On March 19, the permanent president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, announced that. He stayed in office for almost 30 years and was the most "long-term" head of state in the post-Soviet space. We decided to compile a rating of current political centenarians in countries with a republican or mixed form of government, where the head of state is elected - at least formally. The result surprised us: the list included the heads of seven African countries, one representative each from the Middle East and Central Asia and one leader of a European country.
1st place: President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
39 years of continuous reign
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo became President of Equatorial Guinea almost 40 years ago, in 1979, after the ouster of the country's first president, his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema Biogo.
In Equatorial Guinea, the personality cult of the president is flourishing. In 2003, the state press announced that Teodoro Obiang Nguema was "like God in heaven" and "in constant contact with the Almighty," with the president having "all power over people and things."
It is not surprising that Mbasogo is re-elected with enviable consistency - in the last elections in 2016, according to official data, 93.53% of voters voted for him. The next elections will be held in Equatorial Guinea in 2023. Now Mbasogo is 76 years old, and he is unlikely to run for the next term: he has been diagnosed with cancer.
2nd place: President of Cameroon Paul Biya
36 years of continuous reign
Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon as president for almost 37 years. Considering that before that for another seven years he headed the government of Cameroon and was the prime minister of the country, then his political experience is 44 years.
Last October, despite his advanced age of 86, Paul Biya was re-elected President of the country for a seven-year term.
3rd place: President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
33 years of continuous reign
74-year-old Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ruled the country for 33 years. After coming to power in a military coup, he promised that his government would rule the country for a four-year transition period until a new constitution was drawn up and elections were held. Then elections were held, then another, and another - and, according to official data, Museveni won the elections.
The 2001-2006 cadenza was the last constitutional allowed by Museveni in Uganda. However, in 2005, amendments to the basic law of the country were prepared, allowing the president to be elected again. In the same year, the Ugandan parliament lifted the limit on the number of presidential terms.
In the 2016 elections, Museveni was re-elected president with a score of 60.62%. And he is going to run in the next elections in 2021.
4th place: President of Sudan Omar al-Bashir
Omar al-Bashir came to power in Sudan during a military coup in 1989. He chaired the National Salvation Revolution Command Council, which ruled Sudan for several years, and after the Council's dissolution became President of the Sudan.
Since then, he has consistently won the presidential elections - most recently in 2015, where, according to official figures, he won with 94.05% of the vote.
Omar al-Bashir, 75, is not going to leave his post, despite being called a dictator, and the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
5th place: Iranian leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei
29 years of continuous reign
Ali Khamenei. Photo: Reuters Ali Hosseini Khamenei is the Ayatollah, the Supreme Leader of Iran. There is no analogue of such a position in other states, the chief theologian and leader of the state is slightly higher than the President of Iran: not a single decision comes into force without being approved by the Supreme Leader. And even the president of Iran who won the elections becomes him only after being approved by the leader of the state.
Khamenei became the Supreme Leader of Iran after the death of the leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Mousavi Khomeini in 1989 and has been shaping the country's development path for 29 years.
Khamenei, 79, will remain Iran's leader until his death, although in theory Iran's Council of Experts, made up of influential theologians, could remove him from this post.
6th place: President of Chad Idris Deby
28 years of continuous reign
Idris Debi. Photo: Reuters Chadian President Idris Deby, 67, has ruled the country for 28 years. He was re-elected in 2016 and is set to run in the next elections in 2021.
7th place: President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon
26 years of continuous reign
Emomali Rakhmon, after Nazarbayev left his post, became the most “long-playing” head of state in the post-Soviet space. In December 1992, he took over as chairman of the Supreme Council of Tajikistan (this post is equivalent to the presidential one), and in 1994 - the post of President of Tajikistan. In addition, he bears the title of "Leader of the Nation" ("Peshvoi Millat").
Under Rakhmon, the Constitution of Tajikistan was changed several times (familiar, isn't it?). In 1999, the country held a referendum on amendments to the constitution, including amendments to increase the presidential term of office from four to seven years. In 2003, another referendum was held to amend the constitution: the president was allowed to hold not one, but two seven-year terms in a row, and the restrictions on the age of a presidential candidate were also removed. And finally, in 2016, as a result of a constitutional referendum, amendments were adopted to remove restrictions on the number of re-elections to the presidency from President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.
The next presidential elections in Tajikistan will be held in 2020 - 66-year-old Emomali Rahmon has already announced his desire to run for head of state.
