The Greatest Individual

     Mikhail Kalashnikov, shown above holding an AK-47, or Avtomat Kalashnikova model 1947, has had arguably the greatest impact on the modern world out of any other individual in history. The AK series of assault rifles, designed by Kolashnikov for use by the Red Army, is the most recognizable and feared weapons platform in the world. It has claimed more lives than any other weapons system ever designed. Its ease of use and reliability has made the AK the favorite weapon of over 50 countries, as well as both criminals and freedom fighters worldwide. Without a doubt, the AK is the most well known weapons platform in the world. The man behind the gun, however, is far less famous.

Early Career

     Kalashnikov began his military career in 1938, when he was conscripted into the Red Army. He was assigned to the 24th Tank Regiment of the 12th Tank Division and was made a Senior Sergeant, or tank commander, because of his skills as both a tank driver and a mechanic. In 1941, at the Battle of Bryansk, Kalashnikov received a wound that would end up changing the world for ever. While recovering in the hospital, which he walked to by himself while injured, Kalashnikov suffered frequent flashbacks to the battle. He blamed the slaughter of Soviet troops on the German’s superior submachine gun, the MP-40. At the time, the Nazi war machine’s main strategy was known as Blitzkrieg, or Lightning War. The strategy involved rapidly swooping through a city, eliminating resistance all the while. Without the reliable rapid-fire the MP-40 offered, Blitzkrieg would likely have been significantly less effective. In his hospital bed, he began working on preliminary designs a submachine gun he hoped would give the Red Army an edge over the Germans. This marked the beginning of Kalashnikov’s career as a weapons designer.

The AK Is Born

     Even though Kalashnikov’s original smg was rejected by the Soviet higher ups, it was not a complete failure. His commanding officers recognized his talent and appointed him to the Central Scientific-Developmental Firing Range for Rifle Firearms of the Chief Artillery Directorate. There, he designed his first rifle, a gas-operated carbine that chambered the new 7.62 x 39mm cartridge, a shortened version of the 7.62 x 54mmR round. The new cartridge was developed in response to the shorter rifle round utilized by the German StG-44, a Nazi assault rifle that heavily influenced the AK-47. The carbine was rejected in favor of the SKS rifle. Third time, however, proved to be the charm. In 1947 Kalashnikov’s third gun was adopted as the main battle rifle of the Red Army. Christened the AK-47, it was quickly circulated throughout all the countries of the Soviet Union.

Changing The Face Of War

     The AK-47 brought about a new era of warfare. Because of the ease-of-use and reliability of the AK, poor, untrained soldiers could fight well trained national armies effectively. Perhaps the best example of this is the Vietnam War. Once U.S. troops entered Vietnam, they found themselves up against a new kind of enemy. The Viet Cong, equipped with Soviet AK-47and Chinese Type 56 rifles, were able to ambush American troops with rapid firepower. The American main battle rifle at the time, the M14, despite its superior accuracy and larger, more powerful round, could not compete with the AK’s rate of fire. In response, the U.S. based company ArmaLite, headed by Eugene Stoner, developed the AR-15, an assault rifle that chambered the intermediate 5.56 x 45mm NATO round. Later purchased by Colt and renamed the M16, it became the main battle rifle of the U.S. forces in Vietnam. Variants of the M16 are still used today. The M16 matched the Ak-47 in rate of fire, but was still not nearly as effective. Unlike Kalashnikov’s design, the M16 had a nasty tendency to jam in the less-than-perfect firing conditions of Vietnam. This flaw would prove fatal. By 1971, the U.S. began withdrawing troops from Vietnam. Communist forces, armed with Kalashnikov’s guns, had taken Vietnam. Clearly, war had changed. In Iraq, similar things are happening. Islamic extremists armed with AK-47 and AK-74 rifles are creating havoc for U.S. troops armed with M4 carbines, which, like the original M16s, jam in less than perfect environments like the sandy Middle East. Thanks to the AK, smaller, poorly trained forces could defeat the armies of superpowers.

The Greatest Weapon Ever Created

“I am still ready to shake hands with anyone who designs a better assault rifle than mine.”

-Mikhail Kalashnikov

     It is accepted amongst numerous weaponologists that the AK is the best assault weapon ever made. In a world where assault rifles are the main battle implements of nearly every fighting force in the world, Kalashnikov’s rifles are the top of the line. While it is certainly not as accurate as other rifles like the M16 or FN-FAL, its reliability and simple design makes it truly exceptional. The Military Channel, a division of Discovery, named the AK-47 the #1 combat rifle of all time. The AK series of rifles has enabled small forces to over power well trained armies because anyone can use it.

Mozambique features it on its flag.

Osama Bin Laden was rarely seen without it.

Criminals love it.

Even 9 year olds can be trained to use it.

