famous leaders. The most famous politicians Reviews, comments and suggestions

The abstract on the discipline "Political Science" was completed by a student gr. E-25 Voloshchenko A.P.

Taganrog State Radiotechnical University

The main feature in the process of formation of modern political leadership in Russia is that, on the one hand, it has acquired some features characteristic of the political leaders of democratic states, and on the other hand, it has inherited the features characteristic of the leaders of the nomenklatura system.

The nomenklatura past, aggravated by the lack of social control, is clearly manifested in the post-communist Russian leaders, who reproduce some of the forms and methods of activity of the nomenklatura system. In this respect, Russian political leaders are closer to the nomenclature than to the Western type of leadership.

A feature of modern Russian leaders is that they often combine the role of the owner of the means of production, performing the functions of an organizer of production, and the role of a politician, performing the functions of an organizer of political life. According to regional legislation, the ban on combining a deputy mandate with entrepreneurial activity applies only to deputies working on a permanent basis, which is actively used by representatives of large businesses. It should be noted that in the countries of Western Europe, most political leaders are professional politicians, while in the United States political leaders often combine the role of owner and politician.

Another feature is that the decentralization of state power, the transfer of the center of political, economic and cultural influence to the horizontal structures of the regions contributed to a significant increase in the role of regional political leaders. Until 2005, regional leaders were nominated by the population, so they tried to win their trust. Thus, by the end of B. Yeltsin's rule, regional political leaders felt themselves to be absolute masters of "their" subjects of the federation.

The political reforms of Vladimir Putin contributed to the weakening of the negative influence of regional political leaders on the economic and political situation in the country, made them dependent on the federal center.

The following features of political leadership in modern Russia can be noted: leaders do not fulfill their duties, because no development strategy has been developed, there is no integration of the masses around common goals and values, society is not protected from the lawlessness and arbitrariness of the bureaucracy; political leaders of the post-communist type adapt to the new conditions of activity, "political mutants" are formed, combining the features of various styles; political and cultural orientation of leaders to power characterizes them as egocentric politicians, which is manifested in the priority satisfaction of personal needs.

One of the problems of Russian society is the identification of nominal and actual political leadership. Even under democratic regimes, unofficial advisers to top officials often play a significant role in the formation of state policy, often called “gray cardinals”. Among them are people who do not hold official positions, but who have access to key political figures; as well as real political leaders who, in their influence, can surpass other ministers and other officials. Therefore, when selecting from among political figures those who can be considered political leaders, it is necessary, first of all, to take into account the degree of their real impact on politics. This degree does not in all cases correspond to the official position of this or that person, although, of course, this or that amount of power directly depends on the level of the position in the state apparatus or party leadership. At the same time, the alignment of forces in the ruling circles can develop in such a way that even the head of state turns out to be a nominal political leader to a large extent (as was the case with B. Yeltsin in the second half of the 1990s), while actual power is concentrated in the hands of other political leaders. persons.

A new political situation is currently taking shape in Russian society. On the one hand, there are still many leaders who do not have the qualities of political leaders. Some of them were "recruited" back in the pre-reform period, some later, according to the old technology. Having concentrated power at different levels in their hands, these people do not enjoy political authority among citizens. On the other hand, people with leadership qualities have come to the fore in leadership positions. Finally, the democratization of society led to the emergence of a new galaxy of political leaders who entered the arena of political struggle by other methods (alternative elections, participation in mass democratic movements, rallies). The peculiarity of this process is that it allowed intellectual leaders, rather than apparatchiks, to enter the political scene.

The test of power is the hardest test. It is important that modern political leaders focus not so much on using it as such, but on shaping with its help the motives of people's active work, a healthy social atmosphere aimed at unlocking the potential of the individual. Ignorance or distortion of the content and methods of political leadership serve as an indicator of the incompetence of leaders.

President of Russian Federation.

Born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) on October 7, 1952. He graduated from the Faculty of Law of Leningrad State University in 1975. He worked in the KGB of the USSR, in the foreign intelligence service. He was in Germany in 1986–1990 in Dresden at the location of units of the Western Group of Forces in the GDR. In 1990, he retired from the KGB with the rank of lieutenant colonel and returned to St. Petersburg, where he worked as Vice-Rector of the Leningrad State University for International Relations, an adviser in the mayor's office, and chairman of the foreign relations committee of the mayor's office. In 1994 he became the first deputy mayor of St. Petersburg A.A. Sobchak, worked with Sobchak until 1996. In August 1996 he moved to Moscow, worked in the Office of the Presidential Administration, in March 1997 he became deputy head of the presidential administration - head of the main control department. In May 1998 he was appointed first deputy head of the presidential administration (for work with the territories). In July 1998 he was appointed director of the FSB, in October of the same year he was appointed to the Security Council under the President. Became Secretary of the Security Council in March 1999. In August 1999 he was appointed Prime Minister. During the autumn of 1999 personally controlled the course of anti-terrorist military operations in Chechnya.

On December 31, 1999, President B.N. Yeltsin announced his resignation and transferred power to Putin as acting president. The next presidential elections were scheduled for June 2000. However, according to the constitution, the new president had to be elected within 90 days after the previous president left his post. Elections were announced for March 26, 2000, and Putin easily won the election, gaining 53% of the vote (Communist Party leader G.A. Zyuganov - 30%). During the election campaign, Putin called for the country's return to the rule of law, the strengthening of the state, and the development of a market economy under the control of the authorities. After the inauguration in May 2000, he appointed Mikhail Kasyanov as chairman of the government.

