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The 10 most powerful people in the world?
- Thread starter nick9191
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GfPQqmcRKUvP
macrumors 68040
Steve Jobs: Creates shiny stuff
Me: Obvious Reasons
Cher: Important because no one likes her, yet she still makes money
Shaquille O'Neil: Truck, philosopher, cactus, press genius
Sean Hannity: For being a great American
Lil' Jon: His new wine is going to revolutionize wine industry
Paris Hilton: The intelligencia (sp) always wields power, and this is no exception
Ben Stiller: Movie making genius
Commander Adama: Being a bad***
Steve Ballmer: That's apparent.
Me: Obvious Reasons
Cher: Important because no one likes her, yet she still makes money
Shaquille O'Neil: Truck, philosopher, cactus, press genius
Sean Hannity: For being a great American
Lil' Jon: His new wine is going to revolutionize wine industry
Paris Hilton: The intelligencia (sp) always wields power, and this is no exception
Ben Stiller: Movie making genius
Commander Adama: Being a bad***
Steve Ballmer: That's apparent.
dukebound85
macrumors Core
lol riiight
obviously Bush, Hu Jintao, OPEC leaders, Gordon Brown, Condi Rice are up there.
Im willing to bet that all top spots are held by politicians/leaders than insignificant computer ceos such as Jobs in the grand scheme of things lol
some mafias also have some significant pull in respective countries but not the world
GfPQqmcRKUvP
macrumors 68040
Actually, Commander Thingy happens to be Caprican I believe (BattleStar Galactica main character). But yes, Sean Hannity said all of those people were great Americans when they called into his show, so I couldn't leave them off the list in good conscience. Don't worry, number 11 was Margaret Thatcher for her purses and 12 was Admiral Nelson.
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
The following are not in any order:
Bush (US President)
Queen Elizabeth (Head of state and commander in chief of 16 countries)
Murdoch (lets face it, a leader gets into government by brown nosing him)
Condoleezza Rice (Sec of State)
Nicolas Sarkozy (President of france)
Vladimir Putin (President of Russia)
Gordon Brown (Prime Minister of Britain)
Hu Jintao (President of China)
Akihito (Emperor of Japan)
Dick Cheney (Vice President of the US)
Bush (US President)
Queen Elizabeth (Head of state and commander in chief of 16 countries)
Murdoch (lets face it, a leader gets into government by brown nosing him)
Condoleezza Rice (Sec of State)
Nicolas Sarkozy (President of france)
Vladimir Putin (President of Russia)
Gordon Brown (Prime Minister of Britain)
Hu Jintao (President of China)
Akihito (Emperor of Japan)
Dick Cheney (Vice President of the US)
Yeah I know, I was only kidding 😛
dukebound85
macrumors Core
themadchemist
macrumors 68030
Hm, I'd not forget Ban Ki Moon...Say what you want about the UN, but UN Sec Gen is still a hugely powerful position.
I'd also include Bush, Brown, and Jintao. I don't know about Sarkozy, though--he is definitely in the public eye, but I don't know that he has more power (especially considering his current popularity, or lack thereof) than, say, Angela Merkel, who probably more deserves a position on the list. However, if the argument is veto power on the security council for France, then I get that. I'd consider Manmohan Singh, PM of India, considering India's growing influence on geopolitics and global economics. I don't think that the emperor of Japan has any real power, but correct me if I'm wrong. If I wanted to pick a Japanese leader, I'd pick Yasuo Fukuda, the Prime Minister. I think Cheney and Rice are overkill and don't really have all that much global influence, especially as the administration wanes in popularity. Cheney only has proxy power globally, acting through Bush. And I've never gotten the sense that Rice has been a particularly powerful Secretary of State--she is certainly no Henry Kissinger. I think she acts more or less as a mouthpiece for the administration and doesn't really shape policy or philosophy, which were all well-cemented in the first term. I'd maybe throw in King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, since S.A. controls the largest share of oil of any one country in the world and provides leadership for OPEC.
Murdoch does have a lot of influence around the world, and seems a reasonable pick for this. As far as leaders in business, I'd say Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Carlos Slim Helú would be in the running. Of those, I think that Bill Gates actually makes the cut, as much because of the fantastic work of the Gates Foundation as because of Microsoft.
So I guess my list would be:
Bush
Brown
Jintao
Singh
Fukuda
Merkel
Putin
Gates (Bill)
Murdoch
Saud
But the list is subject to change if I think about this more.
I'd also include Bush, Brown, and Jintao. I don't know about Sarkozy, though--he is definitely in the public eye, but I don't know that he has more power (especially considering his current popularity, or lack thereof) than, say, Angela Merkel, who probably more deserves a position on the list. However, if the argument is veto power on the security council for France, then I get that. I'd consider Manmohan Singh, PM of India, considering India's growing influence on geopolitics and global economics. I don't think that the emperor of Japan has any real power, but correct me if I'm wrong. If I wanted to pick a Japanese leader, I'd pick Yasuo Fukuda, the Prime Minister. I think Cheney and Rice are overkill and don't really have all that much global influence, especially as the administration wanes in popularity. Cheney only has proxy power globally, acting through Bush. And I've never gotten the sense that Rice has been a particularly powerful Secretary of State--she is certainly no Henry Kissinger. I think she acts more or less as a mouthpiece for the administration and doesn't really shape policy or philosophy, which were all well-cemented in the first term. I'd maybe throw in King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, since S.A. controls the largest share of oil of any one country in the world and provides leadership for OPEC.
Murdoch does have a lot of influence around the world, and seems a reasonable pick for this. As far as leaders in business, I'd say Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Carlos Slim Helú would be in the running. Of those, I think that Bill Gates actually makes the cut, as much because of the fantastic work of the Gates Foundation as because of Microsoft.