8th place: President of Eritrea Isayas Afeverki
25 years of continuous reign
In April 1993, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, and Isayas Afeverki became president of the new state. It was originally envisaged that the president would be elected by parliament for a five-year term. But in 1997, Isaias Afeverki (to hell with the formalities!) Simply took and canceled the presidential elections.
Therefore, 73-year-old Isaias Afeverka does not care about re-election issues. As well as the glory of the dictator.
9th place: President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
24 years of continuous reign
Alexander Lukashenko became President of Belarus on July 20, 1994. In three months, he will celebrate his 25th birthday as head of state. Today, this is a record among all European heads of state - with the exception of monarchs. And the second place among the leaders in the post-Soviet space.
The President of Belarus also has a chance to break world records: 64-year-old Alexander Lukashenko is now serving his fifth presidential term and is going to run for the post of head of state for the sixth time - he is talking about this (however, it is still unknown when the next elections will be held - in 2019 or 2020). And given the fact that the restriction on the number of presidential terms was removed from our constitution as a result of the 2004 referendum, Alexander Grigorievich can become president for both the seventh and eighth time ...
10th place: President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso
21 years of continuous reign
Denis Sassou Nguesso first became President of the People's Republic of the Congo back in 1979. At that time, the country relied on the Marxist-Leninist course and friendship with the USSR. After the collapse of the socialist camp, the People's Republic of the Congo simply became the Republic of the Congo and proclaimed a course towards a market economy, and Denis Sassou Nguesso failed miserably in the 1992 presidential elections.
The economic crisis and political destabilization led to a civil war. Its outcome in 1997 was decided by the military intervention of neighboring Angola, which again made Denis Sassa Nguesso President of the Republic of the Congo.
Since then, Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected to this post every seven years. The next elections will be held in 2023, and 75-year-old Denis Sassou Nguesso is going to take part in them.
Out of competition
We did not take into account monarchies in our ranking. But if we take them into account, then the undisputed leader of the stay in power will be the Queen of Great Britain and a number of other countries - members of the British Commonwealth (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu , Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis) 92-year-old Elizabeth II.
Elizabeth II. Photo: Reuters Speaking today about America with our compatriots, it is difficult to hear anything good from most of them. However, not only we are inclined to blaspheme our overseas neighbors, the Americans themselves are shy about something in their history.
There is something special about the fact that when you google "worst American", "president" is the word that the online search engine suggests to complete your query. Many people cannot understand why this is so. Well, sometimes, in order to understand the reasons for modern events, you should turn to the past ..
You can find many different reasons why a particular president is considered bad. You can use presidential polls that track preferences in the modern era. You can go to experts who regularly compile presidential lists from worst to best. Other criteria could include indicators of economic indicators such as federal debt and unemployment rate.
But some elements of the presidency are not so obvious. When it comes to the earlier presidents of the 19th century, in particular during the slavery and extermination of the Indian population, tendencies that are considered bad in the modern world will be quite common. The choice between money, expediency, and, say, people's lives is a remarkable demonstration of the dark and terrible corners of the human psyche that sometimes make economic inept leadership seem like a sweet prank and excusable nonsense by comparison.
So, follow me, reader, if you want to see those of whom it is not customary to be proud even in American society.
15. Woodrow Wilson, (1913 - 1921) - fan of Ku Klux Clan
Woodrow Wilson became president decades after the Civil War, but that did not stop him from using his position to try to nullify any advancement in the rights of black people in the United States. His father, a clergyman, was a slave owner and defended slavery from the pulpit. Before becoming President of the United States, he was rector of Princeton University in 1902 and did everything he could to prevent African Americans from getting the slightest chance of admission. In 1901 he wrote a book called History of the Americans, in which he justified the Ku Klux Klan. As president, he instituted job segregation by the government and supported it in the military during World War I. He told the protesters, "Segregation is not a humiliation, but a benefit, and that is how it should be regarded by you, gentlemen." He is best known for showing the outspokenly racist film Birth of a Country - which glorified the Ku Klux Klan - in the White House. The film essentially quotes him as saying, "The Whites were awakened by a simple instinct for self-preservation, until the great Ku Klux Klan finally emerged, the true empire of the south, ready to defend the southern country." Woodrow also hated first-generation immigrants along with free speech. He passed the 1918 Mutiny Act that made criticism of the government illegal, and he ordered the infamous Pilgrim Raids, a series of actions by the US Department of Justice that attempted to illegally expel up to 10,000 radical leftists.