Kalashnikov Today

Today, Mikhail Kalashnikov is viewed differently in different parts of the world. In countries who gained independence with the AK, he is viewed as a hero. In much of the West, he is cast as a villian that profits of the death of others. It is true that without the AK-47, the world might be a better place. Perhaps, without Mikhail Kalashnikov, there might even be world peace. No one can know this for sure. All we do know is the Kalashnikov’s invention changed the world forever. Kalashnikov got no more than a government pension for his invention. He had no intention of making money when he designed the most effective assault weapon of all time. In fact, most of his wealth comes from the brand of vodka he also created. He was simply a patriot that wanted his comrades to be well equiped. For a long time, he has defended his fellow arms makers. In 2002, however, he showed a surprising level of remorse.

“I’m proud of my invention, but I’m sad it is used by terrorists. I would prefer to have invented a machine that people could use and that would help farmers with their work-for example, a lawnmower”

-Mikhail Kalashnikov

 In fact, Kalashnikov did invent a lawnmower which he still uses to cut his grass today. It looks like a mixture between a locomotive and a weedwacker and is held together by blue gaffer’s tape, but it works perfectly. It isn’t overly fancy, but it gets the job done, a trait common in all of Kalashnikov’s inventions.

Even Gandolf loves The AK!!!

“Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.”- Pablo Picasso

This type of thinking is what made Pablo Picasso the Greatest Person in History. Instead of simply conforming to 19th century ideas and practices, he dared to think in ways that no one had thought before. When the standards for art were realism, following mainstream designs, and detailed attention to actuality, Picasso painted and created abstract and abnormal figures and images that reflected independent thinking as well as commented on the changes and events going on in the world during his time.

Pablo Picasso was born on October 25, 1881 as Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Crispiniano de la Santísima Trinidad in Malaga, Spain (the long name was a commemoration to various saints and relatives). His father was an artist and professor at a school of crafts (and later on school of fine arts) and he grew up involved in art, taking to it at an early age. In fact, according to his mother, his first words were the nickname for pencil in Spanish. Picasso did so naturally well with art and painting that he was sent to the prestigious and renowned art school, Royal Academy of San Fernando, for advanced instruction. Unfortunately, or not unfortunately, he had trouble accepting formal instruction and soon left the school to continue on his own. This independence and desire to avoid conforming to school standards and a teacher’s formal instruction helped him to become the magnificent person we know him today to be.

Picasso later on moved to France and spent much of his time there, creating art, becoming famous, and developing ideas uncommon and unheard-of for his time period. Many experiences, including those with growing up middle class, World War II, communism, fame, and simply every day interactions helped to shape the unconventional mind that produced wondrously abnormal (yet intriguing) artwork.

Not only was he different in his work, but he was also one of the few people in history whose work (in their lifetime, mind you) was so extensive that it was able to be categorized in its own way. Picasso created around 50,000 pieces of work including, but not limited to thousands of paintings, sculptures, ceramics, drawings, prints, tapestries, and rugs. This alone is mind-boggling and amazing that one person can create this much art. Not just copies of works but pure art- creations, innovations, expressions of inner feelings, emotions, and points of view. Art that speaks more by itself than can ever be spoken or articulated by a human in words. This alone is a reason why he is the greatest person ever. Because of the magnanimity of his work, it is divided into periods, including the Blue Period (1901 –1904), the Rose Period (1905 –1907), the African-influenced Period (1908 –1909), Analytic Cubism (1909 –1912), and Synthetic Cubism (1912 –1919).

The Blue Period:

Just looking at these paintings makes you feel blue. This is the power that Picasso has over viewers. Without having to say a thing orally, he makes the observer see the pain and sadness that he felt-or is it that the man in the painting’s feelings? Nevertheless, he makes you think about what feelings and emotions are expressed by the old man sitting with his guitar. He makes you think about what the blind man is thinking as he eats his meal. As depicted by the title, the Blue Period consists of solemn, dark, gloomy, and melancholy paintings that were mostly painted with shades of blue. The suicide of one of his friends as well as a trip through Spain have been thought to have influenced the mood and tone of the paintings from this period.

The Rose Period:

The paintings from this period are more lively and cheerful and use more vibrant and warm colors. They also include more positive themes, thought to be influenced by increased exposure to French art and a friendship with a French muse. Again, Picasso’s paintings cause you to think (without realizing it too) who are those poor, seemingly lost souls from the circus? What is that boy with the pipe thinking? What must he be feeling to have that expression on his face? Picasso’s work never fails to make one think…think….think…

The African-Influenced Period:

The artwork from this period reflect a widening horizon of his artistic views, encompassing more variety and diversity in his subject matter. These paintings also represent a transition into Cubism and more abstract, avant-garde works. One looks at the painting above and is taken back by the difference it has from the average painting. Most people would paint a realistic portrait of someone, or maybe a picture of a bowl of fruits? No, Picasso may have painted a portrait but this portrait is unlike any other. This portrait is from his perspective, his point of view, albeit an abstract one, of what a certain individual looked like, if not in the physical sense maybe in an emotional or psychological sense.

