# Who would you choose as benevolent dictator or philosopher king today? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 28, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582 "2011-12-28T01:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/41 "2011-12-29T03:29:22Z")
Adolf Hitler, in his present form. Hey, even der Fuhrer himself couldn’t do any harm when he’s dead. And one could argue that a dead body would do better than a lot of living people. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/42 "2011-12-29T03:43:19Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Get rid of the fucking snakes! We went far enough putting a Catholic in the WH once, we are **not** having one who actually thinks like St. Patrick! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/43 "2011-12-29T03:45:23Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > Adolf Hitler, in his present form. > > Hey, even der Fuhrer himself couldn’t do any harm when he’s dead. And one could argue that a dead body would do better than a lot of living people. Some Apes who had deposed their king fell at once into dissension and anarchy. In this strait they sent a Deputation to a neighbouring tribe to consult the Oldest and Wisest Ape in All the World. “My children,” said the Oldest and Wisest Ape in All the World, when he had heard the Deputation, “you did right in ridding yourselves of tyranny, but your tribe is not sufficiently advanced to dispense with the forms of monarchy. Entice the tyrant back with fair promises, kill him and enthrone. The skeleton of even the most lawless despot makes a good constitutional sovereign.” At this the Deputation was greatly abashed. “It is impossible,” they said, moving away; “our king has no skeleton; he was stuffed.” – Ambrose Bierce ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/44 "2011-12-29T17:32:46Z")
[http://www.aeonity.com/ab/soundboards/celebrity/samuel-l-jackson.php](http://www.aeonity.com/ab/soundboards/celebrity/samuel-l-jackson.php) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/45 "2011-12-29T17:52:54Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > The person I’d choose is the same person I hope that [Americans Elect](http://www.americanselect.org/) ends up choosing for president: Jon Stewart This was my first thought too, but on reflection he just is too nice a guy and doesn’t have the ego to pull it off. In order to be an effective president you have to be megalomaniacal enough to actually believe that you are the right man for the job. I imagine in crisis time John Stewart crouched in a corner second guessing himself to oblivion. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/46 "2011-12-29T18:00:14Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > In order to be an effective president you have to be megalomaniacal enough to actually believe that you are the right man for the job. Which would be fine, except that to be a good president requires a lot of things besides “effective” and some of those things might conflict with megalomania. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/47 "2011-12-29T18:45:41Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > I would choose a pentumvirate made up of Eleanor Clift, Clarence Page, Monica Crowley, Pat Buchanan, and John McLaughlin, and not allow them to pass any new legislation without unanimous consent among them. Then sit back and watch the gridlock. Please, no. You’ll kill my wife. A half hour a week of Monica was probably all she could take. She’d be wild with rage if Monica was allowed to speak any longer. Anyone else can sit to McLaughlin’s left, but please not Monica. How about Rich Lowry instead? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/48 "2011-12-29T21:40:21Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Which would be fine, except that to be a good president requires a lot of things besides “effective” and some of those things might conflict with megalomania. Can you name a president that wasn’t at least a little monomaniacal? Believing that of all of the people in the country you are the best person to be in charge is pretty darn egotistical. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/49 "2011-12-29T22:37:09Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > This was my first thought too, but on reflection he just is too nice a guy and doesn’t have the ego to pull it off. In order to be an effective president you have to be megalomaniacal enough to actually believe that you are the right man for the job. I imagine in crisis time John Stewart crouched in a corner second guessing himself to oblivion. But you see, that is the beauty of it. Jon can second guess himself but given some time, he usually comes to the right conclusions. He doesn’t have a big enough ego that he can’t use his show to apologize and make fun of himself when he gets something wrong while looking sheepish and hilarious doing it. Just a couple weeks ago, a website called him out on his mistake about Christmas celebrations in the past and he responded on his show with an admission and a funny skit For good, decent things, I have absolutely every confidence that he’d do the right thing and fight for it. He literally was the lone voice on TV repeatedly calling out Congress and other networks about the shame of not helping out the 9/11 first responders. Many of us liberals wish Obama would do that. Jon already does, and with a national audience, I could see him replacing the weekly fireside radio broadcasts (do they still do that?) with a twice weekly show on the kind of crap he wants to fight against. It takes a lot of balls to go on someone’s show and call him out to his face like Tucker Carlson and Jon’s no coward ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/50 "2011-12-29T22:47:45Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Get rid of the fucking snakes! Yes they deserved to die, and I hope they burn in hell! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/51 "2011-12-29T22:57:26Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Can you name a president that wasn’t at least a little monomaniacal? Believing that of all of the people in the country you are the best person to be in charge is pretty darn egotistical. Truman and Ford, perhaps, as they never expected the job – though they did campaign to keep it, but who wouldn’t, once you’ve got it? The same would apply to LBJ, except that he certainly was egotistical and believed in his own grand new vision for the country, etc. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/52 "2012-01-03T21:59:12Z")
> [@Linden\_Arden](#): > > and disinterested in terms of making money from public graft. Is he the only one that admits that he doesn’t want money from public graft??? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/53 "2012-01-03T22:09:01Z")
Kevin Bacon. We’re like family, we’re all within 6 degrees of him. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/54 "2012-01-03T22:15:21Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Yeah, I’d object to Mr. Buffet. Besides being associated with those all you can eat thingies that I really, truly hate, and besides the questionable assertions that he’s ‘beyond reproach, honest, brilliantly intellectual, and disinterested in terms of making money from public graft’ I’m a little surprised to see Warren Buffet described as somebody who’s disinterested in making money. Makes you wonder how many billions of dollars he’d have made if he was actually trying. > [@xtisme](#): > > Buxom and nubile female types, there is an application for grape peelers and palm frond fanners…line forms over there to the right please… You’re surrounded by buxom and nubile females and you’re going to waste their time on grapes and fronds? Sorry, XT, you’ve shown you lack the imagination to assume the high office of dictator. ---
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/55 "2012-01-03T22:22:04Z")
Deng Xiaoping for president and leader of everything, ever, forever. For currently living people, though, I would have to go with the King of Thailand, who has the most experience of anybody in the world of being kingly, and would probably be even better at it in a system where nobody thought he was a living God. Unfortunately, he’s in worse health than John McCain, and the person who’s one heartbeat away from him is even worse than Sarah Palin was. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/56 "2012-01-04T03:36:45Z")
> [@Scholar\_Beardpig](#): > > Deng Xiaoping for president and leader of everything, ever, forever. I’ll bite, why? ---
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/57 "2012-02-23T11:20:26Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’ll bite, why? I don’t think two months is too old to necro, and I’d like to think I can be counted on to reply to questions people ask me directly, however feebly I do so. I support Deng Xiaoping because he was the ultimate wheeler-dealer of the 20th century; a man capable of overseeing the vast and unfathomable activity that was opening up China. He was a deft diplomat, an able administrator, and when push came to shove on June 4th, he proved that… well, I would call ‘able to consider any potential course of action and examine it objectively based on long- and short-term goals’ to be a moral strength, though I imagine few do. Although, in the time I’ve had to think about it, I imagine that as far as Chinese figures go, Emperor Kangxi may be a better example. But I’m still an unabashed Deng-booster. As a Sinologist, extremely amateur at such though I may be, I consider the 1976-1989 era to have gone as well as it possibly could - a Panglossian ‘best of all worlds,’ if you will. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/58 "2012-02-23T14:49:22Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What’s his philosophy? It mostly emphasizes the Three Treasures of the L.ao - Righteousness, Anger, and Motherfucking Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/59 "2012-02-23T18:47:01Z")
Maybe he’s too obvious, and I’m surprised his name hasn’t come up yet, but the answer to the OP is standing right in front of us. For enlightened despot, I nominate someone whose character is above reproach in an era of self-indulgence, who works in the interests of everyone, not just one segment of the population, who keeps the long game in mind instead of reacting with his gut, and who quietly gets things done while rabid opponents are at his throat: Barrack Obama. Yes, I’m an Obama fanboy, but for good reason. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2012, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582/60 "2012-02-26T10:38:53Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > That is what happened to the Kims in Korea. They have been told they are Nietszche’s Ubermensch and above concepts like human morality. The end result was just a family of sociopaths. Forget the Kims in Korea. Let’s just look at the Kims we have right here in America: Kardashian, Basinger, Fields… I’m down with 'em. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-choose-as-benevolent-dictator-or-philosopher-king-today/607582.md?page=4)