So I guess my list would be:
Bush
Brown
Jintao
Singh
Fukuda
Merkel
Putin
Gates (Bill)
Murdoch
Saud
But the list is subject to change if I think about this more.
GfPQqmcRKUvP
macrumors 68040
Jokes aside, you're all forgetting the person that should be at the top of the list.
*cough BEN BERNANKE cough*
*cough BEN BERNANKE cough*
John Jacob
macrumors 6502a
My 2 cents...
These are the ten most powerful people in the world (from http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfpwi.htm 😀 )
1. Bruno Sammartino
2. Hulk Hogan
3. Steve Austin
4. Bob Backlund
5. Bret Hart
6. The Rock
7. Superstar Graham
8. The Undertaker
9. Randy Savage
10. Roddy Piper
Though I'm surprised that John Cena and that Khalee fellow aren't on the list.
These are the ten most powerful people in the world (from http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwfpwi.htm 😀 )
1. Bruno Sammartino
2. Hulk Hogan
3. Steve Austin
4. Bob Backlund
5. Bret Hart
6. The Rock
7. Superstar Graham
8. The Undertaker
9. Randy Savage
10. Roddy Piper
Though I'm surprised that John Cena and that Khalee fellow aren't on the list.
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
Bush-face
"I want me a bowl of" Condoleeza Rice
Putin-ator
King Abdullah (Oblongata)
Rupert Murdoch
Gatesy
Jintao-ovich
Crazy guy from North Korea
Ma Ying-jeou (new PM of Taiwan)
Yasuo Fukuda
He-man
With the exception of Gates and Murdoch, any of these guys can totally mess up the world via some action deemed "threatening" by the US, the UN, etc.
Anyone who's decision can affect the world a lot is powerful. It's not about money, fame, it's about the influence of their actions. If the new PM of Taiwan decided not to be so close to China, you'd get a messy relationship that will also involve the US (for some reason). Stuff escalates, and you get an even bigger mess.
"I want me a bowl of" Condoleeza Rice
Putin-ator
King Abdullah (Oblongata)
Rupert Murdoch
Gatesy
Jintao-ovich
Crazy guy from North Korea
Ma Ying-jeou (new PM of Taiwan)
Yasuo Fukuda
He-man
With the exception of Gates and Murdoch, any of these guys can totally mess up the world via some action deemed "threatening" by the US, the UN, etc.
Anyone who's decision can affect the world a lot is powerful. It's not about money, fame, it's about the influence of their actions. If the new PM of Taiwan decided not to be so close to China, you'd get a messy relationship that will also involve the US (for some reason). Stuff escalates, and you get an even bigger mess.
irmongoose
macrumors 68030
Phil A.
Moderator emeritus
It depends how you define "powerful": If it's defined as the power to determine the actions of others, then Bush, Brown, etc are restricted by the fact they represent democratic nations and are limited as to what they can do by that fact (Which is a very good thing, IMO).
For me, the world's most powerful person as far as influence over people goes is probably the Pope, although the power of the church is declining.
Then you've got the President of China who, being in charge of a non-democratic country, has much more "power" to do what he wants than other world leaders
After that, you have people such as Rupert Murdoch who controls an unhealthily large part of the world's media (again, the power to influence people)
Then you have the big crime bosses (probably Russian more than any)
After all them you have the world's democratic leaders
For me, the world's most powerful person as far as influence over people goes is probably the Pope, although the power of the church is declining.
Then you've got the President of China who, being in charge of a non-democratic country, has much more "power" to do what he wants than other world leaders
After that, you have people such as Rupert Murdoch who controls an unhealthily large part of the world's media (again, the power to influence people)
Then you have the big crime bosses (probably Russian more than any)
After all them you have the world's democratic leaders
GfPQqmcRKUvP
macrumors 68040
BEN BERNANKE!
If he even hints at thinking about changing the interest rate a small fraction, the world's economies change in response to him. Now that's influence. He is the most powerful person in the world. Little oversight + massive influence = power.
If he even hints at thinking about changing the interest rate a small fraction, the world's economies change in response to him. Now that's influence. He is the most powerful person in the world. Little oversight + massive influence = power.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
George Bush
Pope Benedict XVI
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Abdulaziz Alsaud
Vladimir Putin
Oprah Winfrey
Rupert Murdoch
Al Gore
Hu Jintao
Oh, and Elvis, he's still alive you know...
George Bush
Pope Benedict XVI
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Abdulaziz Alsaud
Vladimir Putin
Oprah Winfrey
Rupert Murdoch
Al Gore
Hu Jintao
Oh, and Elvis, he's still alive you know...
Killyp
macrumors 68040
I was just about to mention Jintao - arguably next most powerful after Bush and Brown.
You could also say that Obama is one of the up and coming most powerful people in the world. Bush is on his way out, and Obama (who looks set to win) is more likely to affect the future than anyone obvious at present...
Tanglewood
macrumors 6502a
I couldn't agree with you more, the Federal Reserve Chairman wields a lot of power when it comes to the global economies.
Pretty much the rest of the list is anyone that can project power abroad or screw up economies. So...
George Bush
Gordon Brown
Vladimir Putin
Hu Jintao
The Opec Cartel
The Russian Mafia
The Queen Mother. I keep telling people she's not really dead. It just got a bit embarrassing how she is obviously immortal. Even now she and her staff stalk the world's politicians and business leaders and force them to do her bidding, leaving nothing more than the faint smell of gin and a William Hills receipt.
Eraserhead
macrumors G4
Murdoch's probably more powerful than Brown. The House of Saud is pretty powerful. I think in China politics is more complex than it looks so Jintao probably isn't actually that powerful. Putin is very powerful too.