14.Richard Nixon (1969 - 1974) - cunning Dicky
It took only five years in position # 37 for Sly Dickie to make it onto most of America's lists as the worst president ever. Despite factors leading to a positive presidency, including the opening of relations with China, the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nixon's name is inextricably linked to just one event that ended his political career: Watergate. What is Watergate? The name comes from the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC, and refers to a series of scandals involving Nixon and his team. In 1972, members of Nixon's re-election team broke into the hotel, which was the seat of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were arrested, and the next scandal began to engulf his closest advisors, including aides G. Gordon Liddy and James W. McCord, Jr., who were convicted of conspiracy, theft and wiretapping. Nixon tried to make it difficult to obtain information and obstructed the investigation at every turn, but it did not work. By August 1974, he was forced to resign, forever associating his name with political corruption. Nixon was officially forgiven by No. 38 - President Gerald Ford. When the full transcripts of the White House during the Nixon presidency were released in 2013, another fascinating characteristic of this man emerged - his blatant anti-Semitism. You can hear him complaining about “Jews” all the time.
13. George W. Bush (2001 - 2009) - "Dubio" and his expensive wars
Dubya's presidency began with a controversial electoral vote in Florida - under his brother's governorship - with a controversial victory over former Vice President Al Gore. It seemed that he won by a small majority, but the famous scandal soon broke out. In fact, cardboard voting cards were still used in many precincts, and when punched holes or shades were not completely removed, it turned out that the machines did not count the vote. The Supreme Court stepped in, halting the recount and granting Bush the presidency. As a result, he was acting president during the September 11, 2001 attacks, a national tragedy that also ignited the next round of world conflagration as Bush dragged the country into the war in Afghanistan and then Iraq. Along with an astronomical cost of about $ 5 trillion, the Iraq war was entered on the basis of unfounded evidence of weapons of mass destruction and trumped-up accusations that he was simply ending the Gulf War that his father started as president. Bush has also faced criticism for his abhorrent handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, as well as the 2008 financial crisis. Against the background of all of the above, his fame for his so-called bushism or misuse of the English language seems to be an unimportant trifle. Lately, he seems to be trying to build up a bit of traction in the campaign polls, in that he tries to provide valid criticism of the actions of President # 45.
12.Herbert Hoover (1929 - 1933) - the hated presidency
Number 31 was chosen just before the Great Depression, which plunged the United States and the global economy into years of turmoil and millions of Americans in years of poverty and insecurity. Hoover was a financial conservative and opposed the idea of directly making life easier for the hordes of unemployed citizens. Instead, he began major public works projects such as the Hoover Dam, which bore his name. It wasn't a completely bad idea - but it was his refusal to use government funds to directly make life easier for the unemployed, and it caused many Americans to hate him. Unemployment rates stood at 25 percent and about 5,000 banks closed. As if that weren't enough, a drought ensued, which destroyed much of the American center. As the homeless began to build large artisanal cities on the outskirts of many cities, they called them Hooverville in a kind of bitter mockery of the man who did not help them, given the opportunity to do so. “Prosperity cannot be restored by raiding the public Treasury,” he argued. Politically, he only worsened the Depression by triggering a worldwide tariff fight. To top it all off, he was a big fan of Prohibition, which criminalized the drinking business.
11. Franklin Pierce (1853 - 1857) - slave tool
Teddy Roosevelt, No. 26 President, hated his No. 14 predecessor, calling him "a slave tool worse than which is hard to find ... willing to do whatever work is entrusted to him by the leaders of American slavery." This pretty much sums up the essence of Peirce's presidency. Judge for yourself - called "test-faced" by his political opponents - who believed in the expansion of the United States, and believed in favor of slavery. He supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which replaced the Missouri Compromise of 1820, a law that outlawed slavery north of latitude 36 ° 30 '. The new law allowed people living in the then territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether to have slaves. Among his other stellar achievements were his proposal to take Cuba by force and the formal recognition of the new regime in Nicaragua. The Central American country was overrun by an American slavery supporter named William Walker, who made himself president. In addition, Pierce was an avid alcoholic, and, after the end of his term, he issued the phrase: "Well, everything is done, all that remains is a drink."
