You're in charge of a new Mount Rushmore-style monument, but for world leaders (must have been president/prime minister/king/emperor/big man in charge). You're also in charge of the criteria. Greatest political leader, greatest influence on history, greatest military leader - just make it something that will bring people from around the world to see it. Just like the real Mount Rushmore, you'll be having 4 faces carved - who's it going to be, and why?

I'm still working on my monument list.

My own rules take out one of the easiest choices as a great leader IMO - Gandhi. Doubt that MLK would've made top 4 for me, but he would have garnered consideration had the criteria not eliminated him as well. Mandela would have been an easy one for me 20 years ago; now I'm not so sure.

On my short list at this point would be Cyrus, Genghis Khan, Alexander, Augustus, Churchill, Napoleon, FDR, Washington, Lincoln, - can't help but feel that list shows I'm a little too deep in recent (primarily North American) history and shallow everywhere else. Need to learn more about Che Guevara, Salahuddin, Mao Zedong. And I'm sure there are lots more I'm missing - looking forward to learning from all of you.

I would definitely pick Churchill as one of the four. The other three would take some time and consideration. Lucius Cornelius Sulla is definitely on the short list as are many others.

This was not easy.

After much considerations this is my list:

1- Julius Caesar

2- Napoleon Bonaparte

3- Abraham Lincoln

4- Winston Churchill

There are many other "candidates" who would have made the list. It's only a fine line that separates them from the leaders that I selected.

Well, that line for me was important. All my " Mount Rushmore" icons have one thing in common. They were great leaders but most importantly they were great intellectuals too, amateur philosophers as well.

I too maintain the idea that if this planet is governed by philosophers, it would be a better place.

P.S. My criteria for a great leader: Spread out the civilization.

One more thing, as Peter Falk would say, , my list was arranged chronologically.

Issac Newton probably belongs. While not a political leader, his influence on history is certainly there.

I also question whether Lincoln should be included. Slavery probably would have ended anyway, just a number of years down the road, and the North just had too many advantages to lose the war. So even though Lincoln was great, I'm not sure he should be this high.

Best wishes,
Mason

For the biggest advance with the least violence, Nelson Mandela.

For imperialists Churchill and the like, put them on a plaque.

Siddhartha Gautama ainec

I have decided on two for sure: Churchill and Constantine. The reasons should be obvious if not agreed on. The other two, I think, will be Asiatic. Genghis Khan perhaps. Influential in other ways but no less profound and long lasting is Confucius. But others are still in contention.

I need so more time to consider, but considering the rules, I think my partial short list is:

Cyrus II

Churchill

Washington

Caesar

Victoria

G. Khan

Agustus

Constantine

FDR

Lincoln

~~~~~

I think I would eliminate the following:

Alexander (and probably all the ancient Greeks -- lol philosopher kings)

All of the Pharos

All of the midieval monarchs of Europe

New world leaders prior to 1500

~~~~~

I could be pursuaded:

Pope Leo I

Old Testament Kings

For me, people like Stalin, Mao, Richard I, are eliminated as they were largely just murderers who didn't actually improve the lives of their followers.

G. Khan is on the edge here. But I think he qualifies for me, as I would have expected that his people were better served under his autocracy.

Napoleon... Not sure.

Probably should have Elizabeth I on the short list.

And Darius I

The more I consider, the more I consider...

Trajan

I like all three and would maybe add Charlemagne or Otto I.

No thanks, one mountain defiled is enough.

Genghis

Alexander

Augustus

Cyrus

Gorbatchev? Why not him?
I'd put him and who I wanted to be presidents

Oprah
Lionel
Jordan
Che
Helmut Schmidt (German President)
Kennedy

Such a good topic. So many good candidates mentions so far. I think I'll just use the four kings represented on a deck of cards: David, Alexander, Augustus and Charlemagne ....

Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Barack Obama

Let's go!

As a US citizen who leans conservative politically, I’m not a huge fan of any of your four, but in fairness the American President on your list is very much an outlier relative to the rest. I know you were probably stirring excrement with that post, but even the most rabid conservatives should be able to recognize that Obama does not belong in any comparison with those other three.

I do wonder if the same could be said of the rabid progressives if Trump had been your fourth name though.

Just one, actually:

Stanislav Petrov

If he doesn't disobey orders, history as we know it likely ends in 1983 and we're not here to discuss it.

Turing
Miyamoto
Dali
Musk