He inherited from B.N. Yeltsin the most difficult situation in Chechnya, a corrupt state apparatus and a huge external debt. In a little over a year after his election, he managed to extinguish the outbreak of international terrorism on the territory of the Chechen Republic and start paying off the external debt. In order to fight corruption, he carried out reforms of the political structure at the federal and regional levels, established the institute of presidential representatives in districts. The political course in this area was called "strengthening the vertical of power." In the spring of 2001, having enlisted the support of the State Duma, which began to be dominated by representatives of the pro-government movement "Unity", he passed a number of bills that are most important for the future of Russia - on a new taxation system, on the free purchase and sale of land, on labor relations, on pensions. Completely changed the structure of the media market, ensuring the influence of the state in the largest television and radio companies. In the foreign policy sphere, he opposed the deployment by the United States of a new missile defense system, showed himself to be an adherent of a pragmatic approach to relations with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region.

President V.V. Putin believes that the principal result of his activities as head of the Russian Federation should be the return of Russia to the ranks of the rich, developed, strong and respected states of the world.

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has numerous state awards and awards from the Russian Orthodox Church.

Plenipotentiary Representative of the Russian Federation to the European Communities in Brussels and Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for the Development of Relations with the European Union (with the rank of Minister).

Mikhail Fradkov was born on September 1, 1950 in the then Kuibyshev region. Immediately after graduation, he left for Moscow and entered the machine-tool institute. After graduating from the institute with honors, M.E. Fradkov was assigned to Delhi and until 1975 worked in the office of an adviser on economic issues at the USSR Embassy in India. Until 1984, Mikhail Efimovich worked in various positions in the Tyazhpromexport foreign trade association of the USSR State Committee for Economic Relations. At the same time he graduated from the Academy of Foreign Trade. His career steadily went up. In 1988, he was appointed First Deputy Head of the Main Directorate for Coordination and Regulation of Foreign Economic Operations of the USSR Ministry of Foreign Economic Operations.

The ability to govern a country is quite rare. Someone achieves goals, pouring blood over the whole country, and someone is carrying out smart reforms. There are many people in history who, through their activities, were able to significantly change the face of the country in the time allotted to them. As a result, contemporaries remember them, revere them, and learn from their activities.

Any actions of great politicians affected millions of people, changing the fate and appearance of the state. In addition, often had to fight not only with internal enemies, but also with external ones. One thing is for sure - a politician must be charismatic in order to lead.

And in order to influence society, it is not necessary to be at the very top of power. Sometimes even being in opposition, the politician did a lot for the country. The most famous politicians in the history of civilization will be discussed below. At the same time, it would be useful to recall their most famous phrases.

Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi (1869-1948) Largely thanks to this man, India was able to get rid of the centuries-old rule of Great Britain. Gandhi's work was based on his philosophy of non-violence, or Satyagraha. The politician abandoned the armed struggle, as many others would have done in his place, in favor of a peaceful one. As a result, a powerful movement of supporters of non-violent change arose in the country. The struggle for independence was fought through peaceful resistance. Gandhi urged the Indians to boycott English institutions and goods, the citizens of the country even defiantly violated some laws. Caste inequality, which became the scourge of Indian society, became the subject of Gandhi's struggle. He spoke about the need to get rid of untouchability not only from churches, but also from other spheres of life. Today, the name of this politician is revered in India no less than some saints. Gandhi became the spiritual leader of the nation, he devoted his whole life to reconcile the religious strife that was tearing the country apart. Sadly, it was the violence against which the politician fought that caused his death. Gandhi is credited with the following words: "The world is big enough to satisfy the needs of any person, but too small to satisfy human greed" and "If you want a change in the future, become this change in the present."

Alexander the Great (356-323 BC). This king of Macedonia and the creator of a great empire is better known as one of the most successful generals in world history. But his political activities are often forgotten. But it was he who created a new great state, which is located on three continents, covering an area of more than two million square miles. The empire stretched from Greece in the West to the Danube in the north, the southern border lay in Egypt, and the eastern one in the Indian Punjab. The whole country was united by a single trade and transport network. At the same time, the emperor managed to found more than 70 new cities. Alexander brought a common and unified Greek culture and language to his empire, and he himself did not hesitate to study the customs and mores of other peoples in order to more easily manage them. For his own army, the emperor was an unsurpassed genius and strategist. He was an example of behavior for the soldiers, inspiring them with an invincible spirit. Even at one time, in antiquity, no one doubted that Alexander the Great was the greatest commander. Even then he was called the Great. But Napoleon Bonaparte bowed more to the state talents of the emperor than to his military exploits. For example, in Egypt, Alexander paid a visit to the sacred oracle of Amun in the country, which endeared the inhabitants to him. In addition, he left the former governors to govern the country, driving out the hated Persians and arranging festivities. Alexander, in fact the invader of Egypt, was able to become an idol there. The following phrases are attributed to the great politician and commander: “There cannot be two suns in the sky and two rulers on earth”, “Wars depend on glory, and often a lie that is believed becomes the truth”, “There is nothing more slavish than luxury and bliss and nothing more regal than labor."

Mao Zedong (1893-1976). This Chinese politician of the last century also became the main theorist of Maoism. Mao joined the Chinese Communist Party at a young age, and in the 1930s he headed one of the districts in Jiangxi province. During the Long March, Mao managed to become one of the leaders of the country's party. In 1949, the People's Republic of China was proclaimed, and Mao Zedong became its actual leader until the very end of his life. The leadership of the leader is considered to be controversial. On the one hand, he was able to industrialize the country, raising the standard of living of the poorest segments of the population. Mao managed to unify China, including Inner Mongolia, Tibet and East Turkestan. But these lands had the right to self-determination even after the collapse of the Qing Empire. But we must not forget about the numerous repressions that were condemned not only in the capitalist countries, but also in the socialist ones. The country even had a cult of the personality of the leader. The heaviest legacy of the politician's rule should be considered the crippled fate of millions of people who suffered from cruel and sometimes senseless campaigns. The Cultural Revolution alone claimed the lives of up to 20 million Chinese, and another 100 million were affected by it. In 1949, Mao came to power in a fragmented, underdeveloped, and corrupt country. And he left China powerful, independent and possessing atomic weapons. Illiteracy in the country decreased from 80% to 7%, the population and life expectancy doubled. The most famous phrases of Mao Zedong sound like this: “The enemy will not disappear by itself”, “It is necessary to work with exceptional diligence. Negligence is unacceptable, it often leads to mistakes”, “What is conceivable is feasible”, “A person who has felt the wind of change should not build a shield from the wind, but a windmill.”