10. Andrew Jackson (1829 - 1837) - Indian killer
Andrew Jackson was a war hero of 1812 and was considered the protector of the common people - the white people. Immediately after taking office, he fired 919 government officials and put his supporters in those positions, saying, "Winners are not judged." Seems familiar ... When he arrived with Native Americans, his hatred knew no bounds; he was known as the "Indian Killer". He was a staunch supporter of the Indian Eviction Act of 1830, which allowed any state to remove Native Americans from their lands at will. He began by participating in violent military raids against the Creek and Cherokee tribes under President Jefferson, and ordered the murder of women and children to clear a path to vast plantations in Alabama and Georgia. When gold was discovered in Cherokee lands in Georgia, he rejected existing agreements and brought in one of his own agents, who allegedly negotiated on behalf of the locals. This led to the Agreement on the resettlement of the Ekota tribe to the West. Jackson was also the largest slave owner in the southwestern United States.
9.Martin Van Buren (1837 - 1841) - trail of tears
Martin Van Buuren, I must say, inherited the dollar crash from his predecessor, Andrew Jackson, under whom he served as vice president. But, a great man would prove what he is capable of. For Van Buuren it meant just going with the flow. Van Buuren continued Jackson's anti-Indian policies, including going to war with Seminole in Florida, who objected to the idea of forced migration westward. In 1838 he announced, "It is a special pleasure for me to inform Congress of the Cherokee's relocation to their new homes." He oversaw the implementation of the Ecota Agreement. The forced deportation of Native Americans from the east coast to lands west of the Mississippi River in midwinter became known as the Trail of Tears. She has caused illness, hunger and death for thousands of Cherokee along the way. Fun fact: Martin Van Buuren was such a drunkard that his nickname was Blue Whiskey Van.
8. Warren G. Harding, (1921 - 1923) - unusable
Warren G. Harding, 29th President of the United States, said it best himself: "I am not fit for this office and should never have been here." Considered at one time a handsome player, in fact, he was apparently chosen by the Republican Party because he was a good old boy who did not have much in the way of beliefs, moral character or political opinions. He was supposed to have spent his time in power having fun with women, playing poker and golf, and ignoring the way his Republican cronies went about their business. His Home Secretary, for example, allowed oil officials to buy out a stake in the use of government reserves that led to the Teapot Dome scandal, named after a Wyoming oil storage site. He was an irresponsible bastard. At the time, America's participation in the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations, was a source of bitter controversy. Harding's views were so vague that both sides thought he supported them. The Democratic leader, William Gibbs Macado, called Harding's speeches "a pile of pompous gossip, plowing through its own piles in search of meaning." Harding died of a stroke in 1923 while still in office.
7. Zachary Taylor (1849 - 1850) - inexperienced slacker
Zachary Taylor was a major general in the American army and became something of a national hero during the Mexican-American War. By and large, he was able to become president because of his reputation. He made the list mainly because of his refusal to do, well, anything during his 16 months in office. Slavery was a huge problem at the time and generated significant debate in Congress. Perhaps it was the mistake of the Whig Party, a kind of precursor to the Republicans, to place someone without real political talent or experience at the top of the government. Taylor was a Southerner from Louisiana and an ordinary slave owner at the same time, and he chose not to notice the problem, leaving it to the discretion of the government.
6. William Henry Harrison (1841) - at least he was short
If it seems unfair to list someone who died of pneumonia on just 31 days of his presidency, we can at least blame him for an empty presidency. We can also remember what he was famous for. As governor of Indiana Territory in 1811, he led the American forces against the Shawnee Indians at Tecumseh and the confederation of Indian tribes that united to resist the American occupation of their lands. Harrison's goal was to destroy the confederation, and he did so by 1813 during the Battle of the Thames, when Tekumseh was killed and the confederation dissolved. Harrison earned the nickname "Tippecano" after the site of one of the battles. The only success - he gave the longest inauguration speech in American history.
5. John Tyler (1841 - 1845) - his Destruction
After Harrison passed away from illness after just one month of his presidency, Vice President John Tyler became the 10th President of the United States — the longest-serving unelected president. Tyler seems more of a cocky opportunist than a politician. He started out as a Democrat but then joined the Whigs after opposing Andrew Jackson. As president, he continued to alienate both the Democrats and his own party, believing that the president, not Congress, should set policy. He did so by vetoing many of his own side bills - and he became the first president to be vetoed by Congress. He was a great proponent of the so-called Manifest Destiny - or the divine right of America's European colonists to expand across the continent - and set in motion the process of annexing Texas. His own party called him “His Destruction”. He tried to run for a second term, but was unable to get support. Tyler eventually joined the Southern Confederate government after the Civil War broke out in 1861 shortly before his death.
