some sources, Torquemada himself came from a family of Jewish converts.
7. Timur (Tamerlane)
Reign: 1370-1405
Leading military campaigns, Timur marched through much of Western Asia, including what is now Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria, and founded the Timurid Empire.
In modern-day Afghanistan, Timur ordered a tower to be built from living men and held together with bricks and mortar.
He, too, once organized a massacre to punish the rebels, after which high minarets were built from 70 thousand heads.
8. Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia Vlad (Dracula or Vlad the Impaler)
Board: 1448; 1456-1462; 1476
When Vlad III finally became the ruler of the Principality of Wallachia, his domain was in complete anarchy due to the warring boyars. According to the stories, Vlad invited all his rivals to a feast, where he killed them with a knife, piercing them through.
Although it is now difficult to know whether this story is true, it characterizes Vlad's reign: he tried to bring stability and order to Wallachia through extremely ruthless methods.
9. Tsar Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible)
Reign: Grand Duke of Moscow - 1533-1547; Tsar of All Rus' - 1547-1584.
Ivan IV began his reign by reorganizing the central government and limiting the power of hereditary aristocrats (princes and boyars).
After the death of his first wife, Ivan began a “terror”, eliminating the main boyar families. He also beat his pregnant daughter and killed his son in a fit of rage.
10. Queen Mary I (Bloody Mary)
Reign: 1553-1558
The only child of the notorious King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, Mary I became Queen of England in 1553. She began the restoration of Catholicism (after previous rulers who championed Protestantism) as the main religion and married Philip II of Spain, a Catholic.
During her reign, hundreds of Protestants were burned at the stake, earning her the nickname Bloody Mary.
11. Countess Elisabeth Bathory of Eched (Bloody Countess)
Murder boom: 1590-1610
The Countess lured young peasant women to her castle, promising them jobs as maids, and then brutally tortured them to death. According to one version, she tortured and killed about 600 girls, although the actual number is likely to be much lower.
Her methods of torture included forcing needles under fingernails, covering girls with honey and releasing bees on them, and biting off chunks of flesh. According to legend, she bathed in the blood of virgins to remain young and beautiful.
12. Maximilian Robespierre
Reign: 1789-1794
As one of the many influential figures involved in the French Revolution, Robespierre became one of the dominant players during the Great Terror, a period of extreme violence in which "enemies of the revolution" were put to the guillotine. He argued that terror was an "emanation of virtue."
According to historical sources, Robespierre himself was soon executed by guillotine.
13. King Leopold II of Belgium
Reign: 1865-1909
King Leopold II "founded" the Congo Free State as "his" private colony and made a huge fortune turning the Congolese into slaves mining ivory and rubber.
Millions of people suffered from hunger, the birth rate dropped significantly as men and women were separated, and tens of thousands were shot during failed uprisings. Demographers estimate that between 1880 and 1920 the population of the king's personal colony declined by 50%.
This system of forced labor was later copied by French, German and Portuguese officials.
14. Mehmed Talaat Pasha
Reign: 1913-1918
Historians believe that Talaat Pasha was a leading figure in the Armenian genocide. As interior minister, he was reportedly responsible for the deportation and eventual deaths of 600,000 Armenians.
He was killed in Berlin in 1921 by an Armenian. Note that in 1943, Adolf Hitler sent his body back to Istanbul, hoping to persuade Turkey to join the Axis powers in World War II.
15. Vladimir Lenin
Reign: 1917-1924
In 1917, Lenin led the October Revolution, which overthrew the Provisional Government and overthrew the Tsar. After three years of civil war, the Bolsheviks took power in the country.
“During this period of revolution, war and famine, Lenin showed a chilling disregard for the suffering of his countrymen and ruthlessly suppressed any opposition,” writes the BBC.
16. Benito Mussolini
Reign: 1922-1943
After demobilization, Mussolini founded the Fascist Party of Italy, supported by disillusioned war veterans, from whom the Blackshirts were organized. He began to destroy democratic state institutions and by 1925 became the “Il Duce,” or “leader,” of Italy.
A survivor of several assassination attempts, Mussolini once said: “If I advance, follow me. If I retreat, kill me. If I die, avenge me..."
In 1936, Mussolini entered into an alliance with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, and then issued a series of anti-Semitic decrees. In April 1945, already removed from power, Mussolini tried to escape, but was shot by anti-fascists and hanged upside down in a Milan square.
17. Joseph Stalin
Reign: 1922-1953
Stalin's industrialization and collectivization in the 1930s was accompanied by mass famine (including the famine in Ukraine), the imprisonment of millions of people in Gulag labor camps, and the "Great Purge" of the intelligentsia, government, and military.
During World War II, Stalin's son Yakov was captured or surrendered to the German army. The Germans offered to exchange Yakov for Field Marshal Paulus, captured after the Battle of Stalingrad, but Stalin refused, saying that he would never exchange a field marshal for an ordinary soldier.
18. Adolf Hitler
Reign: 1933-1945
By the end of 1941, Hitler's German Empire, or Third Reich, included almost all of Europe plus most of North Africa.
Hitler developed a plan to create an ideal race by eliminating Jews, Slavs, Gypsies, homosexuals and political opponents, imprisoning them in concentration camps where they were tortured, worked to death and exterminated.
According to some estimates, the Nazis deliberately killed about 11 million people during Hitler's reign. Upon learning that Soviet troops were approaching Berlin, Hitler and his wife committed suicide in their bunker.