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965). This statesman and politician determined the life of Great Britain and much of the world in difficult times. Churchill was Prime Minister of this country in 1940-1945 and 1951-1955. He is also known as a journalist and writer. The Englishman entered the "Big Three", which determined the fate of the world after the end of the Second World War. It was he who in many ways made the world the way we know it today. Churchill became the brightest British politician of the last century, he managed to stay in power under six monarchs - from Queen Victoria to her great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth II. There is simply no point in enumerating Churchill's life achievements - he managed to become talented in everything. For his political activities, he was made an honorary citizen of the United States, and his literary works were awarded the Nobel Prize. Churchill's political career began before the First World War. The Englishman had already managed to make war by that time. And at the end of his career, Churchill managed to visit the tests of the atomic bomb, the weapon of the New World. The appearance of the politician was unchanged - a bowler hat, a cane and a cigar. He was also an excellent diplomat, artist and even a gardener on his own estate. A poll conducted by the BBC in 2002 showed that the British called Churchill the greatest Briton in history. In 1955, he left big politics, living out the rest of his days in peace. The basis of Churchill's political portrait was his commitment to democracy and total hatred of dictatorship. It is no coincidence that he said that "Democracy is the most terrible form of government, but mankind has not come up with anything better." That is why Churchill's attitude towards the USSR was extremely restrained, this politician coined the term "Iron Curtain" and stood at the origins of the Cold War. Other great phrases of Churchill are as follows: “If the truth is many-sided, then the lies are many-voiced”, “Every medal not only shines, but also casts a shadow”, “A person has expanded his power over everything except himself”, “First you need to be honest, and only then - noble", "To improve means to change, to be perfect means to change often."

Nelson Mandela (1918-2013). This man went down in history as the first black president of South Africa. He held this post from 1994 to 1999. Mandela was one of the most famous human rights activists during the apartheid period in the country. He began his political work for the equality of white and black people while still in college. In 1944, Mandela became a founding member of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League. In South Africa, the politician pursued his line by organizing acts of sabotage and armed resistance to the authorities. For this, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. At the trial, he made a brilliant speech, where he said that he was being tried for his desire to build a democratic state in South Africa with equal rights for all citizens. Mandela gained worldwide fame while in solitary confinement. The campaign for the democratic politician swept across the world, the demands for his release grew into a fight against the entire policy of apartheid. After the legalization of the ANC in 1990, Mandela was released. In 1993 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Today, the elder is no longer active. Mandela managed peacefully, simply by his uncompromising position, to destroy one of the most monstrous regimes on the planet. At the same time, neither revolutions, nor wars, nor social upheavals were needed. Everything happened through fair parliamentary elections. The politician's birthday is celebrated all over the world as Nelson Mandela's International Day. Mandela's reign was short but bright. Under him, free medical care was introduced for children, 2 million people received electricity, 3 million people got access to water, he increased spending on education and social needs. Mandela owns such famous phrases: “To be free means not only to throw off the shackles from oneself, but to live, respecting and increasing the freedom of others”, “When you climb a high mountain, a huge number of mountains open before you, which you have yet to climb”, “ One of the highest achievements for a person is to do his duty, regardless of the consequences.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865). This American statesman was the 16th President of the United States. He held this post from 1861 until his death. Lincoln became the first Republican President. He is considered to be a national hero in America, because this man entered the history of the country as a liberator of slaves. Lincoln occupies an important place in the minds of Americans. He was able to prevent the collapse of the United States, under him the formation of the American nation began. And slavery, as a crutch that hinders the further normal development of the United States, was abolished. Lincoln laid the foundations for the modernization of the southern states of the country, formerly backward and agricultural. Under him, the emancipation of slaves began. Lincoln owns the basic formulation of democratic goals: "To create a government by the people, from the people and for the people." Lincoln was able to build a railroad across the entire continent, linking the coasts of two oceans. He expanded the state infrastructure, created a new banking system, and was able to solve the agrarian problem. After the end of the Civil War, the government faced many problems. It was necessary to unite the nation and equalize the rights of the population. Lincoln started doing this, but some problems still remain. The President was able to lay the foundations for the future of America, after his death, the United States became the fastest growing country in the world. This determined its current world domination, which has lasted for a century. Lincoln's strict moral principles allowed him to mobilize all the forces of a fragmented country and reunite it. The most famous phrases of Lincoln: “He who denies the freedom of another does not deserve freedom himself”, “People who have no shortcomings have very few virtues”, “You can fool all the people for some time, you can fool some of the people all the time, but you cannot deceive all the time”, “The sheep and the wolf understand the word “freedom” differently. This is the essence of the disagreements that prevail in human society", "The politician reminds me of a man who killed his father and mother, and then, when he is sentenced, he asks for mercy on the grounds that he is an orphan", "Character is like a tree, and reputation is his shadow. We care about the shade, but we really have to think about the tree."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945). This is the only president in the history of the United States who was elected to this high post as many as 4 times. Roosevelt became the 32nd ruler of the country, being at the pinnacle of power from 1933 to 1945. The main phrase of the politician: "we have nothing to fear, except fear itself." Roosevelt repeated these words often when it came to the Great Depression and its consequences. The politician was not afraid to experiment at that difficult time, he was constantly looking for new methods of solving problems. These were public works, welfare, codes of fair competition, relief for the unemployed and farmers, price controls. It was Roosevelt who was at the heart of the creation of the UN. The President, through his activities, significantly influenced world history - after all, under him, the United States relatively successfully passed through the Second World War. The politician had a very great influence on the socio-economic life of the country, because he had to deal with the consequences of the Great Depression that hit the United States in the 30s. Biographers of the politician recalled that he was a rather secretive nature, which was difficult to understand. On his face walked a mask of complacency and mystery, which Roosevelt was content with. The most famous words of the president were: “I ask you to judge me by the enemies that I have made”, “I am not the smartest guy in the world, but I can select smart employees”, “Rules are not always holy, unlike principles”, “ Hungry unemployed people are cadres for the dictatorship”, “Do not go into politics if your skin is a little thinner than that of a rhinoceros”.