4. Millard Fillmore (1850 - 1853) - Fugitive Slave Act
Sometimes, when you are the president, the question is raised, how much should you be able to compromise in order to save the world? In the case of the 13th President of the United States, this means complete loyalty to slavery. Millard Fillmore became president following the death of Zachary Taylor in office. The former vice president disagreed with Taylor's empty approach to slavery and instead supported the so-called Compromise of 1850. The compromise consisted of five separate acts, the most notorious of which was officially titled “The Law on Fugitives from Justice and People Fleeing from the Master,” and all escaped slaves should be returned to their owners. He did buy peace with the South for several years before civil war broke out, but in fact, he contributed to the spread of slavery. As noted by The New York Times, it was “the mistake of President Fillmore, who viewed slavery as a political rather than a moral issue.”
3. James Buchanan (1857 - 1861) - judicial intervention
Dred Scott's case. Sanford was authorized by the American Supreme Court on March 6, 1857, just two days after James Buchanan took office. But it turns out that the controversial court decision was reached under pressure from the future president, who sought to tackle the issue of slavery. Dred Scott was born a slave, but was taken by his owner, who served in the military in various states, in some of which slavery was illegal. When the owner died, Scott married and had a child and tried to buy his freedom from the owner's widow. She refused, and Scott sued. This is where Buchanan appears on the scene because the event was seen as being decisive when it came to slave rights. A court ruled in Scott's favor, but the Missouri Supreme Court reversed the decision. Scott went to the American Supreme Court, which was ruled by a 7-2 majority - but thanks to the intervention of James Buchanan and his pals, Supreme Court Justice John Catron and Supreme Court Justice Robert Cooper Greer - it was ruled that people of African descent were not were citizens of the United States and therefore not entitled to liberty. It was widely said that at Buchanan's inauguration, he met with Chief Justice Tanya, who assured him that all slaves would soon be taken care of. Fun fact: Buchanan was also known to be an alcoholic.
2. James Polk (1845 - 1849) - the highest destiny
James Polk was a great advocate of a higher destiny. It is the belief that America and the Americans were literally so special that they had the divine right to spread their colonies throughout North America. The journal of the United States and Democratic Review, a periodical published from 1837 to 1859, described him as "the man destined to spread us across the continent." The regiment used faith to justify the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. It was a bloody conflict that had many notable opponents, including the writer and naturalist Henry David Thoreau, who refused to pay taxes that would support the conflict and ended up in jail. When everything calmed down, the United States paid Mexico 15 million dollars half of its territory, which had previously been seized by the proto. Polk said, "Our beloved country presents a sublime moral spectacle to the world."
1. William McKinley (1897 - 1901) - civilize and convert to Christianity
Many historians recall the McKinley presidency as one of the periods of rapid economic growth and protectionist tariffs. We will, however, point to his overly exaggerated belief in his own divine mission, which led to one of America's most imperialistic presidencies. While other presidents have taken similar steps, none have been successful; McKinley added much of the territory to the American map. At the time, the people of Cuba went to war against Spain, and McKinley saw an opportunity for his ambitions in the Caribbean and the Pacific coast. Secretary of State John Haye called the Spanish-American War of 1898 “a glorious little war,” and this opened up lucrative sugar and other Caribbean markets for the US and companies like American Tobacco, Steel of Bethlehem and United Fruit, which took possession of millions of acres of land. The agreement that ended the war with Spain via Cuba created the American Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. McKinley, it was said, did not know what to do with the Philippines, believing that "they were unfit for self-government." In his opinion, America's goal was to "educate and convert them to Christianity."
Every day from all over the world there are reports of certain faulty politicians and officials. One gets the impression that when people get into the system of the state apparatus, they automatically become deceitful, greedy and corrupt, or maybe it is precisely these qualities that allow them to reach career heights?
One way or another, history (and modernity) knows cases of disinterested service to the interests of the country and society in responsible government positions, which inspires hope - despite the existing problems and all-eating corruption, there are honest and principled politicians in the system, the best of the best are for your attention.
1. Aristides (c. 530 - 467 BC)
Aristides, the Athenian statesman and commander, not in vain received the nickname "Fair" from his contemporaries - he was a man of unshakable honesty and high moral principles.
The exceptional human qualities of Aristide were noted by Herodotus:
"This Aristide I consider, judging by what I have learned about his character, the most noble and just man in Athens."