19. Khorlogiin Choibalsan
Reign: 1939-1952
After several meetings with Stalin, Choibalsan adopted the Soviet leader's policies and methods and applied them to Mongolia. He created a dictatorial system and crushed the opposition, killing tens of thousands of people in the process.
Later, in the 1930s, he "began arresting and killing leading workers of the party, government and various social organizations in addition to military officers, intellectuals and other loyal workers," said a report published in 1968.
20. Francisco Franco
Board: 1938-1975
With the help of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, General Franco overthrew the democratically elected government of the Second Spanish Republic in the 1930s.
During his regime, many republican figures left the country, and those who remained were tried by military tribunals. The official (acceptable) religion was Catholicism, Catalan and Basque languages were prohibited outside the home, and the regime had a huge secret police network.
However, over time, police control and censorship in the country eased, free market reforms were introduced, and Morocco gained independence.
21. Mao Zedong
Board: 1949-1976
Chinese Communist Party leader Mao founded the People's Republic. Under his leadership, industry was brought under state control and farmers were organized into collective farms. Any opposition was ruthlessly suppressed.
Mao's supporters point out that he modernized and unified China and turned it into a global superpower. However, opponents point out that his policies led to the deaths of 40 million people from starvation, forced labor and executions.
Interestingly, he is sometimes compared to Qin Shi Huang (the first person on this list).
22. Pol Pot
Board: 1975-1979
Pol Pot and his communist Khmer Rouge movement in Cambodia employed incredibly brutal methods of social engineering to create an agrarian utopia by moving people into the countryside. The rest were placed in “special centers” where they were tortured and killed.
Doctors, teachers and other professionals were forced to work in the fields to “re-educate” themselves. “Anyone considered an intellectual was killed,” the BBC reported. “People were often convicted for wearing glasses or speaking a foreign language.”
In just four years, up to 2 million Cambodians were executed or died from hard work and starvation.
23. Go Amin
Board: 1971-1979
General Amin overthrew the elected government in Uganda with a military coup and declared himself president. He then ruled ruthlessly for eight years, during which approximately 300,000 civilians were killed.
He also expelled Uganda's Asian population (mostly Indians and Pakistanis) and spent large sums on military expenditures, which led to an economic decline in the country.
24. Augusto Pinochet
Board: 1973-1990
Pinochet overthrew Allende's government in 1973 with a US-backed coup. During his reign, many Chileans disappeared, and about 35 thousand people were tortured. Pinochet died before he was due to stand trial on charges of human rights abuses.
At the same time, he pursued free-market economic policies that led to lower inflation and even an economic boom in the late 1970s. Notably, Chile had one of the best-performing economies in Latin America from the mid-80s to the late 90s.
The ability to govern a country is quite rare. Some achieve their goals by bleeding the whole country, while others carry out smart reforms. There are many people in history who, through their activities, were able to significantly change the face of the country in the time allotted to them. As a result, their contemporaries remember them, honor them, and learn from their activities.
Any actions of great politicians affected millions of people, changing the destinies and appearance of the state. In addition, we often had to fight not only with internal enemies, but also with external ones. One thing is for sure - a politician must be charismatic in order to lead.
And in order to influence society, it is not necessary to be at the very top of power. Sometimes even while in opposition, the politician did a lot for the country. The most famous politicians in the history of civilization will be discussed below. At the same time, it would be useful to recall their most famous phrases.
Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi (1869-1948) Largely thanks to this man, India was able to rid itself of centuries-old British rule. Gandhi's work was based on his philosophy of non-violence, or satyagraha. The politician abandoned the armed struggle, as many others would have done in his place, in favor of a peaceful one. As a result, a powerful movement of supporters of non-violent change emerged in the country. The struggle for independence was carried out through peaceful resistance. Gandhi called on Indians to boycott English institutions and goods; citizens of the country even defiantly violated some laws. Caste inequality, which became the scourge of Indian society, became the subject of Gandhi's struggle. He spoke about the need to get rid of untouchability not only from temples, but also from other spheres of life. Today the name of this politician is revered in India no less than some saints. Gandhi became the spiritual leader of the nation; he devoted his entire life to reconciling the religious strife that was tearing the country apart. Sadly, it was the violence against which the politician fought that became the cause of his death. Gandhi is credited with the following words: “The world is large enough to satisfy the needs of any person, but too small to satisfy human greed” and “If you want a change in the future, be that change in the present.”
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). This king of Macedonia and creator of a great empire is better known as one of the most successful commanders in world history. But his political activities are often forgotten. But it was he who created a new great state, which was located on three continents, covering an area of more than two million square miles. The empire stretched from Greece in the West to the Danube in the north, with its southern border in Egypt and its eastern border in the Indian Punjab. The entire country was united by a single trade and transport network. At the same time, the emperor managed to found more than 70 new cities. Alexander brought a common and common Greek culture and language to his empire, and he himself did not hesitate to study the customs and morals of other peoples in order to more easily manage them. For his own army, the emperor was an unsurpassed genius and strategist. He set an example of behavior for the soldiers, instilling in them an invincible spirit. Even in his time, in antiquity, no one doubted that Alexander the Great was the greatest commander. Even then he was nicknamed the Great. But Napoleon Bonaparte admired the emperor’s government talents more than his military exploits. For example, in Egypt, Alexander paid a visit to the sacred oracle of the country, Amun, which endeared him to the inhabitants. In addition, he left the former governors to govern the country, expelling the hated Persians and organizing festivities. Alexander, essentially an invader of Egypt, was able to become an idol there. The following phrases are attributed to the great politician and commander: “There cannot be two suns in the sky and two rulers on earth,” “Wars depend on glory, and often a lie that is believed becomes the truth,” “There is nothing more slavish than luxury and bliss.” , and nothing more royal than labor.”