The Analytic and Synthetic Cubism:

The work involved in this area involve even more obscure and profound designs, venturing further into uncharted territory in the ways that he hatched his creations. As seen in his works, there are more defined shapes, colors, designs. Objects stop looking realistic and become more unconventional, surreal, and innovative. In fact, with this work, Picasso helped the concept of surrealism to come about. Shapes and designs take on whole new meanings and they take thinking and conceptualism to a new level.

His 50,000 plus creations not only changed the standards for art, but also the standards for thinking. Instead of following set standards and guidelines, he dared to think outside of the proverbial box and he dared to be different. By coercing society to be more accepting of different and abnormal concepts, he broadened the horizons for many people to be able to come after him and develop new ideas. New concepts such as psychology, womens rights, and advanced science and technology were allowed to flourish after his work stretched the boundaries for thinking. By opening new windows and opportunities for all of us today through his fame and success, Picasso will be remembered as a great individual.

Sources:

http://www.biographyonline.net/artists/images/picasso4602.jpg

http://www.picasso.com/life/index.php

http://www.theartistpablopicasso.com/s2-picassoblueguitar-2.jpg

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/images/h2/h2_50.188.jpg

http://www.nga.gov/image/a0000e/a0000eb9.jpg

http://www.pablo-ruiz-picasso.net/images/works/61.jpg

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/p/picasso/uhde.jpg

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/p/picasso/ma_jolie.jpg

http://photos1.blogger.com/img/245/2818/640/italiangirl.3.jpg?force=1

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/P/picasso_syntheticcubism.html

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/p/picasso/rembrndt.jpg

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/p/picasso/self8.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Gar%C3%A7on_%C3%A0_la_pipe.jpg

What is it that makes a person GREAT? Is it their wealth? Is it their character? Or, is it their impact? Every individual has some impact on society, no matter how large or small, so greatness can come in degrees. However, a truly great person has a long lasting and influential impact upon society. The individual I have chosen is Frederick Wilhelm Nietzsche (Pronounced: Knee-Cha), German born philosopher, great for his thought-provoking and original ideas. After such a long and formal introduction, I hope I can meet your expectations.

SOME BIO

Born October 15, 1844 and died August 1900, the majority of Nietzsche’s life was destitute. At the age of four, his father died,He was sickly for a majority of his life (suffering from insomnia, weakness, etc.) and, towards the end of his life, fell into fits of strokes and seizures. Before this, however, he spent much of his time writing (and composing), eventually producing over 15 published books and a countless number of unpublished notes. It’s no surprise that he has such an extensive library considering how little sleep his must have gotten.

While he is most commonly known for his cryptic and seemingly depressing aphorisms, his works propose the importance of the physical world (over the spiritual or supposed) and the questioning of all beliefs (no matter how popular they may be).

GOD IS DEAD

Nietzsche is perhaps most famous for the phrase, “God is Dead,” and is usually seen as an atheist. However, he admired Jesus and the faith, but resented modern interpretations. Basically, he believed that instead of leading to a fulfilling life, adherence to modern interpretations leads a person to sink into submission.

“In Christianity neither morality nor religion has even a single point of contact with reality. Nothing but imaginary causes, ‘God,’ ’soul,’ ‘ego,’ ’spirit,’ ‘free will’- for that matter ‘unfree will,’ nothing but imaginary effects (’sin,’ ‘redemption,’ ‘grace,’ ‘punishment,’ ‘forgiveness of sins.’)(1)

Furthermore, Modern Christianity puts unnecessary restrictions on the individual. Guilt, a “bad conscience” is the result of “bad Christian morality that turns an evil eye to our natural inclinations.” This encourages that we act NOW in this life, on this plane, rather than accepting and hoping for a Heaven. The belief and Founder are fine, but the interpretations of their meanings are misconstrued, to Nietzsche. These ideas are important because they force society to look past the herd.

UBERMENSCH

Since God is now dead, the worst sin that one can do is not against their creator, but now against the Earth. (By sinning “against the Earth,” it is meant that man continues to live in his decadent ways, to not overcome what separates him from realizing his true potential. (and by “he,” I do mean both genders… ))

“All beings so far have created something beyond themselves… What is the ape to man? A laughingstock or a painful embarrassment. And man shall be just that for the overman: a laughingstock or a painful embarrassment…” (2)

Contrary to the Ubermensch (”overman”) is the Last man. The Ubermensch is not the Last Man because the Ubermensch will be overcome soon enough (ape to man, man to overman). However, the Last Man is the Last Man because he chooses to not work. “His race is as ineradicable as the flea; the last man lives longest.” (2)

He proposes these ideas as possible outcomes for mankind. If man chooses to surpass his faults and work towards greatness, he will go the way of the Ubermensch. However, if man falls into decadence, he will go the way of the Last Man.