As Plutarch wrote, once the national assembly of Athens decided to hold a vote among the inhabitants, which of the politicians has too much influence, and those who gain more than 6 thousand votes were supposed to be expelled from the city in order to prevent tyranny.
Residents wrote their names on potsherds and gave them to officials. One illiterate peasant, approaching the politician, asked to write the name "Aristides" on a tablet (he did not know him by sight), and when Aristides asked if this man had offended him in any way, the peasant replied: "No, I don't even know , who is this. I’m just tired of hearing at every corner: “Fair! Equitable!"". Aristides wrote his name and silently returned the tablet.
Aristides always followed his principles and was one of the few politicians who, even in the last days of his life, did not lose the trust of the Athenian people. He died in 467 BC. e. and was buried at public expense.
2. Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus (c. 519 - c. 439 BC)
The ancient Roman patrician and politician Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus distinguished himself by becoming the dictator of Rome twice in order to save the empire, which was on the verge of destruction. The first time this happened in 458 BC. e., when the Eternal City was threatened by the tribes of Ekv and Volsk, and the second time happened in 439 BC. e. - The Senate asked Cincinnatus to suppress the uprising of the plebeians.
Any other politician in his place would immediately seize the chance to become the sole ruler of the most powerful (at the time) state on Earth, but Lucius resigned as soon as the danger was eliminated. This phenomenal (especially among statesmen) nobility made him a model of simplicity and virtue.
Cincinnatus led a very modest lifestyle, lived in a small villa and devoted almost all his free time to work and cultivating the land, therefore in many paintings he is depicted dressed in peasant clothes and with an agricultural tool in his hands. One of the most authoritative Roman historians, Titus Livy, even wrote about him: "Cincinnatus, called from the plow."
It is curious that George Washington is considered the follower and conductor of Lucius's views, who immediately after the victory of the United States in the War of Independence went to his native estate and continued to live an ordinary life. Six years later, he became the first president of the United States, and when he served two terms in a row, he returned home again. Incidentally, Washington was also chairman of the Cincinnati Society, which consisted of US Army officers. Guess after whom the Society got its name?
3. Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180)
A philosopher at the head of an empire is perhaps the rarest phenomenon in history. Marcus Aurelius became the last of the so-called five good emperors - the Caesars of Rome, whose reign was characterized by stability and a well-thought-out domestic and foreign policy, which allowed the Roman Empire to reach its peak in these years.
Marcus Aurelius is also known as one of the prominent representatives of the philosophy of Stoicism, according to which sins and immoral acts destroy the personality, therefore, in order not to lose human essence, it is necessary to develop your moral and mental qualities in every possible way. According to the Stoics, good deeds and the refusal of all kinds of excesses are the guarantee of a person's happiness.
As for Marcus Aurelius, his works became classics of late Stoicism, as the historian Herodian said about him:
"Aurelius proved his views not in words and not in philosophical formulas, but with his human qualities and an impeccable way of life."
Marcus Aurelius died in 180 of the plague during a military campaign against the Germans, although in some feature films ("The Fall of the Roman Empire" in 1964, "Gladiator" in 2000) a different version is voiced. He was allegedly poisoned because he was going to transfer power over Rome to his adopted son, a Roman commander, bypassing his own son Commodus, who, according to Aurelius, was not suitable for the role of emperor, as he was a vain lecher and a psychopath.
4. George Washington (1732 - 1799)
One of the most famous figures in American history, George Washington has long been a legendary figure. He presided over the convention that wrote the first US Constitution, served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, and established the institution of the presidency of the United States.
British King George III once called him "the greatest character of the era", and after the death of Washington, legends began to form about him, there were even attempts to deify him, as, for example, in the famous painting located in the dome of the Capitol. The Apotheosis of Washington mural depicts the first president of the United States surrounded by a host of Olympic gods, and in Shinto temples in Hawaii, Washington is worshiped as one of the deities.
As some of the legends say, in childhood, when his father asked little George who cut down the cherry tree, the boy was very frightened, but could not lie and admitted that it was his doing. This story is often cited as proof of Washington's exceptional honesty, and the phrase “I cannot lie” has become one of the “calling cards” of the first American president. However, the story has not been confirmed by anything, so, most likely, this is just a tribute to a person whose exceptional honesty no one doubted without any cherry trees.