Mao Zedong (1893-1976). This Chinese politician of the last century also became the main theoretician of Maoism. Mao joined the Chinese Communist Party in his youth, and in the 1930s he headed one of the regions in Jiangxi province. During the Long March, Mao managed to become one of the leaders of the country's party. In 1949, the People's Republic of China was proclaimed, and Mao Zedong became its de facto leader until the very end of his life. The rule of a leader is considered to be contradictory. On the one hand, he was able to industrialize the country, raising the standard of living of the poorest segments of the population. Mao managed to unify China, including Inner Mongolia, Tibet and East Turkestan. But these lands had the right to self-determination even after the collapse of the Qing Empire. But we must not forget about the numerous repressions that were condemned not only in capitalist countries, but also in socialist ones. Even a cult of the leader’s personality arose in the country. The most difficult legacy of the politician's rule should be considered the crippled fate of millions of people who suffered from cruel and sometimes senseless campaigns. The Cultural Revolution alone claimed the lives of up to 20 million Chinese, and affected another 100 million. In 1949, Mao came to power in a fragmented, underdeveloped and corrupt country. And he left China powerfully independent and possessing atomic weapons. Illiteracy in the country dropped from 80% to 7%, and the population and life expectancy doubled. The most famous phrases of Mao Zedong are: “The enemy will not disappear on its own,” “It is necessary to work with exceptional diligence. Carelessness is unacceptable, it often leads to mistakes”, “What is thinkable is feasible”, “A person who felt the wind of change should not build a shield from the wind, but a windmill.”
Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). This statesman and politician determined the life of Great Britain and much of the world during difficult times. Churchill was the prime minister of this country in 1940-1945 and 1951-1955. He is also known as a journalist and writer. The Englishman became one of the “Big Three”, which determined the fate of the world after the end of the Second World War. It was he who largely made the world the way we know it today. Churchill became the most prominent British politician of the last century; he managed to remain in power under six monarchs - from Queen Victoria to her great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth II. There is simply no point in listing Churchill's life achievements - he managed to become talented in everything. For his political activities he was made an honorary citizen of the United States, and his literary works were awarded the Nobel Prize. Churchill's political career began before the First World War. The Englishman had already fought in the war by that time. And at the end of his career, Churchill managed to visit the tests of the atomic bomb, the weapons of the New World. The politician's appearance remained unchanged - a bowler hat, a cane and a cigar. He was also an excellent diplomat, artist and even a gardener on his own estate. A 2002 BBC poll found that the British voted Churchill the greatest Briton in history. In 1955, he left big politics, living out the rest of his days in peace. The basis of Churchill's political portrait was his commitment to democracy and total hatred of dictatorship. It is no coincidence that he said that “Democracy is the most terrible form of government, but humanity has not come up with anything better.” That is why Churchill’s attitude towards the USSR was extremely restrained; this politician coined the term “Iron Curtain” and stood at the origins of the Cold War. Churchill’s other great phrases are: “If the truth is many-sided, then the lie is many-voiced”, “Every medal not only glitters, but also casts a shadow”, “Man has expanded his power over everything except himself”, “First one must be honest, and then then - noble”, “To improve means to change, to be perfect means to change often.”
Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). This man went down in history as the first black president of South Africa. He held this post from 1994 to 1999. Mandela was one of the most famous human rights activists during the apartheid period in the country. He began his political activities for the equality of white and black people in college. In 1944, Mandela became one of the founders of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League. In South Africa, the politician pursued his line by organizing acts of sabotage and armed resistance to the authorities. For this, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the trial, he made a brilliant speech, where he stated that he was being tried for his desire to build a democratic state in South Africa with equal rights for all citizens. Mandela gained worldwide fame while in solitary confinement in prison. A campaign in defense of the democratic politician swept across the world; demands for his release grew into a struggle against the entire policy of apartheid. After the legalization of the ANC in 1990, Mandela was released. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Today the elder is no longer involved in active affairs. Mandela managed to peacefully, simply by his irreconcilable position, destroy one of the most monstrous regimes on the planet. At the same time, revolutions, wars, and social upheavals were not needed. Everything happened through fair parliamentary elections. The politician's birthday is celebrated all over the world as International Nelson Mandela Day. Mandela's reign was short but brilliant. Under him, free medical care was introduced for children, 2 million people received electricity, 3 million had access to water, he increased spending on education and social needs. Mandela owns such famous phrases: “To be free means not just to throw off one’s shackles, but to live, respecting and enhancing the freedom of others,” “When you climb a high mountain, a huge number of mountains open before you that have yet to be climbed,” “ One of the highest achievements for a person is to do his duty, regardless of the consequences."