PERSPECTIVISM

Perhaps his most important contribution to society is his idea of Perspectivism, which boils down to there being no absolutely neutral view of life, no “‘God’s eye’… from which one can survey everything that is” (Solomon). Think of it as making a Point of View comment on everything.

Nietzsche applies this to Science, believing that it can become slightly dogmatic at times. Although science claims that its truths are not absolute, it offers no other perspective for finding them. He offers another perspective, the “aesthetic” perspective. Take for example, a musical composition. In one way, a person can view the parts that make up the song (key and time signature, chord progressions, etc.) while in another way, they can simply admire the piece as a whole. He does not say that one is greater than the other, for both give different ideas, but that it would be wrong to wholeheartedly think through one perspective.

THE END

Earlier, I stated that a person’s greatness depends upon the impact upon society. In one view, Nietszche ’s impact on society depends on how his ideas have been accepted and interpreted. If few people have accepted his ideas, then his influence would be nil. However, his ideas have been used in many contexts.

Please do not take my words as the gist of Nietzsche’s ideas, for it would not do him justice to judge his ideas based upon my interpretations. For more information, check out the sources at the bottom. Good day to you all.

Thanks to these sites for the pictures…

“The aim of the wise is not to secure pleasure, but to avoid pain.“

When most people hear the name Aristotle they think of an ancient Greek philosopher and nothing else. This mind set however is without a doubt incorrect. Aristotle, although one of the most well-known and respected philosophers in history, contributed so much more to the world then just 100’s of philosophies.

THE ELEMENTS

One of Aristotle’s biggest contributions to the world is the his theory about the elements. Although his theory is not the information we use today, it still put down a foundation for biology and chemistry. This is because his theory was that all substances are made up of the basis elements. His four elements were water(wet), earth(dry),air(cold), and fire(hot). He stated that all elements and solutions could be made by mixing one or more of these elements.

OPTICS

Aristotle also came up with some of the original theories about optics. These theories included the diagram and obscura which now are key components to the camera. Although he did not make these theories in order to give a foundation for the creation of the camera, they still were used in this manner, and that makes these theories important to the history of man, since the camera is a way we use to document history.

PHILOSOPHIE- saving the best and most convincing evidence for last

Now for the thing that everyone knows Aristotle for, his numerous philosophies. Some of his most well known philosophies include his philosophies on ethics and his philosophies about politics, both of which are not only read today across the world, and in education institutes, but are also accepted as valid and fundamentally sound philosophies.

Ethics

His ethical philosophy states that ethics is something that is learned by doing rather than just reasoning. Also that ethics is more general knowledge and opinionated then set in stone rules that people should know. This philosophy alone makes him the most important person in history because this philosophy is the basis behind so many governments and the reason societies are the way they are. This is due to the fact that governments are forced to make laws that keep a society flowing and stable. In order to do this they make the laws on what they believe is right for their people. This means that because of Aristotle governments can make fair and just laws that relate to the ethics based on how the society functions, which more or less is how government’s and societies work. So in a nutshell because of Aristotle Governments and Societies have laws that allow them to function and remain stable.

Politics

The other philosophy that makes Aristotle the most important person of all time is his philosophies on politics. Aristotle believed that instead of the government being an all powerful being, it is a group of interconnected parts that act as an organism or a government that had multiple parts that could not survive unless all parts were working. This is important because not only was it the basis behind his book on philosophy, which today is one of the most accepted philosophies on politics, but it was also the basis behind countless governments including the World super powers that exist today.

Still not convinced that Aristotle is the most important person of all time. Well take this into account. Aristotle throughout his life wrote hundreds of philosophies. He then had these philosophies published and now today hundreds of his philosophies are being read and still accepted as valid. This means that not only did he write more text than most people to ever exist, he also has more things today that are being read and published than most people in history. Plus the people who read said philosophies that Aristotle wrote are the same people that are thought of to be the “Greatest person of all time”. So if such people like Machievelli, Plato,Thomas Aquinas, and even Alexander the Great, worked with or looked to Aristotle for guidance, and they are considered great, then Aristotle must be without a doubt, the “greatest individual of all time”.

In conclusion the reason that I believe that Aristotle is the “Greatest individual of all time” is because not only did he contribute so many philosophies and ideas that are still accepted as valid today, he also gavce some of the greatest minds in history a foundation to base their findings and theories off of. So not only is he a great individual because of what he accomplished during his lifetime, but also what he helped other people accomplish during their life time.

For those wondering the text in red, is the names of all the “important people” that would not have been important or as important as they are now if not for Aristotle’s contributions to the world.

Locations in which I found the desired information in which I found necessary to add to my blog so that I could further convince people of Aristotles superiority as “The Greatest Individual EVER”:

http://www.life.com/Life/millennium/people/01.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/8740/Aristotle.htm

http://www.gap-system.org/~history/Biographies/Aristotle.html

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/aristotle.html

Place I got the pictures to spice my essay up:

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Aristotle&sa=N&tab=wi&um=1

Karl Marx is the greatest ideological thinker of the 19^th century. He created an ideology that would lead to numerous revolutions, the creation of many countries, and great tensions, all of which would start from the time he  published his first work up through to the modern day. That creation of this ideology, Communism, is perhaps the main reason why he is the greatest individual in history, though he does have other factors that contribute to himself being the ”Greatest Individual in History” (his facial hair, for example, is another good reasonJ.)

