The One Hundred Most Influential People In History Elimination Game

Based on Hart’s list. You get one vote and the top vote-getter gets eliminated.

  1. Mohammed-Founder of Islam
  2. Isaac Newton-British Scientist, Theory of Universal Gravitation and Motion
  3. Jesus Christ-Son of God, Saviour of Mankind, Founder of Christianity
  4. Buddha-Founder of Buddhism
  5. Confucius-Chinese Philosopher, Founder of Confucianism
  6. St. Paul-Christian Missionary and Apostle
  7. Ts’ai Lun-Scientist, Inventor of Paper
  8. Johann Gutenberg-Scientist, Inventor of Printing Press
  9. Christopher Columbus-Explorer, Discoverer of America
  10. Albert Einstein-Scientist, Physicist, Theory of Relativity
  11. Louis Pasteur-Scientist, Pasteurization
  12. Galileo Galilei-Scientist, Advocated Heliocentricity
  13. Aristotle-Greek Philosopher
  14. Euclid-Greek Mathematician
  15. Moses-Jewish Prophet
  16. Charles Darwin-British Scientist, Theory of Evolution
  17. Shi Huang Di-Chinese Emperor, United China
  18. Augustus Caesar-Roman Princep, Founded Roman Empire
  19. Nicolas Copernicus-Scientist, Theory of Heliocentricity
  20. Antonine Laurent Lavoisier-French Scientist, Advanced Chemistry
  21. Constantine the Great-Roman Emperor, Tolerated and Promoted Christianity in Rome
  22. James Watt-British Scientist, Invented Steam Engine
  23. Michael Faraday-British Scientist, Discovered Magneto-Electricity
  24. James Clerk Marxwell-Scientist, Electromagnetic Spectrum
  25. Martin Luther-Theologian, Started Protestantism and Reformation
  26. George Washington-American Statesman and General, Fought For Independence of United States
  27. Karl Marx-Economist, Founder of Communism
  28. Orville and Wilbur Wright-Scientists, Inventor of Airplane
  29. Genghis Khan-Mongol Ruler, Founded Mongol Empire
  30. Adam Smith-Economist, Advocated Capitalism
  31. William Shakespeare-English Playwright
  32. John Dalton-Scientist, Atomic Theory
  33. Alexander the Great, Macedonian Ruler, Formed Macedonian Empire
  34. Napoleon Bonaparte-French Emperor, Waged Napoleonic Wars
  35. Thomas Edison-American Scientist, 1,000+ inventions
  36. Antony van Leeuwenhoek-Scientist, Inventor of Microscope
  37. William TG Morton-Scientist, Invented Anaesthesia
  38. Gugilemo Marconi-Scientist, Invented Radio
  39. Adolf Hitler-German Dictator, Started World War II
  40. Plato-Greek Philosopher, Developed Platonism
  41. Oliver Cromwell-British Ruler
  42. Alexander Graham Bell-Scientist, Invented Telephone
  43. Alexander Fleming-Scientist, Invented Penicillin
  44. John Locke-British Philosopher, Developed Democratic Ideas
  45. Ludwig von Beethoven-Composer
  46. Werner Heisenberg-Scientist, Developed Quantum Physics
  47. Louis Dagurre-Scientist, Invented Photography
  48. Simon Bolivar-Latin American General and Statesman, Waged Wars of Independence
  49. Rene Descrates-French Philosopher
  50. Michelangelo-Artist, Sculptor
  51. Pope Urban II-Pope of Roman Catholic Church, Called For Crusades
  52. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab-Muslim Caliph, Expanded the Caliphate
  53. Asoka-Indian Emperor, Spread Buddhism
  54. St. Augustine-Christian Theologian
  55. William Harvey-Scientist, Developed Theories of Blood Circulation
  56. Ernest Rutherford-Scientist, Developed Subatomic Physics
  57. John Calvin-Christian Theologian, Developed Calvinism
  58. Gregor Mendel-Priest and Scientist, Advanced Genetics
  59. Max Planck-Scientist, Developed Therodynamics
  60. Joseph Lister-Scientist, Developed Antiseptic Methods
  61. Nikolaus August Otto-Scientist, Developed Internal Combustion Engine
  62. Francisco Pizarro-Spanish Adventurer, Conquered Inca Empire
  63. Hernando Cortes-Spanish Adventurer, Conquered Aztec Empire
  64. Thomas Jefferson-American Statesman, Wrote Declaration of Independence, Louisiana Purchase
  65. Queen Isabella I-Queen of Spain, Sponsored Columbus’ Expeditions
  66. Josef Stalin-Dictator of USSR, Expanded Communism
  67. Julius Caesar-Roman General, Ended Roman Civil Wars
  68. William the Conquerer-Norman Duke and English King, Led In Norman Conquest of England
  69. Sigmund Freud-Psychologist, Developed Freudian Psychology
  70. Edward Jenner-Scientist, Developed Vaccination for Smallpox
  71. William Conrad Roentgen-Scientist, Invented X-Ray
  72. Johann Sebastian Bach-Composer
  73. Lao Tzu-Chinese Philosopher, Founded Taoism
  74. Voltaire-French Philosopher
  75. Johannes Kepler-Scientist, Developed Theories of Planetary Motion
  76. Enrico Fermi-Scientist, Developed Atomic Bomb
  77. Leonhard Euler-Mathematician
  78. Jean-Jacques Rosseau-French Philosopher and Writer
  79. Nicoli Machiavelli-Political Theorist
  80. Thomas Malthus-Economist, Developed Malthusian Theory
  81. John F. Kennedy-American President, Originated Manned Mission to Moon
  82. Gregory Pincus-Scientist, Invented Birth-Control Pill
  83. Mani-Founder of Manichaeism
  84. Lenin-Russian Leader, Founded Communism in Russia
  85. Sui Wen Ti-Chinese Emperor, Reunited China
  86. Vasco de Gama-Explorer, Discovered Cape of Good Hope
  87. Cyrus the Great-Persian Emperor, Founded Persian Emperor
  88. Peter the Great-Russian Emperor, Modernized Russia
  89. Mao Zedong-Chinese Dictator, Established Communism in China
  90. Francis Bacon-Philosopher, Developed Scientific Method
  91. Henry Ford-American Industrialist, Developed Mass-Production Techniques
  92. Mencius-Chinese Philosopher, Expanded Confucianism
  93. Zoraster-Founder of Zorasterianism
  94. Queen Elizabeth I-Queen of England, Made England a Naval Power
  95. Mikhail Gorbachev-Soviet Leader, Liberalized and Helped Break Up USSR
  96. Menes-Egyptian Pharaoh, United Egypt
  97. Charlemagne-Frankish Monarch, Founder of Holy Roman Empire
  98. Homer-Greek Poet, Writer of Epics
  99. Justinian I-Byzantine Emperor, Recovered Much of Roman Empire
  100. Mahavira-Founder of Jainism