Akbar the Great (1542-1605). This padishah belonged to the dynasty of the Great Moghuls, his distant ancestor was Tamerlane himself. Akbar was nicknamed "the Indian Solomon in his wisdom". This padishah was able to significantly expand the borders of his country. He conquered the north of Hindustan, including Gujarat, Kashmir and the lands of the Indus. As a commander, he was a successful and valiant warrior, who was distinguished by generosity towards the vanquished. But Akbar also went down in history as a wise politician. He avoided unnecessary bloodshed, often achieving his goals through peaceful negotiations, dynastic marriages and alliances. Akbar went down in history as a connoisseur of science and art, with him the best poets, musicians, scientists and artists constantly visited the palace. The ruler was able to create a school of painting and a valuable library, which contained 24,000 volumes. Akbar introduced a unified system of taxation, and in the event of a crop failure, funds were not collected. The tax on non-Muslims was also abolished. A unified system of weights and measures appeared in the empire, a single calendar, much attention was paid to trade. The main task of Akbar the Great was the reconciliation of all the numerous peoples who inhabited his expanded state. The padishah was in power for almost 50 years, becoming the ruler at the age of 14. Under him, a huge empire, under the supervision and care of his padishah, reached a flowering that had never happened before or since. Akbar went down in history as the Great. This wise ruler was able to unite various peoples. His ideas of the unity of all religions are still relevant today.

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013). This woman is the most famous among politicians. She was the only one who was Prime Minister of Great Britain. She held this post from 1979 to 1990. All this time she was the most powerful woman in the world. As a politician, Thatcher was a strong personality, but honest. She was not afraid to be stubborn, but she could enter into the position of her rival. This woman was ambitious, she was distinguished by equanimity and composure in all situations. In a male-oriented political elite, Thatcher was able to achieve the very pinnacle of power. To do this, she devoted her whole life to the struggle and pursuit of this goal. Margaret's career was in small steps, because she came from a poor class. It seemed impossible for a person from that environment, and even a woman, to achieve lofty goals. Thatcher did the impossible - the daughter of the owner of a small store, who grew up in a house without running water, was able to break into male politics and take the post of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Thatcher came to power when the country was in dire need of reforms. During her reign, GDP grew by 23%, employment - by 33%, spending on law and order - by 53%. She reduced unemployment and introduced tax reforms. Thatcher's foreign policy was focused on the United States. The prime minister supported Reagan's initiatives towards the USSR. The woman was not afraid to start a war for the Falkland Islands, defending the position and prestige of Great Britain. It is no coincidence that Thatcher was nicknamed the "iron lady" for her firmness and adherence to principles. She is credited with the following words: "Any woman who understands the problems that arise when running a house can understand the problems that arise when running a country", "I am exceptionally patient, provided that in the end it comes out my way", "Women are much better than men they know how to say “no”, “It is not at all necessary to agree with the interlocutor in order to find a common language with him”, “Free cheese is only in a mousetrap”.

Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BC). This great ruler of the Qin realm. The dignity of Shihuangdi is called his activity to stop the centuries-old history of the warring Chinese kingdoms. In 221 BC. he was able to create a centralized state in Inner China, becoming its sole ruler. During the massive campaign to unify the country, important reforms were implemented to consolidate the gains made. The emperor proclaimed that all chariots should be with an axis of the same length, and all hieroglyphs should be written in a standard way. As a result of such positions, a unified system of roads was created in the country, and a disparate writing system was replaced by a single one. The emperor also introduced a single monetary system, a system of measures and weights. To suppress local tendencies towards sovereignty, Qin Shi Huang divided his empire into 36 military regions. The walls surrounding the former kingdoms were torn down. Only their northern part remained, having strengthened them, the Great Wall of China was erected, which protected the country from nomadic raids. Shihuangdi was rarely in the capital, constantly traveling around the country. The authority of the emperor was so great that a huge burial complex was built in his honor during his lifetime. It was built by 700 thousand people, and the burial perimeter was 6 kilometers. It is curious that, unlike his predecessors, the emperor refused human sacrifices. The tomb was found only in 1974, and it is still being studied. There was a whole terracotta army of 8099 soldiers.

Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970). This French general managed to turn from a brilliant military man into an equally talented politician. Charles de Gaulle founded the Fifth Republic, becoming its first president in 1959. Glory to the general was brought by his leadership of the French Resistance during the Second World War. During his life, he managed to become a real symbol of the freedom of France, as Joan of Arc once was. In fact, Charles de Gaulle took control of the country twice. Each time she was on the brink of disaster, and the politician returned her international prestige and put the economy in order. In foreign policy, France has become an independent player, abruptly withdrawing from the influence of the United States. Much is said not only about the merits of de Gaulle the politician, but also about his mistakes. Surprisingly, this talented military theorist did not participate in a single historically important battle. Nevertheless, he managed to save France from defeat. The military, not familiar with the economy, was able to effectively manage the country during two presidential terms and bring it out of the crisis. The thing is that de Gaulle knew how to effectively manage the affairs entrusted to him - whether it was a committee of rebels or the government of a large country. The most famous words of de Gaulle were: “Politics is too serious a matter to be entrusted to politicians”, “Always choose the most difficult path - there you will not meet competitors”, “The deepest motivation for the activity of the best and most powerful people is their desire for power” .

Leader (from the English leader - leader, leader) - a person (group) who takes on the role of head, head of any social group, political party, organization, society as a whole; athlete leading the race.