Biography

Yet, the man himself was also an interesting character. He was born on May 5^th, 1818, to Hirschel and Henrietta Marx. His parents were both of the Jewish faith (a stark contrast to Marx’s statement that religion was the “opiate of the people”), yet his father, due to public discontent with the Jewish population in Trier, Germany (where Marx was born), “abandoned his Jewish faith”, and converted to Protestant Christianity (as did the rest of the Marx family.) By the time Marx was seventeen, he was already enrolled at Bonn University, where he hoped to make a career out of something relating to law. However, Marx was far from the hard-working, dedicated student (at first.) He goofed off, ran up debts, and got himself injured in a duel. However, after his father paid off his debts (what a nice dad) and sent him to Berlin University, Marx became a much more serious student. At Berlin University, his life would change forever, and the man known to the world as Karl Marx would be born.

At Berlin University, Marx met Bruno Bauer, a radical and atheist professor who helped Marx develop his own feelings regarding his view on the world. However, Hirschel Marx died in 1838 (which meant that his main source of income died as well), and Marx’s attempts to gain a lecturing position at Berlin University, in order to obtain a job (and pay his bills), failed mainly because the man whom he thought would help him gain a position there (Bauer) was fired, due to his radical beliefs.

Marx later found a semi-stable job as a journalist; however, his views and works, alongside the works of Moses Hess (a prominent socialist) and Bauer, drew the ire of the then Prussian government, which promptly banned the paper that Marx was part of (The Rhenish Gazette), and the potential of arrest drove Marx and his new wife, Jenny von Westphalen, to France.

When Marx arrived in Paris, France, in 1843, he quickly returned to what he previously had done in Prussia/Germany. He became a journalist as a part of another newspaper/ journal, The Franco German Annals, and declared himself a communist.  He also tried to unite French socialists and German radicals with his book Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher, though it seemed to fail in its attempt. Marx also became friends with Friedrich Engels, a certain someone who would help Marx spread his communist belief. Finally, in Paris, Marx outlined the most important concept of the birth of communism, the idea of the overthrow of bourgeoisie by the proletariat (i.e., the idea that history is made up of class struggles.) Marx’s status again got him into trouble. In 1845, two years after he arrived in Paris, Marx was exiled from the city, and fled to Brussels, Belgium.

After writing several other works, such as The Poverty of Philosophy, Marx published the Communist Manifesto in 1848.

Shortly after that work’s publication, it seemed like Marx’s dream of Communism would come true (or at least begin to come true). In Austria, revolutionaries, or democrats as they were called, seized power, and the Austrian king fled the country. However, by 1849, the Austrian government had regained its power and crushed the rebellion. The once promising look of Communism seemed to fade a great deal.

After those seemingly devastating losses for Communism, Marx’s life took a turn for the worse. Marx and his wife, along with his numerous children (he had up to six children but only three of them survived) lived in a three bedroom apartment in London (After arriving in Belgium, Marx was expelled a short time later, and only England, with its strong ideals regarding freedom of speech, allowed Marx to remain.) Marx’s main source of income was Friedrich Engels (who sent him cut up £1 and £5 notes; an interesting way to send money) and Marx himself, whenever was able to publish articles in the local newspaper. Although Marx continued to publish many of his works, such as Capital, most of his work never fully saw the light of day, for most governments did not like the look of Marx’s Communism (weird, huh? A government disliking something that called for the end of all controlled governments.)

In 1871, Marx was revitalized at the sight of Parisian revolutionaries revolting against the French government. He was devastated again, however, when the French government brutally and quickly suppressed the revolt.

By 1881, Marx’s will to live had been, for the most part, sapped. His hopes for a great Communist arrival had died, and he himself was also dying. His wife, Jenny, and his eldest daughter, also named Jenny, died shortly before Marx, which probably contributed to his already declining health. On March 14, 1883, Marx passed away, and the greatest philosopher of the 19^th century ceased to be.

Why?