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). This American statesman was the 16th President of the United States. He held this post from 1861 until his death. Lincoln became the first Republican president. He is considered to be a national hero in America, because this man went down in the history of the country as a liberator of slaves. Lincoln occupies an important place in the American consciousness. He was able to prevent the collapse of the United States, and under him the formation of the American nation began. And slavery, as a crutch preventing the further normal development of the United States, was abolished. Lincoln laid the foundations for the modernization of the southern states of the country, previously backward and agricultural. Under him, the emancipation of slaves began. Lincoln came up with the basic formulation of democratic goals: “To create a government by the people, of the people, and for the people.” Lincoln was able to build a railroad across the entire continent, connecting the coasts of two oceans. He expanded the state infrastructure, created a new banking system, and was able to solve the agrarian problem. After the end of the Civil War, the government faced many problems. It was necessary to unite the nation and equalize the rights of the population. Lincoln began to do this, but some problems still remain. The President was able to lay the foundations for the future of America; after his death, the United States became the fastest growing country in the world. This determined its current world dominance, which has lasted for a century. Lincoln's strict moral principles allowed him to mobilize all the forces of a divided country and reunite it. Lincoln's most famous phrases: “Whoever denies the freedom of another deserves no freedom himself,” “People who have no faults have very few virtues,” “You can fool a whole people some of the time, you can fool a part of the people all the time, but you cannot deceive everyone all the time”, “Sheep and wolf understand the word “freedom” differently. This is the essence of the disagreements that dominate human society”, “A politician reminds me of a man who killed his father and mother, and then, when he is sentenced, asks for his life on the grounds that he is an orphan”, “Character is like a tree, and reputation is its shadow. We care about the shade, but what we really have to think about is the tree.”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945). This is the only president in US history who was elected to this high post as many as 4 times. Roosevelt became the country's 32nd ruler, serving at the pinnacle of power from 1933 to 1945. The main phrase of the politician: “we have nothing to fear except fear itself.” Roosevelt repeated these words often when talking about the Great Depression and its consequences. The politician was not afraid to experiment at that difficult time; he was constantly looking for new methods of solving problems. These were public works, social security, fair competition codes, assistance to the unemployed and farmers, and price controls. It was Roosevelt who was at the heart of the creation of the UN. The President, through his activities, significantly influenced world history - after all, under him, the United States relatively successfully went through the Second World War. The politician had a very great influence on the socio-economic life of the country, because he had to deal with the consequences of the Great Depression that hit the United States in the 30s. Biographers of the politician recalled that he was a rather secretive person who was difficult to understand. On his face there was a mask of complacency and secrecy, with which Roosevelt was content. The president’s most famous words were: “I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made,” “I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but I know how to select smart employees,” “Rules are not always sacred, but principles are,” “ Hungry unemployed people are cadres for dictatorship”, “Don’t go into politics if your skin is a little thinner than that of a rhinoceros.”
Akbar the Great (1542-1605). This padishah belonged to the Great Mughal dynasty, his distant ancestor was Tamerlane himself. Akbar was nicknamed "Indian Solomon for his wisdom." This padishah was able to significantly expand the borders of his country. He conquered northern Hindustan, including Gujerat, Kashmir and the Indus lands. As a commander, he was a successful and valiant warrior, who was distinguished by his generosity towards the vanquished. But Akbar also went down in history as a wise politician. He avoided unnecessary bloodshed, often achieving his goals through peaceful negotiations, dynastic marriages and alliances. Akbar went down in history as a connoisseur of science and art; the best poets, musicians, scientists and artists constantly visited his palace. The ruler was able to create a painting school and a valuable library, which contained 24 thousand volumes. Akbar introduced a uniform system of taxation, and in case of crop failure, no funds were levied. The tax on non-Muslims was also abolished. A unified system of weights and measures, a unified calendar appeared in the empire, and much attention was paid to trade. The main task of Akbar the Great was the reconciliation of all the numerous peoples inhabiting his expanded state. The padishah remained in power for almost 50 years, becoming ruler at the age of 14. Under him, a huge empire, under the supervision and care of its padishah, reached a peak that had never been seen before or since. Akbar went down in history as the Great. This wise ruler was able to unite different peoples. His ideas of the unity of all religions are still relevant today.
Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013). This woman is the most famous among politicians. She was the only one who was Prime Minister of Great Britain. She held this post from 1979 to 1990. All this time she was the most powerful woman in the world. As a politician, Thatcher was a strong personality, but honest. She was not afraid to be stubborn, but she could put herself in the position of her opponent. This woman was ambitious, she was distinguished by equanimity and composure in all situations. In the male-oriented political elite, Thatcher was able to reach the very pinnacle of power. To achieve this, she dedicated her entire life to the struggle and pursuit of this goal. Margaret's career progressed in small steps, because she came from a low-income class. It seemed impossible for a person from that environment, and even a woman, to achieve high goals. Thatcher accomplished the impossible - the daughter of a small shop owner, who grew up in a house without running water, was able to break into male politics and take the post of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Thatcher came to power when the country was in dire need of reform. During her reign, GDP grew by 23%, employment by 33%, and spending on law and order by 53%. She reduced unemployment and introduced tax reforms. Thatcher's foreign policy focused on the United States. The prime minister supported Reagan's initiatives regarding the USSR. The woman was not afraid to start a war for the Falkland Islands, defending the positions and prestige of Great Britain. It is no coincidence that Thatcher was nicknamed the “Iron Lady” for her firmness and integrity. She is credited with the following words: “Any woman who understands the problems that arise in running a home can understand the problems that arise in running a country,” “I am extremely patient, provided that in the end it turns out my way,” “Women are much more They know how to say “no” better than men, “You don’t have to agree with your interlocutor to find a common language with him,” “Free cheese only comes in a mousetrap.”
Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC). This great ruler of the Qin kingdom. The virtue of Shi Huang is called his activity in ending the centuries-old history of the warring Chinese kingdoms. In 221 BC. he was able to create a centralized state in Inner China, becoming its sole ruler. During the massive campaign to unify the country, important reforms were introduced to consolidate the gains achieved. The emperor proclaimed that all chariots should have an axle of the same length, and all hieroglyphs should be written in a standard way. As a result of such positions, a unified road system was created in the country, and the disparate writing system was replaced by a unified one. The Emperor also introduced a unified monetary system, a system of weights and measures. To suppress local trends toward sovereignty, Qin Shi Huang divided his empire into 36 military regions. The walls surrounding the former kingdoms were demolished. Only their northern part remained, having strengthened them, the Great Wall of China was erected, which protected the country from the attacks of nomads. Shi Huangdi was rarely in the capital, constantly traveling around the country. The authority of the emperor was so great that a huge funeral complex was built in his honor during his lifetime. It was built by 700 thousand people, and the burial perimeter was 6 kilometers. It is curious that, unlike his predecessors, the emperor abandoned human sacrifices. The tomb was found only in 1974, and is still being studied. There turned out to be a whole terracotta army of 8099 soldiers.
Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970). This French general managed to transform from a brilliant military man into an equally talented politician. Charles de Gaulle founded the Fifth Republic, becoming its first president in 1959. The general gained fame from his leadership of the French Resistance during World War II. During his life, he managed to become a real symbol of the freedom of France, as Joan of Arc once was. In fact, Charles de Gaulle took control of the country twice. Each time she was on the verge of disaster, and the politician returned her international prestige and put the economy in order. In foreign policy, France has become an independent player, abruptly leaving the influence of the United States. There is a lot of talk not only about the merits of de Gaulle as a politician, but also about his mistakes. Surprisingly, this talented military theorist did not participate in a single historically important battle. Nevertheless, he managed to save France from defeat. The military man, not familiar with the economy, was able to effectively govern the country during two presidential terms and lead it out of the crisis. The whole point is that de Gaulle knew how to effectively manage the affairs entrusted to him - be it a rebel committee or the government of a large country. De Gaulle’s most famous words were: “Politics is too serious a matter to be entrusted to politicians”, “Always choose the most difficult path - there you will not meet competitors”, “The deepest motivation for the activity of the best and strongest people is their desire for power” .
The 21st century is defined by technology. In 2000, many were paranoid about the Millennium Problem. This was our fear of losing what technology has given us over the past centuries. But technology is not the only thing that distinguishes the 21st century. It is also characterized by a phase of instability in both political and economic life. But in any case, every era is made interesting by people - those who leave a mark on the history and memory of mankind. Below is our list of the 10 most influential people of the current era.
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10Osama bin Laden
Who would have thought that a member of a rich and famous family would become the world's most wanted terrorist? Osama bin Laden changed people's lives in the 21st century. He forced us to rethink the concept of national security. After September 11, 2001, no one can live the way they lived before that date. The level of attention to safety has increased not only in the United States, but also in other countries.
Osama bin Laden is on our list of the 10 most influential people because of his charismatic influence among Islamic radicals. He was able to convince them of the need to attack the United States and other allies.
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9Craig Newmark
You would never know Craig Newmark if you saw him on the street. However, this man is behind Craigslist.org, a site that has been called the “newspaper killer.” After college, Newmark worked for IBM. In the 1980s he was a programmer. In 1993, Craig moved to San Francisco, where he later created Craigslist.
What makes Craigslist such a great idea is the concept of an online commune. Here people can exchange information. Over the years, Craigslist has evolved as a designated place for people to post items they want to sell. Craig Newmark is still working on the problem of fighting spammers. He also created the site Craigconnects, which is aimed at charities.
His net income was $400 million in 2010. He is also involved in other ventures, including funding NewAssignment.net, a website that aims to investigate stories published on the Internet.
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8Noam Chomsky
Historian, philologist, social critic and political activist, Noam Chomsky made our list of the 10 most influential people of the 21st century because of his knowledge regarding global politics and economics. He is the author of more than 100 books and a former professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ideologically he can be classified as an anarcho-syndicalist and socialist.
He criticizes American foreign policy regarding open markets and dominating the economies of weaker countries. The purpose of his research is to form in people a negative image of imperialism, which is inherent not only in the United States, but also in other countries. He also stated his opposition to international institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the GATT.
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7Mark Zuckerberg
This is one of the founders of Facebook. He is also a well-known internet entrepreneur and philanthropist. Without graduating from Harvard, he was able to turn the World Wide Web around.
Today, Facebook has billions of profiles around the world. It is used not only as a tool for communication, but also for business. Over the years, Facebook has been changing its algorithms to be more than just a tool for you to connect with your friends. Although some people don't like the changes, Facebook is still the biggest player among other social networks.
As of May 2016, Mark Zuckerberg's net worth reached $51 billion. He was included in Time magazine's list of the most influential people. But, of course, Facebook has its drawbacks, especially with regard to privacy and political issues.
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6Tony Blair
Tony Blair served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1997 to 2007. He is the only prime minister to be elected for three consecutive terms. Tony Blair is known for his strong response to
threats of terrorism. He ordered British troops to begin hostilities five times during his term of office.
Tony Blair is also known for his ties to George W. Bush after 2001. This extraordinary man was a key player during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He believed that the world was safer because of this invasion. The militaristic approach to leadership also led to the decline of his political career. With the increasing number of British casualties, Tony Blair was forced to resign as his popularity waned as a result of these events.
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5Steve Jobs
Everyone knows the name of this man. This is a cult personality. A renowned innovator and pop culture superstar, he is the face of modern technology.
Why was Steve Jobs included in the list of the 10 most influential people of the 21st century? Because his company, Apple, has revolutionized our daily lives. He was able to introduce technology that changed our habits and daily routines.