Leadership can be exercised at various social levels: at the level of a small social group, at the level of a socio-political movement, at the level of the whole society and at the level of interstate structural formations. The phenomenon of leadership is due to the need to structure the social community and manage people.

Leadership can be formal, that is, officially recognized and legally formalized (for example, the officially elected president of the country), and informal - a person actually performs the functions of the head of a group, organization, leads a social movement, enjoys the trust of a significant number of citizens, but does not have an official status .

The role of the political leader is very great. History knows many examples when, in the interests of individual political leaders or groups, bloody wars were unleashed between countries and peoples, and attempts to implement the crazy ideas of certain “leaders of the people” claimed the lives of many millions of people.

The history of leadership goes back to ancient times. Ancient historians and thinkers of the Middle Ages paid the main attention to political leaders. In monarchs, commanders, heroes, they saw the true creators of history, and the descriptions of certain historical events were more like stories about the exploits of a particular leader.

N. Machiavelli made a significant contribution to leadership research. In his work “The Sovereign”, he described in detail what personal qualities a sovereign should have. Here are some of these qualities: personal prowess, the ability to inspire others, decisiveness and consistency of action, optimism and the ability to make the right decision in time and other qualities, according to N. Machiavelli, should help strengthen the power of the sovereign and develop the state.

Developing the concept of leadership, F. Nietzsche tried to substantiate the need to create a higher biological type - a man-leader, a superman, standing on the other side of good and evil. Such a person, not limited by the norms of existing morality, rises above people, as they above monkeys.

The cult of a strong personality, described by F. Nietzsche, was subsequently used by theorists of fascism to substantiate his ideology.

Marxist theory (as interpreted by Russian Marxists) sees political leaders as historically necessary spokesmen for class interests. In ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙii with Lenin's theory, the masses are divided into classes, the classes are led by political parties, and the parties are ruled by leaders.

Leadership concept

A leader is a person who, for various reasons and circumstances, is endowed with a certain amount of authority in order to formulate and express the interests and goals of other people, to mobilize them for certain actions. How effectively he will fulfill the duties assigned to him, to a large extent depends on the personal qualities of the leader himself.

It is usually believed that in order to perform ϲʙᴏ and functions, it is extremely important for a leader to have competence, flexibility of mind, courage, determination, the ability to convince others that he is right, to mobilize people for certain actions, the ability to select and arrange people, to have "charisma" and a sense of foresight, the ability and courage to take responsibility not only for oneself personally, but also for others.

The leader must be able to exert psychological pressure on others, demonstrate to them decisiveness and aggressiveness, and unusual abilities and opportunities (even if he does not have them). A classic example of such “leadership behavior” is described in the book by A. Volkov “The Wizard of the Emerald City”.
It is interesting to note that there the mediocre magician "the great and terrible Goodwin", skillfully bluffing, kept the whole country in fear and obedience.

Do not forget that an important role in creating the image of a leader is played by his environment (team). There is such an expression: "the retinue makes the king." The team is interested in creating the necessary image for a real or potential leader. With ϶ᴛᴏm, the image can be objective, subjective and modeled.

Objective (real) image- reflecting the real qualities of the leader and his position in the political system and in society.

Subjective image - ideas about the leader and his perception by various social strata of society.

Modeled image - the image of a leader who is trying to create his environment (team)

M. Weber identified three main types of leadership: traditional, charismatic, rational-legal or democratic.

Traditional Leadership based on political tradition, for example, the crown prince becomes king, even if he does not have the qualities of a leader.
It is worth noting that the basis of his legitimacy will be an elite origin.

Charismatic Leadership assumes the exceptional personal qualities of the leader himself, which he actually possesses or which are attributed to him by his environment and are inflated in every possible way by the media. Charismatic leaders were V.I. Lenin, I.V. Stalin, A. Hitler, Mao Zedong, A. Khomeini and others.
It is worth noting that the basis of the legitimacy of a charismatic leader will be his superiority over others.

Rational legal (democratic) leadership is based on the legal and regulatory framework that exists in society. For example, in ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙii with constitutional norms, citizens elect the president of their country, entrusting him with the highest post in the state for a certain period.
It is worth noting that the basis of his legitimacy will be the presidential status (public position)

It is worth saying that political leaders can combine several types of leadership at once. For example, a rational-legal leader may also have charismatic qualities (Ch. de Gaulle - France, F. Roosevelt - USA)

Given the dependence on leadership style, there are three main types of leadership: authoritarian, democratic and liberal.

Note that leadership theories

There are various theories explaining the phenomenon of leadership. For example, trait theory explains the nature of leadership by the outstanding qualities of individuals.

In ϲᴏᴏᴛʙᴇᴛϲᴛʙii with situational concept leader ϲʙᴏ his "birth" is largely due to the situation. For example, the “right person” was at the “right time” in the “right place”, i.e. managed to assess the situation and did not miss the second chance. But with ϶ᴛᴏm it is necessary that the potential leader himself is “ripe” for the situation that has arisen.

Note that the theory of constituents considers leadership as a special relationship between the leader and the constituents (activists, followers, voters who support this leader) According to the ϶ᴛᴏth theory, the leader should be guided by the interests and needs of that group, those social strata that are ready to support him, which, in essence, do leader from it.

Psychological concepts leadership can be roughly divided into two main areas. According to the first, in the “mass” person there is a need for authority and a patron. The absence of a hero-leader for many people becomes almost a tragedy. And such people are strenuously looking for idols for themselves and sometimes create heroes even from mediocre people (S. Freud)

The second direction of the psychological concept explains the phenomenon of leadership by the existence of a certain type of personality, predisposed to authoritarianism and constantly striving for power. Quite often, these people have certain inferiority complexes and, in order to somehow compensate for them, they strive to prove themselves, towering over others (E. Fromm)

Sociological concepts explain the phenomenon of leadership by the functional necessity of the social system. Any social structure (community, society) can function stably only if there is a certain control system. The leader will objectively be a necessary element of the control system (T. Parsons)

To classify leadership, the typology of political domination proposed by M. Weber, which was discussed above, is used.