Though his life was fraught with troubles, and although he never managed to have even a resemblance of a stable life, Marx is one of the greatest individuals in society. Not greatest, with regards to his “good” nature, but great with regards to how he shaped the world around him. Within forty years of his death, V.I. Lenin had overthrown the tsarist state in Russia, and created the U.S.S.R.. Marx’s philosophy was at the base of Lenin’s ideology, even though Lenin’s philosophy differed from that of Marx’s. Less than eighty years after his death, Mao Zedong drove Chinese Nationalists from China, and established the People’s Republic of China. Mao’s philosophy, like Lenin’s, had been born from Marx’s philosophy, even though Mao’s philosophy was different than Marx’s (Marx, however, impacted both.) Aside from Marx’s philosophy leading to the creation of several new governments/nations (aside from the above, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Poland also became Communist governments), Marx’s philosophy can also be attributed to numerous revolutions fought in the name of Communism. The revolutions which took place in Austria and Paris (mentioned above), alongside the Chinese and Russian Revolutions (which resulted in the formation of the U.S.S.R and The People’s Republic of China) were fought for in the name of Communism, and in the name of Marx. Even the major tension between the Soviets and the Americans, which occurred during the Cold War, was mainly in part because this cold war was a battle between the ideas of Capitalism and Communism (though great leaders kept the tension alive, it was the ideology which started and helped to continue the war.) Another item of notice about Karl Marx, which adds to his status of being the greatest individual in history, is the fact that he created a theory that, at least in name, was already being used in many countries at a rate which was surprising for its age. For example, a large percentage of the eastern part of Asia, within one hundred years of its birth, was Communist (such as the countries of China, Russia, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, etc.) It is remarkable that a socioeconomic theory, a mere century after its birth, had spread to encompass such a large amount of the globe. Even more surprising that this quick spreading theory was created by only a few people, the most prominent of those people being Karl Marx himself. His ability to help spread this idea is only another testament to his role as being the greatest individual in history. One could also cite the fact that from Marx’s idea of Communism, modern day Socialism was born, meaning that Marx continues to have a profound impact on the day to day matters which happen in the United States (and any other country that uses socialism, such as Great Britain, Australia, Sweeden, etc). Just think of such socialist programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. These programs play a big part in American (as well as the countries mentioned above) life, and they are hotly debated as to whether or not they should even exist, which further adds to Marx’s credit as being able to influence the world, despite his physical death.

 Marx is the greatest individual in history. Not for his savoir-faire, or for his good intentions, but because of his ability to create, and the resulting socioeconomic philosophy which was born from it.

Red Countries were/are countries that utilize(d) a Lenin-Marxism Ideology, Yellow Countries use(d) Maoism, and Black countries used another form of Communism. (Picture represents countries during the Cold War).

Thanks to these sites for the information:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm

http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/marx.html

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0555631/bio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communism

http://www.amarxica.com/pages/programs.html

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_security

Thanks to the following sites for the pictures:

http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/poli/images/Karl_Marx.jpg

http://gryphonscry.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/karlmarx.jpg

http://kenbaker.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/the_cold_war.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/CommunistSplit.png

Everyone knows this name, whether they are a classical music fan or not. Beethoven is argued to be one of the greatest composers if not THE greatest composer in history. Why is he truly the greatest individual? Because the influence of music reaches absolutely everyone, no matter their age, race, economic class, language, or location, and Beethoven made this art form more relate-able than in the early periods of classical music.

The history of classical music can be divided up into about four periods: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th Century. The first two periods, Baroque and Classical, are characterized by a number of rules about the structure and contents of music. If a composer were to break away from these restrictions, their music would get bad reviews from critics and closed-minded audiences and they would soon be out of work. So, to an untrained ear, earlier music all sounds pretty much the same. I personally still do not feel an emotional connection to Baroque music, because I quickly get bored listening to it.

Beethoven entered the music world at the end of the Classical period and himself transitioned everyone into the Romantic period. This period is characterized by feeling and emotion. Music gained not only more complexity, but more simplicity in understanding what is being played. Beethoven broke away from the conventions of early Classical music and wrote what he truly felt rather than what was accepted by high society of that time.

Because music was more easily understood, it gained a wider audience, not just that of the aristocracy. People could feel what Beethoven was trying to convey through his compositions, and so classical music was more highly appreciated in general. Though this was not the case in the beginning of his career.

The premier of his first symphony was not received with open arms. The audience that attended the premier found the symphony strange, overly extravagant, even risque. Beethoven was already pushing the boundaries that were previously set by the Baroque and Classical periods of music. As he composed and premiered each symphony, more and more conventions were pushed and even broken. But, as time passed, it became normal to break the rules, and his music was increasingly more loved, not only by the common people but by future influential composers as well. Franz Liszt went on to transcribe all of Beethoven’s symphonies to piano as well as compose his own works, including his ever famous Hungarian Rhapsodies. Franz Schubert, though never having been close to Beethoven, was a huge fan of his and was forever influenced as is apparent in his music. He was even buried next to Beethoven when he died.

What makes Beethoven even more great was his continuity in the face of adversity. After the premier of his first symphony, he was known to have complained to his friends of his oncoming deafness. In a text he wrote at Heiligenstadt, he expressed his disgust at this fact, that as a musician it was unfair for him to have to deal with such an ailment. Even though he complained, he never gave up or killed himself, as was common in the time period in which he lived. If only for his music, he kept composing. The reason why is expressed in a quote from the man himself: “What is in my heart must come out. That is the reason why I compose.” And his music did convey what was in his heart, because his audiences felt what he felt, and this created a wider appreciation for classical music as a whole.

