10- VIRACASACAS
Jean-Jacques Dessalines (1758-1806)
When: 1804
affected: 430 thousand people
Years before the independence movements in Latin America, a slave born in Guinea defeated Napoleon’s troops and turned Haiti into an independent country. Dessalines became involved with armed groups as a teenager and was acclaimed emperor of the new country in 1804. He died two years later, with the reputation of a dictator, trying to contain a group of rebels.
9 -LIBERATOR OF AMERICA
Simon Bolivar (1783-1830)
When: 1819
affected: 2.4 million people
Bolívar helped liberate six countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela and Peru). In addition to leading local armies against Spain, he also idealized a democratic country, Gran Colombia, which brought together present-day Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. The nation emerged in 1819 and split after his death.
8 – DEFEATED AND INFLUENTIAL
Maximilien de Robespierre (1758-1794)
When: 1789
affected: 2.8 million people
No other movement was as influential as the French Revolution, which had this intellectual among its main leaders. Interestingly, in France itself, the movement was short-lived, causing thousands of deaths by guillotine and ending up with Napoleon taking power. But the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity remained.
7 – KEPT THE TENDERNESS
Fidel Castro (1926-2016)
When: 1959
affected: 5.8 million people
A revolution is a popular movement organized to overthrow a government – a perfect definition for Fidel’s crowd. Starting with just 82 people, he swept across Cuba, built support, and rose to power. Comrade Che Guevara tried to repeat the example in Congo and Bolivia without success.
6 – THE OWNER OF THE CITY
George Washington (1732-1799)
When: 1776
affected: 2.5 million people
After the war for independence, the great US military leader was also the first president of the new nation. To ensure that the country was not invaded, did not break up and did not become a federation either, he called on all his political skill. In addition, he even chose the place to build the capital, named in his honor.
5 – FREEDOM OR DEATH
William of Orange (1533-1584)
When: 1579
affected: 2.4 million people
If Holland and Belgium are autonomous nations today, it is because of this man. Orange started the movement to defeat Spain’s army, one of the most powerful at the time. He died before seeing the Netherlands achieve definitive independence, which would only come in 1648. His family flag inspired that of the Netherlands.
4 – TYRANNIC REVOLUTION
Mao Zedong (1893-1976)
When: 1949
affected: 541 million people
Not every revolutionary is democratic – he can come to power with popular support and then install a dictatorship. That’s what happened to Mao. The leader began to gather supporters in China in 1927, crossed the country in the 1930s and only in 1949 brought the communists to control of the nation. He stayed in power until the end of his life and was directly responsible for the deaths of an estimated 50 million people.
3 – VICTORY FOR PEACE
Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)
When: 1947
affected: 350 million people
It’s hard to imagine a revolution without war, but he did it. With the policy of non-violence, which lasted 20 years and led him to face prison several times, he mobilized international public opinion and created political conditions that allowed India to become independent after nine decades dominated by the British.
2 – SICKLE AND HAMMER
Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924)
When: 1917
affected: 150 million people
Many of history’s greatest leaders were not military men, but smooth-talking intellectuals who managed to mobilize people. Lenin was a young man with no interest in politics and a guaranteed career in the Russia of the Tsars. At age 16, when his brother was arrested for trying to kill Emperor Alexander III, he embraced Marxism and led the most influential revolution of the 20th century.
1 – A GREAT EMPEROR
Julius Caesar (100-44 BC)
When: 44 BC
affected: 45 million people
After winning a long civil war against the senator Pompey, he transformed the Roman Republic into an empire that would only officially end in the year 476. It was such a radical change that it led the Romans, already very powerful, to reinforce their army and occupy places so far away. as for England. After 14 years of rule and great popularity, Caesar was assassinated, but he remained influential: Rome continued to expand and helped shape the West as we know it.