There are other theories of leadership.

Functions of a political leader

The leader is endowed with special, sometimes unlimited powers. If he does not justify the hopes placed on him, then he can not only lose his leadership, but also suffer a more severe punishment.

The functions of a political leader are very diverse. It is worth noting that they depend on society and the state, in which he has to manage, on the specific tasks facing the country, on the alignment of political forces. Do not forget that the most important of these functions will be:

integration of society, social community, class, party, etc. on the basis of common goals, values, political ideas;
determination of strategic guidelines in the development of society and the state;
participation in the process of developing and making political decisions, identifying ways and means of implementing program goals;
mobilization of the masses to achieve political goals;
social arbitration, support of order and legality;
communication between the authorities and the masses, strengthening the channels of political and emotional connection with citizens, for example, through the media or during various public events, incl. and during election campaigns;
legitimization of power.

From the listed functions it is clear how great is the role of the leader in society and in any social structure. Therefore, in a number of countries (France, Japan, the USA, etc.), the selection and training of political leaders begins as early as childhood and adolescence. It is worth saying that there are even special schools and universities for ϶ᴛᴏ. A good school for preparing a political leader will be his participation in social movements and active membership in a political party. Under ϶ᴛᴏm, along with the professional abilities of a potential leader, great importance is attached to his moral quality.

Unfortunately, our country does not yet have a well-functioning system for training, selecting and nominating political leaders. Therefore, leadership positions are often occupied by insufficiently competent people.

Qualitative characteristics of a political leader

It is worth saying that political leaders have ϲʙᴏ and qualitative characteristics (“political status”, “political weight”, “political capital”, “political charisma”, “morality”, etc.)

It is worth saying - political status -϶ᴛᴏ the general position occupied by a political leader in the political system of a country or in the world community. According to A. V. Glukhova, political status implies:

place in the hierarchy of political power;
the totality and scope of political rights and ϲʙᴏbod;
the totality and volume of status duties, the space and nature of the status field of responsibility;
a real opportunity for certain groups, strata, individuals to participate in political life and influence it.

Thus, the popularly elected president of the country has the highest political status, since he will be the representative of the whole people. Countries that are permanent members of the UN formally have a higher status than countries that are not. Consequently, the leader of a country that is a member of the UN will also have a dominant status in the international arena. There are three main levels of informal political status of the leader.

Domestic (intrastate) informal political status, with which the leader is "endowed" by the political system of the country or civil society. For example, in the late 80s - early 90s. 20th century B. N. Yeltsin was “endowed” by a significant part of the Russians with the informal status of “a fighter against the CPSU and the totalitarian regime”, defending a democratic alternative to the development of Russia. This status largely contributed to his obtaining the formal status of the country's president and his victories in the fight against the CPSU and in the conflict with the parliament (1993).

Internal informal political status recognized by international organizations and institutions. For example, in the course of an internal political conflict, the leader of the separatist rebels is given the status of a fighter for freedom and democracy. This status provides him with international support, and the rules of the 1949 Geneva Conference on humane treatment of prisoners of war apply to the captured members of the armed formations. In the absence of such a status, prisoners would be treated as criminals. A clear example of such a development of events will be the first Chechen war (1994-1996). Many international organizations and institutions endowed Chechen militants and their leaders with the “status” of fighters for freedom and independence of the Republic of Ichkeria and provided them with all kinds of support. And only when irrefutable evidence of the connection of Chechen fighters with international terrorism appeared, their status changed and they lost a significant part of international support. But this "epiphany" was preceded by thousands of innocent victims.

External (international) informal political status recognized by international organizations and institutions. For example, such political leaders as Mahatma Gandhi (India, 30-40s of the 20th century) and N. Mandela (South Africa, 60-70s of the 20th century) were in opposition to the ruling party for a long time. those goals in their countries to the political regime. It is important to note that, however, with all this their political status was recognized throughout the world.

It is worth saying - political weight- ϶ᴛᴏ the general influence (real or symbolic) and authority of the leader in the political sphere. When people talk about political "heavyweights", they mean those political leaders who are able to have a significant impact on the political process, for example, in making a political decision or resolving a political conflict. For example, the political weight of the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin was due to the fact that he was supported by the absolute majority of Russians; The political weight of the President of the United States in the international arena is due to the economic and military power of this country.

It is worth saying - political capital- ϶ᴛᴏ the totality of the “merits” acquired by a political leader (ranks, titles, positions, statuses, political practice, decisions made, forecasts made, etc.) in the past and in the present.

According to D.P. Zerkin, “political capital means a number of features. In particular, the possession of some part of political power; inclusion in the political elite; political experience and authority, etc. 1 From our point of view, such a sign as “possession of some part of political power” will be optional for a leader. A former or current politician with political capital may be in opposition or out of politics altogether. But the very possession of political capital can contribute to its return to real politics (Sch. de Gaulle, F. Roosevelt) or to influence the political process (to be in demand) in a different capacity (for example, former US Secretary of State H. Kissinger is periodically involved (as a private person) to solve certain political problems)

The accumulation of political capital can be facilitated by successes in other areas of activity, for example, Academician A. D. Sakharov became a well-known politician largely due to his contribution to the development of nuclear physics. At the same time, the main criterion for evaluating the “capital intensity” of a politician will be his successful experience in practical political activity and the confidence of the political elites and broad social strata due to it. For example, US President F. Roosevelt, thanks to her effective political activity, was elected four times to this post.

It is worth saying that political capital, like any other type of capital (financial, social, symbolic, etc.), can be accumulated (“win”) and increased, or it can be squandered (lose) or even “go bankrupt”. Social revolutions in the most severe form demonstrate the moment of bankruptcy of the existing regime and the ruling politicians. P. A. Sorokin gave the following description of Louis XVI, Nicholas II and their governments on the eve of the French Revolution (1789) and the October Revolution in Russia: “Before our eyes is a whole gallery of physical and mental impotents, untalented rulers, feminine and cynical dwarfs." The concept of "bankruptcy" can characterize the end of the policy of M. S. Gorbachev, who tried to build "socialism with a human face." B. N. Yeltsin ϲʙᴏy rather "solid" political capital after 1993 wasted gradually.