When Washington departed into another world, General of the Continental Army Henry Lee said about him this way: "The first in the days of war, the first in the days of peace and the first in the hearts of fellow citizens," and Napoleon Bonaparte delivered a speech to the French in honor of the deceased and announced throughout France 10 -day mourning.
5. Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)
Lincoln's presidency was not the easiest period in US history, but he passed this test with flying colors. The 16th President of the United States led the country through the Civil War (War of the North and South), abolished slavery, and helped to smooth over divisions in the American government. Abraham Lincoln built (not personally, of course) a transcontinental railroad and began a large-scale reorganization of the economy - after his death, the United States became the fastest growing country in the world.
The whole world was shocked by his death: five days after the end of the Civil War, on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theater (Washington), Lincoln was watching the play My American Cousin, when actor John Wilkes Booth, a supporter of the defeated Southerners, burst into into the presidential box and shot Lincoln in the head. The next day, the president died without regaining consciousness.
At home, the 16th president is immortalized in numerous monuments (including the famous monument on Mount Rushmore), he is depicted on a 1 cent coin and a 5-dollar bill, and his birthday (March 4) became an official holiday in several states.
6. William Gladstone (1809 - 1898)
The fate of William Gladstone, a British politician, is unique: he became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom four times and has an excellent reputation in this post.
Among his political accomplishments are the abolition of the state church in Ireland, the introduction of secret ballot in elections, two legislative acts expanding the rights of Irish peasants, and other tireless concern for the country's cultural life and the interests of the common people. William Gladstone did not speak so brightly in international politics, but only because he was opposed to wars and all kinds of violence that flourished at that time (and even now) in the world political arena.
Possessing an outstanding mind, Gladstone paid attention to the most different areas of British life, for example, it is known that this Victorian leader invited prostitutes to tea and had conversations with them, hoping to re-educate "lost women." Contemporaries noted in him high moral qualities, justice and philanthropy. The best confirmation of these qualities are the numerous monuments to Gladstone, as well as the streets and small villages that bear his name.
7. Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948)
“Great soul” - this is how the title “Mahatma” is translated from the Devangari dialect, which was awarded to Mohandas Gandhi by the poet Rabindranath Tagore, and Gandhi himself denied this nickname, considering himself unworthy of him.
Gandhi became famous as a principled opponent of caste inequality, with whom he waged a merciless (but peaceful) struggle, and a supporter of the ideas of non-violence (the so-called "satyagraha" - in the translation from Sanskrit, "striving for truth, perseverance in truth"), his political and social activities had a huge impact on the development of India and the reconciliation of warring factions of Hindus and Muslims.
In 1921, Gandhi headed the Indian National Congress, and in this position worked tirelessly for the benefit of the Indian people. His main concerns were: improving the status of women in the country, raising the standard of living of the poorest strata of the population, settling ethnic and religious conflicts, developing the economy and, of course, liberating India from British oppression.
He shared dinner with untouchables, rode in third-class carriages, went on hunger strikes and staged nonviolent resistance and boycotts of British goods, and just before his death worked on the draft of the Indian constitution.
As the inspiration and symbol of the Indian independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi fell victim to political intrigue: on January 30, 1948, Gandhi, along with his niece, went out on the front lawn for the usual evening prayer. He was greeted by a crowd of fans and supporters, but suddenly a man separated from the mass of adorers, who approached Gandhi and fired three shots at point-blank range. The bleeding politician showed with a gesture that he forgave the gunman and died. Later it turned out that the killer was a member of the Hindu Maha Sabha religious and political organization, which believed that Gandhi was too good for Indian Muslims.
8. Ernest Vandiver (1918 - 2005)
The 20th century has largely become a century of struggle for civil rights of various human rights organizations and prominent leaders, including, for example, the notorious Maritne Luther King.
However, there are other, less famous figures who also contributed in every possible way to the development of civil society, for example, Ernest Vandiver, who served as governor of the American state of Georgia from 1959 to 1963.
Vandiver did his best to eradicate racial discrimination, which at the time was a rarity for governors, most of whom were thoroughly corrupt racists. For example, Vandiver supported the decision of the state court to admit two black students - Hamilton Holmes and Charlene Hunter - to study at the University of Georgia, although earlier university students rebelled against the presence of blacks in the classroom.
In addition, Vandiver overturned a Georgia General Assembly ruling banning public funding for schools where boys and girls studied together.
Georgia State Judge Joseph Quillian praised Ernest Vandiver's career as Governor:
"This man never learned to lie."