Steve Jobs was one of the founders of Apple. He was the owner of the Pixar animation studio. Steve Jobs was known for his ability to create innovations that became a part of everyone's lives. Among the things he invented were the very first personal computer, the iPhone, and the iPad.
But this is not the only legacy he left us. To this day, Apple remains a leader in technology. It is his culture of excellence and innovation that he brought to the company that has made him one of the most influential people in the world.
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4Sergey Brin and Larry Page
Sergey Brin and Larry Page founded Google, the largest search engine of our time. Google has changed its approach to information. Brin's fortune is $39 billion, Larry Page's is $36.7 billion.
What has made Google what it is today is its ability to adapt to a changing world. These people were able to update the search engine algorithm so that the order of websites on search result pages changed. In the past, Google's algorithm simply looked at backlinks to rank a website and determine its ranking. Nowadays, there are several factors including social media signals, grammar and backlinks. This has made Google the number one search engine on which you can advertise your website.
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3Bill Gates
Bill Gates is known to everyone as the richest man on earth. He is one of the founders of Microsoft. It eventually became the world's largest IT company. Currently, Bill Gates' assets are estimated at $76.4 billion. He is also often criticized for anti-competitive business practices.
The amazing thing is that Bill Gates never forgets to share and help people. He is a very famous philanthropist. His donations include large sums of money for various scientific endeavors. He and his wife created the most powerful charitable foundation. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was valued at $34.6 billion. They are the second most generous philanthropists in the US with $28 billion in charitable giving.
Their charitable foundation supports various scientific projects, including the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture. Another amazing thing that sets Bill Gates apart is his ability to influence people like Mark Zuckerberg and Warren Buffett. Together they signed a pledge in which they pledged to give half of their total assets to charity.
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2Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin is on this list of the most influential people as he is the only political leader of Russia. Since 1999, he has been the Prime Minister of Russia and from 2012 to the present - the President of Russia. Putin is a very colorful political player. Former KGB agent, Vladimir Putin has a black belt in judo.
During Putin's rule, Russia has significantly improved its economic situation since the early 2000s, which is largely dependent on oil and gas exports. The country has become the 7th largest economy in the world. In addition, thanks to oil reserves, Vladimir Putin was able to fully repay the Soviet Union's debt by 2005.
But since the beginning of 2014, with the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin has become an object of concern for many other political leaders. Developed Western countries have imposed sanctions against the regime of Vladimir Putin, considering him a threat to the world. But this fact in no way diminishes the position of the leader of the Russian Federation in his influence in the world.
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1Barack Obama
Next on our list of the 10 most influential people is US President Barack Obama. This is the first black US president. Unlike other presidents, Barack Obama's electoral success was significant not only for the African-American community, but for all minorities in the United States. He is also the first American president to be born outside the continental United States.
In 2009, Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. It faced one of its biggest economic challenges during the 2008 recession. Was able to implement laws that allowed the US economy to recover.
During his term, Osama bin Laden was killed. Re-elected to a second term in 2012, defeating Romney, Barack Obama called for inclusiveness for the LGBT community. He is also the first US president in several decades to normalize relations with Cuba.
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Conclusion
This was an article TOP 10 Most Influential People of the 21st Century. Thank you for your attention!
Who do you consider the most worthy example and inspiration for yourself personally? Martin Luther King Jr., Yuri Gagarin or maybe your grandfather? Our world took several millennia to form, and many historical figures took part in this difficult process, who made their invaluable contribution to science, culture and many other spheres of life, both in their countries and in all of humanity. It is very difficult and almost impossible to select those whose influence was most significant. However, the authors of this list still decided to try and collect in one publication the most inspiring personalities in the history of world civilizations. Some of them are known to everyone, others are not known to everyone, but they all have one thing in common - these people changed our world for the better. From the Dalai Lama to Charles Darwin, here are 25 of the most outstanding figures in history!
25. Charles Darwin
A famous British traveler, naturalist, geologist and biologist, Charles Darwin is most famous for his theory, which changed the understanding of human nature and the development of the world in all its diversity. Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection suggests that all species, including humans, are descended from common ancestors, a concept that shocked the scientific community at the time. Darwin published The Theory of Evolution with some examples and evidence in his revolutionary book On the Origin of Species in 1859, and since then our world and the way we understand it have changed greatly.
24. Tim Berners-Lee
Photo: Paul Clarke
Tim Berners-Lee is a British engineer, inventor and computer scientist best known as the creator of the World Wide Web. Sometimes called the "Father of the Internet", Berners-Lee developed the first hypertext web browser, web server and web editor. The technologies of this outstanding scientist spread worldwide and forever changed the way information is generated and processed.
23. Nicholas Winton
Photo: cs:User:Li-sung
Nicholas Winton was a British philanthropist, and since the late 1980s he has become best known for smuggling 669 Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia just before World War II. Winton transported all these children to British orphanages, and some of them even managed to be placed in families, which definitely saved them all from inevitable death in concentration camps or during the bombings. The philanthropist organized as many as 8 trains from Prague and also took children out of Vienna, but using other modes of transport. The Englishman never sought fame, and for 49 years he kept his heroic deed a secret. In 1988, Winton’s wife discovered a notebook with notes from 1939 and the addresses of the families who took in young Salvationists. Since then, recognition, orders and awards have fallen upon him. Nicholas Winton died at the age of 106 in 2015.
