Some of my political heroes won't surprise you, but others will. This sort of thing is very personal and any such list will inevitably be dominated by contemporary figures from one's own political life, and also heroes in history. Mine is no different.
1. Margaret Thatcher
That's surprised you hasn't it?! Mrs T inspired me to get involved in politics and she was the greatest peacetime PM of the last century. A giant among pygmies. Tony Blair would not have been possible without her. Her achievements are huge, but restoring Britain's self belief was the greatest.
2. Winston Churchill
His inspirational leadership saved the nation in its darkest hour. A flawed man in many ways, he rose to the occasion and knew what had to be done.
3. Ronald Reagan
A man whose vision saved the world from nuclear catastrophe and, with Mikhail Gorbachev and Margaret Thatcher, ended the Cold War. Much underestimated by Europeans, he tapped into the American psyche in a way few other recent Presidents have been able to emulate.
4. Konrad Adenauer
Achieved the impossible and transformed West Germany from a war-torn wreck to the economic powerhouse of Europe within twenty years. The true father of modern day Germany.
5. Mikhail Gorbachev
Had the foresight to realise the Soviet Union had to reform and that the arms race was heading to oblivion. Now reviled in his own country, he deserves the respect of those in others. He was by no means a convert to capitalism, but he knew the Soviet Union's command economy was a total failure.
6. David Lloyd George
A politician whose failings were legion, but whose talents were many. Imagine how he would have coped with the Committee on Standards in Public Life! A great war leader and an innovative Chancellor.
7. Otto von Bismarck
He achieved the impossible and united the disparate German states. Showed a remarkable talent for diplomacy and had a great military brain.
8. Richard Nixon
Yes, you read correctly. You can't take Watergate out of the equation, but Nixon's achievements in other spheres were huge. He is one of my favourite political authors and his book IN THE ARENA is a must-read for any politico.
9. Roger Douglas
Douglas was Finance Minister in one of most revolutionary governments of the 20th century - in New Zealand. He was a pioneer in deregulation and privatisation and his legacy will be felt for decades. One of the few people to understand the opportunities provided by the free market.
10. Tony Benn
I never thought I could ever agree with much of what Tony Benn said, but his views on many aspects of the constitution, Europe and the supremacy of Parliament strike a chord with many on the right nowadays. He is one of the few politicians who can engage the interest of the public.
7 comments:
Damn - I was going to do Political Heroes next!
SNAP!! Mrs Thatcher was my inspiration for getting involved in politics too.
Don't suppose I can tempt you to say at greater length why you think Nixon is so great? The details of Nixon's "southern strategy" (which included introducing affirmative action as policy to set poor whites and blacks against each other and divide the Democratic base) are just so horrible and malevolent ...Nixon was prepared to knowingly wound his country for his party's political gain... It's the sort of thing that normally gets you on "10 worst" lists. I can't imagine what salutary achievement of Nixon's you have in mind that could outweigh this sort of thing.
Having read a couple of biographies of Nixon (Stephen E. Ambrose's being pre-eminent), I must say I'd have Nixon on my list of heroes too. The man fought damn hard and well to get where he was, and it's a shame that his political career ended the way it did.
Can't say that I agree with your choice of Lloyd George or Bismarck; they were great men but they left outrageous legacies to their successors. Otherwise sound choices all!
If you can overlook Watergate in Nixon's case in order to lionise his other achievements, why not overlook Churchill's one great moment (WW2) and trumpet his utter incompetency in every other endeavour? How can you admire such a vile creature? Mind you, if you like Thatcher, there's no hope for you ; )
One point, though. Roger Douglas basically left NZ lying on the world trade table with its trousers down and wearing a sign that said "Shaft Me". Trust me, I live in NZ and, while necessary to an extent, it was not the miracle you make it out to be.
Eeek - no Trotsky, Marx, Mao, ... Smell the roses. And not even a mention for comrade Galloway. Whatever you think of his R.E.S.P.etc... project, he wipes the floor with Sky News's Anna - who tries to keep up but is bullied into what must have been her worst day:
Galloway on Sky re Hezbollah
best
John [Trinketization]
http://hutnyk.blogspot.com/
Stephen G completely misunderstands the 'Southern strategy'. It is simply this: Southern voters in the US had been held hostage by the Democrats for years over the single issue of segregation. Largely, Southerners disagreed with the Democrats guns, on social issues, and after Lyndon Johson on foreign and defence matters too. But only the Democrats offered them racial segregation. When Johnson moved the Democrats away from segregation this broke down completely, and they could now slowly switch to the Republicans - a party with whom they did not agree on race, but did support on other issues.
It was a slow transformation. The first time any southern state elected a Republican governor and legislature was Florida (not a typical southern state) in 1998.
Iain, I have to disgree with you on Gorbachev. He did not truly understand what he was getting himself into. He thought he could reform Communism: he had no intention of dismantling it. The politician with the insight to see that Communisim could be destroyed and the determination to do it was Boris Yeltsin. As flawed as David Lloyd George and Marcus Antonius, he nonetheless overcame his personal flaws long enough to carry through one of the greatest politcal acts of all time. He slew the Soviet Union.
Quentin Langley
Editor of http://www.quentinlangley.net
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