The best leaders of your country
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For the United Kingdom:
- Oliver Cromwell. His policies on religious freedom and reform of the law / Parliament were incredibly ahead of their time. It took until the Great Reform Act of 1832 to re-establish what Cromwell had set up during his reign.
- Edward III. Took a small nation with a weak army to victory over the foremost military power of Europe, France - beginning the Hundred Years' War in the manner it continued, with such victories as Poitiers and Crechy.
- Oliver Cromwell. His policies on religious freedom and reform of the law / Parliament were incredibly ahead of their time. It took until the Great Reform Act of 1832 to re-establish what Cromwell had set up during his reign.
- Edward III. Took a small nation with a weak army to victory over the foremost military power of Europe, France - beginning the Hundred Years' War in the manner it continued, with such victories as Poitiers and Crechy.
Well... before he completely flew off the handle he was Time Magazines Person of the Year in 1938. You have to remember the man did reunite his country in the wake of WW1 and get it from a shadow of its former self and into a war-ready state within a decade.SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
Perhaps lunatics make the best leaders. Would explain why alot of theese people who look competent and make lots of shiny promises end up doing fuck all until theyre replaced.
Jimmy Carter, FTW!
Nah, his four years seem to get skipped over a lot in school--at least up to high school. And as far as I can tell people don't like him (democrats I mean, republicans' opinion is taken as read) because he lost his re-election.
Kennedy, FTW!
I'm getting close to serious now. I don't think he was able to do a lot with what time he had. It's been awhile since I took a US history class (I do live in California after all).
Nah, his four years seem to get skipped over a lot in school--at least up to high school. And as far as I can tell people don't like him (democrats I mean, republicans' opinion is taken as read) because he lost his re-election.
Kennedy, FTW!
I'm getting close to serious now. I don't think he was able to do a lot with what time he had. It's been awhile since I took a US history class (I do live in California after all).
Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, George Washington, Abe Lincoln.... Kennedy, Truman... we've had a lot...
Are you thinking of McAleese (spelling)? she was picked by the Finners. Robinson was labour.Ninjamedic said:Strange, my old history book had her listed as Fianna Fail during her terms as Pres..... Lying Bastards at Folens.Colour-Scientist said:
Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland. She transformed the position (although it's still largely a figurehead position), did a lot of good for the country, worked with the UN and is just an all-round awesome do-er of good deeds.
I'm American, so I can't claim too many after the 1940's, but I'd have to say that Teddy Fucking Roosevelt is my favorite. I'm pretty sure he was a bear/robot hybrid in disguise. Not only did he do good things for the country, but he conquered his own weaknesses as well.
Yeah but she didn't even stay her full term.. McAleese, while but in by fianna fail did a lot more for the presidency.. I'd have to go with Collins though..was a **** but was what we needed370999 said:Are you thinking of McAleese (spelling)? she was picked by the Finners. Robinson was labour.Ninjamedic said:Strange, my old history book had her listed as Fianna Fail during her terms as Pres..... Lying Bastards at Folens.Colour-Scientist said:
Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland. She transformed the position (although it's still largely a figurehead position), did a lot of good for the country, worked with the UN and is just an all-round awesome do-er of good deeds.
Clement Atlee is a fucking boss. He might have been a little timid but he held Labour together through a time when Britain desperately needed a focus on domestic policy. He even stuck to his word and put the NHS in place when there was no money for it. A genuine politician if you've ever heard of one. I don't care about any mistakes he might have made, there is nothing that could ever diminish my respect for him just for the NHS.
At the outbreak of war he was a modern mind that Britain needed to lead it, especially after the almost cowardly Chamberlain, but by the 50s, hell even by the end of the war, Britain, and the world, had changed so much that he was old fashioned. Britain recognised that before the troops came home and booed him at his own rallies.
He is nowhere near the best we've ever had.
You're so wrong on this. He was great for wartime leadership, he had the iron hand Britain needed to get through it and even had the foresight to see that Britain was going down the wrong path before the war started. Come peace time though and he sucked ass. The most he did in the time he was Prime Minister after the war (1951-1955) was try to re-establish an empire that nobody wanted. He even sucked at that.Sixcess said:
At the outbreak of war he was a modern mind that Britain needed to lead it, especially after the almost cowardly Chamberlain, but by the 50s, hell even by the end of the war, Britain, and the world, had changed so much that he was old fashioned. Britain recognised that before the troops came home and booed him at his own rallies.
He is nowhere near the best we've ever had.