I vote Karl Marx.

Good Lord.

Christopher Columbus for sure. He didn’t set out to do what he did, would have died if he didn’t stumble upon land, and died not knowing what he accidentally had done.

People will be eliminated every Thursdays and Sundays and I would like to give the position of interim judge for this Thursday (as I won’t be available than).

I understand the reasoning for Marx: He certainly had a strong influence on the 20th century, but his influence is already fading, little more than a century later. Surely, though, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao had even less influence than he did? Or if we’re making moral judgments rather than going by pure amount of influence, his intentions certainly seemed to be better than theirs.

At that rate this will done in just under a year. I’d also suggest not listing them in order of importance if you want unbiased answers.

I’ll go with Gutenberg. The printing press is the greatest weapon against ignorance that there has ever been. There’s a reason that religious and political leaders forbid books.

“The top vote-getter gets eliminated.” May I assume there’s a typo in there somewhere? If I’m actually supposed to vote for the least influential of those hundred, I guess I’ll choose Bolivar, but if that’s the case, your selection of Marx makes no sense at all.

Can you explain the ground-rules, please?

You are supposed to pick the person who had the most negative or if that’s not the case the least positive amount of influence on History.

Therefore I picked Marx as his ideas directly influenced two of the three of the mass murderers of the XXth Century (Mao and Stalin) and indirectly influenced the third (Hitler) as Hitler came to power partially due to fear of communism.

That seems like a much less interesting exercise. Oh well.

Vote Jesus

OK, I get it. Then, as your thread title mislead me, I’ll change my vote to Jesus of Nazareth.

That was the precedent with the last two elimination games (Buchanan and Malcolm X knocked off first respectively).

I’m guessing you’re being sarcastic?

Why would you think that? Certainly more people have been killed in the name of Jesus than anyone else. Though I suppose you could make the case that if wasn’t Jesus it would have been someone else.

Christianity helped established a morality of universal love, and promoted human equality which are the foundations of Western civilization.

:dubious: He’s got some 1800 years of spawning mass murderers and destruction of knowledge over Marx.

Nonsense, simple nonsense. Even if Christianity were as you describe it, the foundations of Western Civilization are Greek and Roman. At least as best as we could muddle through given the destruction by Christians of pagan knowledge.

While some Christians did participate in destruction of knowledge, other Christians in monasteries helped preserve classical literature during the fall of the Roman Empire.

Fuck, Curtis, don’t you know anything? I’m not talking about classical literature, I’m talking about classical science! Science, as in what Christians fight the teaching of in schools even today!

Forget it, if you’re going to turn this thread into a debate on your particular hobbyhorse, I can’t be bothered. Go to Great Debates and talk with the people who enjoy arguing about religion and its effects.

Vote Jesus.

I would have voted Mohammed- I think an equal number of people have been slaughtered in each of these prophets’ names, but the crusades tipped things in favor of the big J H.

Jesus Christ.

That’s my vote, not me swearing.

I have a feeling Curtis isn’t going to keep up with his judging if Jesus is the first one knocked out.

Vote Jesus.

#3 Seeds never do well in these things.

Amused though that Freud is #69 though.