It is worth saying that political capital can be transformed into other types of capital (social, cultural, military, symbolic, etc.) Reagan - film actor, President of the Czech Republic V. Havel - writer, well-known political and public figure A. D. Sakharov - nuclear scientist)

It is worth saying - political charisma - suggests that a political leader has certain qualities that distinguish him from others. Usually, charisma is bestowed on an outstanding political leader or a cruel tyrant. For example, A. Macedonsky, Peter I, Napoleon, V. I. Lenin, I. V. Stalin, F. Castro and others are considered charismatic personalities. At the same time, political organizations and political institutions can be endowed with charismatic qualities. For example, the CPSU in the Soviet period, in fact, was a charismatic party - "the mind, honor and conscience of our era." For many Russians, the current Communist Party is associated with the CPSU and is also endowed with charisma. Needless to say, for most Chinese, the Chinese Communist Party will also be charismatic.

Morality - implies that a political leader has high moral (moral) qualities, which are associated in the public mind with the ideals of goodness, justice, and honest performance of public duty. For example, the so-called liberal democrats, led by B. N. Yeltsin, who reformed the Russian economy (liberalization, privatization, etc.) in the 90s. of the 20th century are associated in the public consciousness of Russians as immoral politicians who made huge fortunes on the ruin of the country, and the high authority of V.V. Putin was largely based on his moral qualities.

The 20th century marked a turning point in world history: unrest in colonial countries, which provoked riots of uprisings and revolutions in different parts of the world, as well as significant changes in the political scene. Countries such as India gained independence while some others continued to struggle. This turbulent period also gave us some of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Determining the ranking of any leader in relation to others is not the purpose of this article. The information below simply gives a brief description of the lives of these leaders. So, let's look at interesting facts from the life of these great leaders in world history.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was one of the leaders of the Indian independence movement. Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, fought for freedom against the British regime through non-violent means. Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, Gujarat. A unique example of gaining independence without resorting to armed revolution was shown by the freedom struggle led by him. "Satyagraha" (satya - truth, agraha - perseverance) was a tool used by Gandhi to combat the unjust rules of government. Due to his great personality and great deeds, Mahatma is one of the greatest leaders of all time.

Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro, born August 13, 1926, was a Cuban political and military leader who led a revolution against President Fulgencio Batista and took office in 1965. Fidel Castro became interested in politics during his student days. At that time, the United States had the strongest influence on government policy in Cuba. This was the main cause of social unrest. Fidel Castro attacked the Moncada barracks in 1953, however, due to limited support, this attack was unsuccessful and Castro was imprisoned after a trial. After his release, Fidel Castro led an organized uprising against the Cuban government. In 1965 he became Commandanee en Jefe and also President of the Council of States. Confronting a powerful US-backed government was not an easy task, but he succeeded.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Born January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the world's greatest leaders. The struggle for the civil rights of African Americans under the leadership of Martin Luther King was carried out in a non-violent way. The March on Washington (1963) directed by Martin Luther King is one of the most important events in history. His "I Have a Dream" speech had a great impact on American society. The civil disobedience movement led by Martin Luther King proved to be a tool to end racial discrimination and racial segregation. Thanks to his great achievements at a relatively early age, Martin Luther King became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (1964).

Nelson Mandela

Born July 18, 1918, Nelson Mandela Rolihlahla was the President of South Africa. He was against racial segregation, which was carried out legally in South Africa. Nelson Mandela was part of the African National Congress (ANC). He led the Armed Wing of the African National Congress Umkhoneo we Sizwe. In 1962, Mandela was charged with sabotage and arrested. He was found guilty on these charges and sent to prison for 27 years, and released from prison on February 11, 1990. After his release, Mandela continued his struggle to create a multinational democracy. Finally, in 1994, Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa and remained in this post until 1999. Nelson Mandela's great sacrifice puts him on a par with the greatest leaders in world history.

List of leaders of the 20th century

Below is a short list of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. Like the people described above, these leaders also influenced society and led to positive changes in people's lives.

Winston Churchill
Indira Gandhi
John Kennedy
Ronald Reagan
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Mikhail Gorbachev
Leon Trotsky
Mao Zedong

This article provides brief descriptions of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, providing information about their lives and work. These people had a great influence on the development of modern society. It is thanks to their efforts that we can live in a society free from racial discrimination and based on democratic principles.

It can be carried out at various social levels: at the level of a small social group, at the level of a socio-political movement, at the level of the whole society and at the level of interstate structural formations. The phenomenon of leadership is due to the need to structure the social community and manage people.

Functions of a political leader

The leader is endowed with special, sometimes unlimited powers. If he does not justify the hopes placed on him, then he may not only lose his leadership, but also suffer a more severe punishment.

The functions of a political leader are very diverse. They depend on the society and the state in which he has to govern, on the specific tasks facing the country, on the alignment of political forces. The most important of these functions are:

integration of society, social community, class, party, etc. on the basis of common goals, values, political ideas;
determination of strategic guidelines in the development of society and the state;
participation in the process of developing and making political decisions, identifying ways and means of implementing program goals;
mobilization of the masses to achieve political goals;
social arbitration, support of order and legality;
communication between the authorities and the masses, strengthening the channels of political and emotional connection with citizens, for example, through the media or during various public events, including during election campaigns;
legitimization of power.

From the listed functions it is clear how great is the role of the leader in society and in any social structure. Therefore, in a number of countries (France, Japan, the USA, etc.), the selection and training of political leaders begins as early as childhood and adolescence. There are even special schools and universities for this. A good school for preparing a political leader is his participation in social movements and active membership in a political party. At the same time, along with the professional abilities of a potential leader, great importance is attached to his moral quality.

