Greatest Political Leaders in History

To be a political leader, means to lead a nation of people, by means of a government and the practice of an ideology. Throughout history we have seen many forms of government such as imperialism, monarchies, dictatorships, and democracies. And we have seen many forms of ideologies such as communism, fascism, and capitalism. The success of these nations have always been determined by their leader, who demonstrates a broad vision, and becomes the example for the nation. Throughout time there have been many noteworthy word leaders, who have led their people to security and prosperity, yet none quite as great as these 10. Throughout history these men have demonstrated the greatest scale of political victory, social reform, economic reform, and military victory in a time where the people truly needed a leader.

Let me please stress, that I do not wish to glorify any particular leader in this list, as much as recognize the scale of their political and military achievement. There is no question that some of these leaders were flat out evil tyrants. However the scale of their political vision and overall leadership cannot be denied. So without any political bias, here comes my top 10 greatest leaders in History.

Top 10 Greatest Political Leaders

10. Winston Churchill

Nation: United Kingdom
Years as Leader: (1940-1945, 1951-1955)
Political Views: Conservative
Achievements:

• During the 1930s he began warning and campaigning against Hitler's threat
• As Prime Minister he lead Great Britain during WW2 against the Nazi German conquest
• Endured the Nazi aerial bombardment at the Battle of Britain
• Teamed up with the Allied Forces to defeat Germany

Legacy: Best known for his unyielding perseverance in a time of such fear and destruction. During WW2, he managed both the defenses and the offensives of his people, against the German war machine. The British were able to repel the Nazi bombardment, and eventually defeat the Germans. His unbreakable devotion to his country, has thus made him one of Britain's greatest leaders, a true English legend.




9. Fidel Castro

Nation: Cuba
Years as Leader: (1965-2008)
Political Views: Communism, Marxism
Achievements:

• Leader of the Cuban Revolution in 1959
• Overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, and created a one-party socialist republic
• Ever since Fidel came to power he has endured many political threats such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs Invasion, and many assassination attempts

Legacy: An incredible story of political ambition and revolution. A guerrilla force sets sail from Mexico, and lands on Cuba to begin a resistance in the mountains. With the help of his commanders, Raul Castro and Erenesto Che Guevara, Fidel Castro successfully overthrew the government, and established a new government, with himself as leader. After nearly 50 years, the socialist state of Cuba still stands today. Although it still receives heavy criticism, one cannot deny the success of Castro's enduring vision.


8. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Nation: USA
Years as Leader: (1933-1945)
Political Views: Democratic Liberalism
Achievements:

• Led the US during it's worse economic crisis, The Great Depression
• Created the New Deal program to save the American economy
• Declared war on Japan and Nazi Germany in 1939, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor

Legacy: He successfully led the United States of America through two of its worst crises; the Great Depression and WW2. His expansion of government, through the New Deal, created a new concept of liberalism, and was essential to rescuing the American economy from total collapse.


7. Peter the Great

Nation: Russia
Years as Leader: (1682-1696)
Political Views: Imperialism
Achievements:

• Implemented political reforms and modernized the Tsardom of Russia
• Created the capital city of St. Petersburg
• Led his country to victory in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) against the Swedish Empire
• Turned Russia into one of the most powerful empires in Europe

Legacy: He was considered an adventurer, an intellect, and had amassed a great experience from his early travels to the western world. As ruler of Russia he put forth many political and social reforms, through a system of modernization. He successfully transformed the Russian Tsardom, into the Russian Empire, one of greatest powers in Europe.


6. Abraham Lincoln

Nation: USA
Years as Leader: (1861-1865)
Political Views: Moderate Republican
Achievements:

• Led the country during the American Civil War, and managed to successfully preserve the union
• Brought an end to slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation

Legacy: Led the United States of America through it's darkest hour of inner struggle. He successfully kept the nation together, against the Confederate threat of the Civil War. He also brought an end to slavery, with his Emancipation Proclamation.


5. Adolf Hitler

Nation: Germany
Years as Leader: (1932-1945)
Political Views: Fascism, Nazism
Achievements:

• Became chancellor of Germany in 1933, and transformed the Wiemar Republic into a single-party dictatorship
• Created the ideology of Nazism
• One of the greatest economic and military expansions
• Created an alliance with Japan and Italy
• Led a military conquest of Europe, to achieve more living space for the German Aryan People.
• Successfully invaded Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, France, and several other European countries. Was eventually defeated by the Allied Forces

Legacy: He is perhaps the most evil leader to have ever lived. His war and Holocaust was one of the deadliest human conflicts in history, and caused the death of over 70 million people. And yet he managed to achieve such immense political and economic greatness before his downfall.



4. Vladimir Lenin

Nation: Russia
Years as Leader: (1917-1924)
Political Views: Marxism, Leninism
Achievements:

• Leader of the Bolsheviks October Revolution
• Founder of the USSR, and the ideology of Leninism
• Led the Red Army to Victory in the Russian Civil War

Legacy: He was the founding father of the Soviet Union, a single-party system that eventually became a world power for many years, until it's final downfall in 1990. With the help of Leon Trotsky, his fellow Bolshevik Revolutionary, Lenin was able to reshape the Russian government. He repelled the resistance for three years during the Russian Civil War. He made major contributions to political philosophy, with his creation of Leninism.


3. Mao Zedong


Nation: China
Years as Leader: (1943-1976)
Political Views: Communism, Maoism
Achievements:

• Leader of the Chinese Revolution
• Founding father of the People's Republic of China
• Repelled Japanese Invasion during WW2
• Transformed China's economy into a major industrialized world power
• Created the Ideology of Maoism

Legacy: The founding father of the People's Republic of China. He led a successful military and political revolution, through his ideology of Maoism. He transformed the country of China, into a major industrialized world power. His vision endures, and the Republic of China is expected to soon surpass the United States as the number one most powerful economy in the world.


2. Julius Caesar

Nation: Rome
Years as Leader: (49BC-44BC)
Political Views: Imperialism
Achievements:

• Led a victorious military campaign against the Gallic tribes, expanding the territory of the Roman Republic
• Led a civil war against Pompey, where he emerged as the supreme leader of the Roman world
• Reformed the Roman government into an imperial dictatorship, that would eventually become the mighty Roman Empire.

Legacy: He is considered one of the greatest military leaders of all time, with numerous victories. He also laid the political foundation for one of the greatest empires known in history, thus making him a double-threat both as a general and as a political leader.


1. George Washington

Nation: USA
Years as Leader: (1789-1797)
Political Views: Against Political parties
Achievements:

• Leader of the American Revolution
• 1st President of the United States of America
• Built a strong national government, and remained neutral on global affairs

Legacy: He was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, and successfully defeated the British during the American Revolutionary War. Following this victory he created and led a new form of federal government. He is the founding father of the United States of America, the world's number one super power. His vision has endured to this day, and for this reason he should go down in history as the greatest political leader of all time.