Collins were never really leader of the country though. If we are going to expand it that far I'll throw my hat in for the one armed bandit himself Davitt. Thanks to his work in the land league people like my family own our own land.realist1990 said:Yeah but she didn't even stay her full term.. McAleese, while but in by fianna fail did a lot more for the presidency.. I'd have to go with Collins though..was a **** but was what we needed370999 said:Are you thinking of McAleese (spelling)? she was picked by the Finners. Robinson was labour.Ninjamedic said:Strange, my old history book had her listed as Fianna Fail during her terms as Pres..... Lying Bastards at Folens.Colour-Scientist said:
Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland. She transformed the position (although it's still largely a figurehead position), did a lot of good for the country, worked with the UN and is just an all-round awesome do-er of good deeds.
jPaul Keating is my choice. Arrogant, abusive, combatative, brilliant, and commited to his ideals. He is the only Australian leader to have inspired a successful musical. For proof of his brilliance I'd like to post his Redfern speech but I can't work out how to grab the youtube info with my phone.
By the way Poms, are you forgeting Benjamin Disraeli?
By the way Poms, are you forgeting Benjamin Disraeli?
i'm afraid i'm going to have to call you out on the "jocks and putting sports ahead of schools" bit. roosevelt, who IMHO was one of the finest leaders of the us ( my home country in case you haven't figured that by now) while its true he was an avid enthusiast of altetics(be beat his Asama at a young age throe pure exercise, and a butt-load of coffee) he read multiple books everyday, among his many jobs which included Rancher, Soldier, and Politician, he was also a Historian, Author, and a Naturalist. He matriculated at Harvard College in 1876. His father's death in 1878 was a tremendous blow, but Roosevelt redoubled his activities. He did well in science, philosophy and rhetoric courses but fared poorly in Latin and Greek. He studied biology with considerable interest and was already an accomplished naturalist and published ornithologist. He had a photographic memory and developed a lifelong habit of devouring books, memorizing every detail. He was an eloquent conversationalist who, throughout his life, sought out the company of the smartest people. He could multitask in impressive fashion, dictating letters to one secretary and memoranda to another, while browsing through a new book. and i haven't even stared naming his REAL accomplishmentsXanadu84 said:
For my American side, I think I'll have to go with either Abraham Lincoln or FDR. Both were great leaders who delivered our country through times of incredible hardship and war. I like Clinton too, but I think that ultimately those two have earned the position of best leader more.
And for my British side, I'm inclined to add to the unfortunate argument going on in this thread and say Churchill. What can I say? He was a great leader, a powerful public figure, and a fantastic speaker. He made mistakes, but I still think he's one of the best leaders the world has known. Attlee was cool too, though comparing him to Churchill is a bit of an "apples and oranges" sort of situation.
And for my British side, I'm inclined to add to the unfortunate argument going on in this thread and say Churchill. What can I say? He was a great leader, a powerful public figure, and a fantastic speaker. He made mistakes, but I still think he's one of the best leaders the world has known. Attlee was cool too, though comparing him to Churchill is a bit of an "apples and oranges" sort of situation.
For Canada
Pierre Elliot Trudeau- Got the constitution back from England and gave us our charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Louise McKinney- First women elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire, help give women the right to vote.
Tommy Douglas- A crazy socialist, but gave Canada universal health care
Arthur Currie- Commander of the Canadian Corps during world war one. Turned a small dominion army into the shock troops of the allies
Pierre Elliot Trudeau- Got the constitution back from England and gave us our charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Louise McKinney- First women elected to a legislature in Canada and in the British Empire, help give women the right to vote.
Tommy Douglas- A crazy socialist, but gave Canada universal health care
Arthur Currie- Commander of the Canadian Corps during world war one. Turned a small dominion army into the shock troops of the allies
Gonna have to disagree with you there. He was a brutal dictator and a religious fanatic who cracked down on anything that wasn't Puritan. The fucker even banned Christmas. That's pretty low. Oh, and there was the small matter of wiping out 30% of the Irish population. He gets the title "Butcher" for a very good reason.MasterOfHisOwnDomain said:
leader of the "good" Ira though...how about O'Connell, the great emancipator made it less bad to be catholic370999 said:Collins were never really leader of the country though. If we are going to expand it that far I'll throw my hat in for the one armed bandit himself Davitt. Thanks to his work in the land league people like my family own our own land.realist1990 said:Yeah but she didn't even stay her full term.. McAleese, while but in by fianna fail did a lot more for the presidency.. I'd have to go with Collins though..was a **** but was what we needed370999 said:Are you thinking of McAleese (spelling)? she was picked by the Finners. Robinson was labour.Ninjamedic said:Strange, my old history book had her listed as Fianna Fail during her terms as Pres..... Lying Bastards at Folens.Colour-Scientist said:
Mary Robinson, the first female President of Ireland. She transformed the position (although it's still largely a figurehead position), did a lot of good for the country, worked with the UN and is just an all-round awesome do-er of good deeds.