Qualitative characteristics of a political leader

Political leaders have their own qualitative characteristics ("political status", "political weight", "political capital", "political charisma", "morality", etc.).

Political status - it is the general position occupied by a political leader in the political system of a country or in the world community. According to A. V. Glukhova, political status implies:

place in the hierarchy of political power;
the totality and scope of political rights and freedoms;
the totality and volume of status duties, the space and nature of the status field of responsibility;
a real opportunity for certain groups, strata, individuals to participate in political life and influence it.

Thus, the popularly elected president of the country has the highest political status, since he is the representative of the whole people. Countries that are permanent members of the UN formally have a higher status than countries that are not. Consequently, the leader of a UN member country will also have an appropriate status in the international arena. There are three main levels of informal political status of the leader.

Domestic (intrastate) informal political status, which is "endowed" to the leader by the country's political system or civil society. For example, in the late 80s - early 90s. 20th century B. N. Yeltsin was “endowed” by a significant part of the Russians with the informal status of “a fighter against the CPSU and the totalitarian regime”, defending a democratic alternative to the development of Russia. This status largely contributed to his obtaining the formal status of the president of the country and his victories in the fight against the CPSU and in the conflict with the parliament (1993).

Internal informal political status recognized by international organizations and institutions. For example, in the course of an internal political conflict, the leader of the separatist rebels is given the status of a fighter for freedom and democracy. This status provides him with international support, and the rules of the 1949 Geneva Conference on humane treatment of prisoners of war apply to the captured members of the armed formations. In the absence of such a status, prisoners would be treated as criminals. A clear example of such a development of events is the first Chechen war (1994-1996). Many international organizations and institutions endowed Chechen fighters and their leaders with the "status" of fighters for the freedom and independence of the Republic of Ichkeria and provided them with all kinds of support. And only when irrefutable evidence of the connection of Chechen fighters with international terrorism appeared, their status changed and they lost a significant part of international support. But this "epiphany" was preceded by thousands of innocent victims.

External (international) informal political status recognized by international organizations and institutions. For example, such political leaders as Mahatma Gandhi (India, 30-40s of the 20th century) and N. Mandela (South Africa, 60-70s of the 20th century) were in opposition to the ruling in those goals in their countries to the political regime. Nevertheless, their political status was recognized throughout the world.

Political weight is the general influence (real or symbolic) and authority of the leader in the political sphere. When people talk about political "heavyweights", they mean those political leaders who are able to have a significant impact on the political process, for example, in making a political decision or resolving a political conflict. For example, the political weight of the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin was due to the fact that he was supported by the absolute majority of Russians; The political weight of the President of the United States in the international arena is due to the economic and military power of this country.

Political capital- this is the totality of the "merits" acquired by the political leader (ranks, titles, positions, statuses, political practices, decisions made, forecasts made, etc.) in the past and in the present.

According to D.P. Zerkin, “political capital means a number of features. In particular, the possession of some part of political power; inclusion in the political elite; political experience and authority, etc. 1 From our point of view, such a sign as “possession of some part of political power” is optional for a leader. A former or current politician with political capital may be in opposition or out of politics altogether. But the very possession of political capital can contribute to its return to real politics (Sch. de Gaulle, F. Roosevelt) or to influence the political process (to be in demand) in a different capacity (for example, former US Secretary of State H. Kissinger is periodically involved (as a private person) to solve certain political problems).

The accumulation of political capital can be facilitated by successes in other areas of activity, for example, Academician A. D. Sakharov became a well-known politician largely due to his contribution to the development of nuclear physics. However, the main criterion for evaluating the “capital intensity” of a politician is his successful experience in practical political activity and the trust of the political elites and broad social strata that he owes. For example, US President F. Roosevelt, due to his effective political activity, was elected to this post four times.

Political capital, like any other type of capital (financial, social, symbolic, etc.), can be accumulated (“win”) and increased, or it can be squandered (lose) or even “go bankrupt”. Social revolutions in the most severe form demonstrate the moment of bankruptcy of the existing regime and the ruling politicians. P. A. Sorokin gave the following description of Louis XVI, Nicholas II and their governments on the eve of the French Revolution (1789) and the October Revolution in Russia: “Before our eyes is a whole gallery of physical and mental impotents, untalented rulers, feminine and cynical dwarfs." The concept of "bankruptcy" can characterize the end of the policy of M. S. Gorbachev, who tried to build "socialism with a human face." B. N. Yeltsin gradually squandered his rather “solid” political capital after 1993.

Political capital can be transformed into other types of capital (social, cultural, military, symbolic, etc.). Many well-known politicians were helped to make a career by their previous activities in other areas of life (French President Charles de Gaulle - a former military man, US President D. Reagan - film actor, Czech President V. Havel - writer, famous political and public figure A. D. Sakharov — nuclear scientist).

Political charisma - implies that a political leader has certain qualities that distinguish him from others. Usually, charisma is bestowed on an outstanding political leader or a cruel tyrant. For example, A. Macedonsky, Peter I, Napoleon, V. I. Lenin, I. V. Stalin, F. Castro and others are considered charismatic personalities. However, political organizations and political institutions can also be endowed with charismatic qualities. For example, the CPSU in the Soviet period, in fact, was a charismatic party - "the mind, honor and conscience of our era." For many Russians, the current Communist Party is associated with the CPSU and is also endowed with charisma. For most Chinese, the Chinese Communist Party is also charismatic.

Morality - implies that a political leader has high moral (moral) qualities that are associated in the public mind with the ideals of goodness, justice, and honest performance of public duty. For example, the so-called liberal democrats headed by B. N. Yeltsin, who reformed the Russian economy (liberalization, privatization, etc.) in the 1990s. of the 20th century are associated in the public consciousness of Russians as immoral politicians who made huge fortunes on the ruin of the country, and the high authority of V.V. Putin was largely based on his moral qualities.