22. Buddha Shakyamuni (Gautama Buddha)
Photo: Max Pixel
Also known as Siddhartha Gautama (from birth), Tathagata (the comer) or Bhagavan (the blessed one), Shakyamuni Buddha (the awakened sage of the Shakya lineage) was the spiritual leader and founder of Buddhism, one of the world's three leading religions. Buddha was born in the 6th century BC into a royal family and lived in absolute isolation and luxury. As the prince grew older, he left his family and all his property to plunge into self-discovery and seek to rid humanity of suffering. After several years of meditation and contemplation, Gautama achieved enlightenment and became the Buddha. Through his teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha influenced the lives of millions of people around the world.
21. Rosa Parks
Photo: wikimedia commons
Also known as the "First Lady of Civil Rights" and the "Mother of the Freedom Movement," Rosa Parks was a true pioneer and founder of the black civil rights movement in 1950s Alabama, which was still heavily segregated by race. In 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, a courageous African-American woman and passionate civil rights activist, Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, disobeying the driver's orders. Her rebellious act provoked other blacks into what was later called the legendary "Montgomery Bus Boycott." This boycott lasted 381 days and became one of the key events in the history of the black civil rights movement in the United States.
20. Henry Dunant
Photo: ICRC
A successful Swiss entrepreneur and active public figure, Henri Dunant became the first person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. During a business trip in 1859, Dunant encountered the terrible consequences of the Battle of Solferino (Italy), where the troops of Napoleon, the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Austrian Empire under the leadership of Franz Joseph I clashed, and the troops were left to die on the battlefield. almost 9 thousand wounded. In 1863, in response to the horrors of war and the brutality of the battle he saw, the entrepreneur founded the well-known International Committee of the Red Cross. The Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded, adopted in 1864, was also based on ideas expressed by Henri Dunant.
19. Simon Bolivar
Photo: wikimedia commons
Also known as the Libertador, Simon Bolivar was a prominent Venezuelan military and political leader who played a key role in the liberation of six countries in South and Central America - Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Panama - from Spanish rule. Bolivar was born into a wealthy aristocratic family, but he devoted most of his life to military campaigns and the fight for the independence of the Spanish colonies in America. The country of Bolivia, by the way, was named in honor of this hero and liberator.
18. Albert Einstein
Photo: wikimedia commons
Albert Einstein is one of the most respected and influential scientists of all time. This outstanding theoretical physicist, Nobel laureate and public figure-humanist gave the world over 300 scientific works on physics and about 150 books and articles on history, philosophy and other humanitarian areas. His whole life was full of interesting research, revolutionary ideas and theories, which later became fundamental for modern science. Einstein was most famous for his Theory of Relativity, and thanks to this work he became one of the greatest personalities in human history. Even after almost a century, this Theory continues to influence the thinking of the modern scientific community working to create a Theory of Everything (or Unified Field Theory).
17. Leonardo da Vinci
Photo: wikimedia commons
It is difficult to describe and list all the areas in which Leonardo da Vinci, a man who changed the whole world with his mere existence, succeeded. Over the course of his entire life, this Italian genius of the Renaissance managed to achieve unprecedented heights in painting, architecture, music, mathematics, anatomy, engineering, and many other areas. Da Vinci is recognized as one of the most versatile and talented people to ever live on our planet, and he is the author of such revolutionary inventions as the parachute, helicopter, tank and scissors.
16. Christopher Columbus
Photo: wikimedia commons
The famous Italian explorer, traveler and colonizer, Christopher Columbus was not the first European to sail to America (after all, the Vikings had been here before him). However, his voyages gave rise to an entire era of the most outstanding discoveries, conquests and colonizations, which continued for several centuries after his death. Columbus's travels to the New World greatly influenced the development of geography of those times, because at the beginning of the 15th century people still believed that the Earth was flat and that there were no more lands beyond the Atlantic.
15. Martin Luther King Jr.
Photo: wikimedia commons
This is one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century. Martin Luther King Jr. is best known for his peaceful movement against discrimination, racial segregation and for the civil rights of black Americans, for which he even received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Martin Luther King was a Baptist preacher and powerful speaker who inspired millions of people around the world to fight for democratic freedoms and their rights. He played a key role in promoting civil rights through peaceful protests based on Christian faith and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.
14. Bill Gates
Photo: DFID – UK Department for International Development
The founder of the legendary multinational company Microsoft, Bill Gates was considered the richest person in the world for almost 20 years. Recently, however, Gates has become known primarily as a generous philanthropist rather than for his success in business and in the information technology market. At one time, Bill Gates stimulated the development of the personal computer market, making computers accessible to the simplest users, which is exactly what he wanted. Now he is passionate about the idea of providing Internet access to the whole world. Gates is also working on projects dedicated to combating global warming and combating gender discrimination.
William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest writers and playwrights in the English language, and he has had a profound influence on a galaxy of literary figures, as well as millions of readers around the world. In addition, Shakespeare introduced about 2,000 new words, most of which are still in use in modern English. With his works, the national poet of England has inspired a great many composers, artists and film directors from all over the world.
12. Sigmund Freud
Photo: wikimedia commons
Austrian neurologist and founder of the science of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud is famous precisely for his unique research into the mysterious world of the human subconscious. With them, he forever changed the way we evaluate ourselves and the people around us. Freud's work influenced 20th-century psychology, sociology, medicine, art, and anthropology, and his therapeutic techniques and theories in psychoanalysis are still studied and practiced today.