Why is this appreciation so important? There are more spoken languages in this world than can be counted, and when you add in the number of dialects, understanding everyone just becomes impossible. Music is a language that can be understood by everyone, regardless of the language and dialect of the region. Music brings people together to feel common emotions that are the same for every human being, and because of Beethoven’s transition into a period of increased musical understanding, people internationally are better able to relate to one another.

A good example of his music that clearly conveys emotion is his very well known ‘Ode to Joy’. This music, an excerpt from the last movement of his Ninth and final symphony, is appropriately titled. When you listen to it, you don’t think of how sad it is, or how pensive it is. The piece is a very obvious declaration of happiness that is felt by everyone who listens to it.

Beethoven did not only revolutionize music forever, but in the long run, he improved international relations as well. This is what makes him the Greatest individual in history.

Information gathered from the following websites:
http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html
http://www.dsokids.com/2001/dso.asp?PageID=460
http://www.biography.com/articles/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-9204862

Hey there 5th period WHAP friends! As everyone here knows our assignment was to determine. “Who is the Greatest Individual in World History?” Now this seemingly one dimensional question, in fact isn’t so one dimensional but rather a question with many facets. According to Websters Dictionary Greatest can mean, ” distinguished; famous, of noble or lofty character, important; highly significant or consequential,   wonderful; first-rate; very good,  of extraordinary powers; having unusual merit; very admirable.” As we can see there are a plethora of acceptable definitions, thus this one-dimensional question becomes a multidimensional problem. However, luckily I think I may have found the answer to this complex problem, the answer being…THE GREAT MUSTACHED MAN, JOSEPH STALIN!

Okay so I know what you’re thinking, “Sure, sure, of course you have the greatest individual in world history… so does every other person in 5th and 2nd period. But the real question is how does Joseph Stalin define himself, from all the other “greats” or “wannabe greats”.” My answer to this is well… it isn’t simply his facial hair that makes him the greatest individual to ever roam this earth: it is his standing as the world’s greatest political force, his impact on the life and death of 60 million people, and his role in defining the identity of Russia for the following 65 years, that makes him the greatest person to ever live in human history. Sure Stalin did terrible things as we will find out later in this post but the terrible things sure did change the face of modern politics, modern culture, and the way we as humans and even we as students view the world today. (P.S. although these claims may seem a little bombastic , I’ll just ask you to stick with me and I’ll prove their absolute validity!)

JUST A TINY, TINY BIT OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Alright, I’m not here to write a biography on Stalin BUT it is important to have a basic understanding of Stalin’s upbringing to give some sort of insight into the method of his madness. Born in Georgia in 1879 to a highly dysfunctional family, it’s fair to say little baby Stalin didn’t have the easiest upbringing. WIth an absent family and a life filled with poverty little baby Stalin had to rough it out. Even when given the opportunity to study to be a priest (a strange career path for a man who would become history’s greatest cutthroat politician) Stalin flunked out and instead joined various revolutionary circles. Additionally, he was mildly disabled by a mangled arm, and developed a ,”strong, romanticized desire for greatness and respect, combined with a shrewd streak of calculating cold-heartedness towards those who had maligned him. He always felt a sense of inferiority before educated intellectuals, and particularly distrusted them.” (PBS, 1999).

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN??

Now when we are talking about Stalin we are talking about a ruthless leader, one who staged the assassination of his top aide so he could have an excuse to execute 100+ politicians thus ending the age of the Bolsheviks and getting rid of any political opposition. Could his harsh actions be traced back to his childhood and the resentment he felt towards intellectuals, the answer is yes. The significance is that, in part, his ruthlessness bred from a very young age aided his genius as a political leader and enabled him to rule Russia with an iron fist. Trotsky, the communist leader and intellectual before and during Stalin’s rule, was ousted and sent into exile in 1929. Lenin and his group of highly intellectual communist revolutionaries were politically crippled by Stalin’s smash mouth, all business no play attitude towards politics. To put Stalin’s political tactics in perspective or even something easier, one word, it would be Machiavellian. Stalin is to be considered the great unifier of Russia because he simply destroyed all of those that would get in the way of his political agenda to unify Russia. Now some may say, “How can you justify a man who killed supposedly 20,000,000 people directly with his political policies and another 30,000,000 + indirectly through starvation, war, etc..?” My answer would be: How is Stalin any different from the long line political attacks done by the United States against small defenseless countries. It is no secret that the U.S. has done a lot of unjustifiable, and cruel actions to advance its political agenda or to raise its wealth. Click here>>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WstddMJZQ for more insight. In fact, it is fair to say that Stalin offers the world the very personification, the archetype of the Machiavellian Theory, as well as an archetype for how communism can practically be put to use. Sure Karl Marx might have looked down  upon Stalin’s no holds style of politics (if he was alive) but did Karl Marx ever raise a small crumbling country into an industrial super power?? NO! How about Lenin? Or Trotsky? Sure they were great communists, they read their books! How nice…But there comes a time when one has to put down one’s communist manifesto or books about how nice a revolution would be, and simply DO WORK. Stalin didn’t have the intellectual backing but he was a natural politician and he knew how to get what he wanted, what he thought was best for Russia.