9. Vaclav Havel (1936 - 2011)
Vaclav Havel undoubtedly had a literary talent: he wrote poetry, essays and plays, but went down in history, first of all, as a dissident and political figure.
His political path was long and thorny: he was an active opponent of the introduction of Soviet troops into Czechoslovakia in 1968, which is why he had many problems - he was not allowed out of the country, and Havel's works were banned.
For many years he fought for the democratization of the political system and the observance of the rights of the citizens of his country, several times went to jail, but stubbornly continued his activities.
In the fall of 1989, the famous Velvet Revolution began in Czechoslovakia, one of the leaders of which quickly became Vaclav Havel. After the communists lost most of their political influence, the former dissident was elected president of the country, however, having stayed in office until 1992, he left him ahead of schedule, believing that the days of Czechoslovakia as a state were numbered. But already in 1993, he was elected again, thus becoming the last president of Czechoslovakia and the first of the Czech Republic, and in 1998 he was elected to a second term.
Vaclav Havel's activities have received the widest international recognition and support - he is a laureate of numerous prizes and winner of several awards.
His debut as a director became symbolic: in 2011, Leaving was first presented to the general public at the Moscow International Film Festival, and in the same year, Vaclav Havel died.
10. Aung San Suu Kyi (born 1945)
One of the brightest women in the modern political arena, Aung San Suu Kyi, from 1989 to 2010, was under house arrest for a total of more than 15 years on various charges, but in general - for active participation in the political life of Burma. This made her one of the symbols of the struggle for civil rights not only in this country, but throughout the world.
Inspired by the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, this brave woman founded the National League for Democracy in 1988 to oppose the military junta that seized power in Burma after the retirement of General Ne Win, head of the Burmese Socialist Program Party. ".
In 1990, her party won 59% of the votes in the parliamentary elections, but Aung San Suu Kyi was not allowed to head the government, for which the voting results were canceled and the woman was once again placed under house arrest. While at her home in Yangon, Suu Kyi received the Nobel Peace Prize, for which her sons came to Oslo.
In 2010, Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, six days after the first free parliamentary elections were held in the country that has been called Myanmar since 1989. What Suu Kyi has fought for so long has finally come true: the party entered parliament, and its leader now takes the parliamentary seat and continues his struggle for civil rights and freedoms.
It is clear that presidents of countries, like ordinary citizens, receive a salary for their work, but in addition to this income item, they have others in the form of shares, etc. Among the richest presidents in the world are kings and princes, rulers who have a certain share in the most developed and profitable industries.
Top 10 richest presidents in the world
- V.V. Putin... The leader of the rating is the President of Russia V.V. Putin with $ 40 billion in assets. And although in official documents only an apartment, a garage, a land plot and a couple of cars are registered for him, there is information that the ruler of the Russian Federation controls 37% of the shares of Surgutneftegaz and 4.5% of the shares of Gazprom. In the Gunvor corporation, his interests are represented by a certain Timchenko, who owns 50% of the shares.
- King of thailand Bhumibon Adulyadej with revenues of $ 35 billion. This is the longest reigning not only of all monarchs, but also of the current heads of state. Co-finances more than 3000 agricultural development projects. Owns the world's largest diamond.
- Hassanal Bolkiah... The richest presidents include the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah. His $ 20 billion fortune was earned from oil and gas production.
- King of saudi arabia Abdula bin Abdulaziz al-Saud also has a stake in oil production and owns a fortune of $ 18 billion.
- President of the United Arab Emirates Caliph bin Zayed al-Nahyan manages the sovereign wealth fund. The Abu Dhabi government sets tasks for the head of state, and his fund invests in them. The overall state of the UAE leader is estimated at $ 15 billion.
- Emir of Dubai Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum... Serves as the main company of Dubai and owns assets worth $ 12 billion.
- Hans-Adam the first... The 10 richest presidents of the world included the prince of the small state of Liechtenstein Hans-Adam first. Owns the financial group LGT and a capital of $ 4 billion.
- Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalif al Thani with a fortune estimated at $ 2.5 billion. Controls the oil and gas complex of the country.
- King of morocco Muhammad the sixth with the same assets as the previous ruler. Is a shareholder of ONA Group, invests in the mining industry.
- Chilean President Sebastian Pignera with assets worth $ 2.3 billion. He owns a local TV channel, 27% of shares in the LAN Airlines holding and receives income from the circulation of credit cards.