11. Oskar Schindler
Photo: wikimedia commons
Oskar Schindler was a German entrepreneur, Nazi Party member, spy, womanizer and drinker. None of this sounds very appealing and certainly doesn't sound like the characteristics of a real hero. However, despite all of the above, Schindler deservedly made it onto this list, because during the Holocaust and World War II, this man saved about 1,200 Jews, rescuing them from death camps to work in his factories. The heroic story of Oskar Schindler has been told in many books and films, but the most famous adaptation was Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Schindler's List.
10. Mother Teresa
Photo: wikimedia commons
A Catholic nun and missionary, Mother Teresa devoted almost her entire life to serving the poor, sick, disabled and orphans. She founded the charitable movement and women's monastic congregation “Missionary Sisters of Love” (Congregatio Sororum Missionarium Caritatis), which exists in almost all countries of the world (in 133 countries as of 2012). In 1979, Mother Teresa became a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and 19 years after her death (in 2016) she was canonized by Pope Francis himself.
9. Abraham Lincoln
Photo: wikimedia commons
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States and one of the most influential figures in American history. Coming from a poor farming family, Lincoln fought for the reunification of the country during the Civil War between the North and the South, strengthened the federal government, modernized the American economy, but he earned his reputation as an outstanding historical figure primarily for his contribution to the development of a democratic society and the fight against slavery and oppression black population of the USA. Abraham Lincoln's legacy continues to shape the American people today.
8. Stephen Hawking
Photo: Lwp Kommunikáció / flickr
Stephen Hawking is one of the most famous and respected scientists in the world, and he has made invaluable contributions to the development of science (especially cosmology and theoretical physics). The work of this British researcher and ardent popularizer of science is also impressive because Hawking made almost all of his discoveries in spite of a rare and slowly progressing degenerative disease. The first signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appeared in his student years, and now the great scientist is completely paralyzed. However, severe illness and paralysis did not prevent Hawking from marrying twice, becoming the father of two sons, flying in zero gravity, writing many books, becoming one of the founders of quantum cosmology and the winner of a whole collection of prestigious awards, medals and orders.
7. Unknown rebel
Photo: HiMY SYeD / flickr
This is the conventional name given to an unknown man who independently held back a column of tanks for half an hour during the protests in Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen, China) in 1989. In those days, hundreds of protesters, most of whom were ordinary students, died in clashes with the military. The identity and fate of the unknown rebel remains unknown, but the photograph has become an international symbol of courage and peaceful resistance.
6. Muhammad
Photo: wikimedia commons
Muhammad was born in 570 AD in the city of Mecca (Mecca, modern Saudi Arabia). He is considered a Muslim prophet and the founder of the Islamic religion. Being not only a preacher, but also a politician, Muhammad united all the Arab peoples of those times into a single Muslim empire, which conquered most of the Arabian Peninsula. The author of the Qur'an started out with a few followers, but eventually his teachings and practices formed the basis of the Islamic religion, which is now the second most popular religion in the world, with some 1.8 billion believers.
5. The 14th Dalai Lama
Photo: wikimedia commons
The 14th Dalai Lama, or by birth Lhamo Thondup, is a 1989 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a renowned preacher of Buddhist philosophy of peace, professing respect for all life on Earth and calling for the harmonious coexistence of man and nature. The former spiritual and political leader of Tibet in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama always tried to find a compromise and sought reconciliation with the Chinese authorities who invaded Tibet with territorial claims. In addition, Lhamo Dhondrub is a passionate supporter of the women's rights movement, interfaith dialogues and advocates for solving global environmental problems.
4. Princess Diana
Photo: Auguel
Also known as “Lady Di” and “the people’s princess,” Princess Diana captured the hearts of millions around the world with her philanthropy, hard work and sincerity. She devoted most of her short life to helping those in need in third world countries. The Queen of Hearts, as she was also known, founded the movement to end the production and use of anti-personnel mines, and was actively involved in several dozen humanitarian campaigns and non-profit organizations, including the Red Cross, London's Great Ormond Street Hospital and AIDS research. Lady Di died at the age of 36 from injuries received in a car accident.
3. Nelson Mandela
Photo: Library of the London School of Economics and Political Science
Nelson Mandela was a South African politician, philanthropist, revolutionary, reformer, passionate advocate for human rights during apartheid (policy of racial segregation) and President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He had a profound influence on the history of South Africa and the world. Mandela spent almost 27 years in prison for his beliefs, but he did not lose faith in the liberation of his people from the oppression of the authorities, and after leaving prison he achieved democratic elections, as a result of which he became the first black president of South Africa. His tireless work to peacefully end the apartheid regime and establish democracy inspired millions of people around the world. In 1993, Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize.
2. Jeanne d'Arc
Photo: wikimedia commons
Also known as the Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc is the greatest heroine in French history and one of the most famous women in world history. She was born into a poor farming family in 1412 and believed that she was chosen by God to lead France to victory in the Hundred Years' War with England. The girl died before the end of the war, but her courage, passion and devotion to her goal (especially during the siege of Orleans) caused a long-awaited moral upsurge and inspired the entire French army to the final victory in the protracted and seemingly hopeless confrontation with the British. Unfortunately, in battle, the Maid of Orleans was captured by her enemies, condemned by the Inquisition and burned at the stake at the age of 19.
1. Jesus Christ
Photo: wikimedia commons
Jesus Christ is the central figure of the Christian religion, and He has had such a profound impact on our world that He is often called the most influential and inspiring person in human history. Compassion, love for others, sacrifice, humility, repentance and forgiveness, which Jesus called for in His sermons and personal example, were concepts completely opposite to the values of ancient civilizations during His life on Earth. Yet today there are approximately 2.4 billion followers of His teachings and Christian faith in the world.