A MAN WITH GOALS

As discussed before, Stalin was a “Machiavellian”, he had a plan for Russia and he would do anything this to achieve that plan (essentially to turn Russia into an industrial powerhouse, military powerhouse, and political superpower). Stalin also did a lot, A LOT, A LOT of terrible things to achieve his goals, but one question should come to mind,” How did he sustain power?” Well the answer has two parts to it. One he destroyed any political opposition and, two, he was able to put much of Russia into disillusion about his true character. Meaning that he had one darn good public image council. Below we can see Mr. Dictator Stalin playing with children, a tactic used to make him seem like a benevolent father figure.

AWWWW ISN’T THAT CUTE!!!

Well if you think that’s cute why not take a peak at this next picture. It kind of serves as a reality check on the whole benevolent father figure thing. Sorry.

Children Sent to Labor Camps to Starve because of Their Country’s Political Opposition to Stalin.

Stalin was the master of Propaganda. He was so deft in his abilities to blind the masses that EVEN TODAY we all consider Adolf Hitler to be the worlds most atrocious mass murderer, however, this blind assumption is no where close to being true. Between the years 1937-1938 Stalin initiated the Great Purge killing 1,704,230 people. From 1946–1948 nearly 1,500,000 people died from Soviet Economic Policy and the Soviet entitlement system A.K.A Starvation. During the Holodomor Famine or The Ukrainian Genocide Stalin cut off food from Ukraine causing 7 to 10 million deaths. At the height of the famine 25,000 died per day or 1,000 per hour or 17 per minute. These examples show the reign of terror under Stalin but they also exemplify the ignorance that much of the world lives under. Besides the Great Purge I had no idea that Stalin had killed 7 to 10 Million people in Ukraine in only two years! This is mind blowing stuff because it has unseen modern day implications. 10 million people disappearing from your country is a major deal, that could very well be an entire generation gone. 10 million people is equivalent to the entire Maryland population dying one year, being re-born the next year, and then again dying the following year. You can imagine that losing that many people, even in Maryland, would drastically change the way of life for future generations and for the following decades.

LET”S HEAR WHAT STALIN HAS TO SAY

From the words of Stalin, I believe we can learn a voluminous amount of information about the impact he made on the world simply from his words. I encourage you, as the reader, to draw your own inferences on what his words mean for humanity, for politics, for war, for peace, and for human condition. Why while you’re contemplating what Stalin’s words mean  why not enjoy the USSR National Anthem performed by the Red Army Choir =DDD.

• Death is the solution to all problems. No man - no problem.

• Gratitude is a sickness suffered by dogs.

• I trust no one, not even myself.

• Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.

• In the Soviet army it takes more courage to retreat than advance.

• One death is a tragedy; one million is a statistic

MY REFLECTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

What I took out of these very enlightening quotes is idea that I mentioned before, the idea that the ends justify the means. Russia at the time of Stalin coming to power (1924) was stuck in an era of uncertainty, however, Stalin was able to look at life and look at the building of a nation in the most simplistic way possible. It was a game to him and people where merely pieces. Every game has its obstacles, sometimes you can finesse your way around them or in Stalin’s case you knock the living hell out of them. Nonetheless, when these obstacles fall they leave imprints. If it were not for Stalin immobilizing Russia the Nazi’s could have rolled into Asia and beyond. (Look here>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2d8fSZfXoE&feature=fvw for a video of the annual celebration parade that commemorates the Russia victory against the Nazis.) Stalin was even an inspiration to Mao Zedong and his establishment of the Communist Republic of China (a communist regime which still exists today). Stalin was a ruthless leader in ruthless times. It is impossible to endorse his methods or qualify his actions but at the same time only he can be credited for Russia becoming a modern country. He exemplifies the Machiavellian approach to politics, the pragmatic side to communism, and through his cutthroat political agenda, not only did he affect his own people but the citizens of the world. Yes, Joseph Stalin was a mass murderer but no human, no great individual will ever be able to affect the lives of generations upon generations of people like he did. For these reasons Mr. Joseph Dictator Man Stalin is THE GREATEST INDIVIDUAL IN WORLD HISTORY!!!

Thanks to These Sources:

1. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/joseph_stalin.html
2. http://www.pbs.org/redfiles/bios/all_bio_jos
3. http://www.google.com/search (THANKS FOR THE PICS)
   
4. http://www.youtube.com
5. http://www.lonympics.co.uk/holocauststats.htm
6. http://www.infoukes.com/history/famine/
7. http://www.merriam-webster.com/