The history of mankind knows many names of those who, through their actions, changed the fate of the world. Many people think that only rulers and statesmen can influence the course of historical development, but this is far from the case.

Powers that be

Julius Caesar is a famous ancient Roman statesman and dictator. Caesar became famous as one of the greatest commanders. He not only significantly expanded the territory of the Roman state, laying the foundation for an empire - a new page in the history of Rome, but also, in fact, reshaped the political life of Europe. In addition, being a talented writer, he made a huge contribution to the development of European culture.

The greatness of Caesar in the eyes of his descendants is evidenced by the fact that subsequent emperors of Rome took his name as a designation for their title. It also became a household name for the rulers of other states and eras (tsar, kaiser).

Genghis Khan is the legendary conqueror and founder of the Mongol Empire. Having destroyed a number of once powerful ancient states, he created the largest empire in human history. It included gigantic territories - from the Danube River to the Sea of ​​Japan and from North-West Rus' to Southeast Asia. Genghis Khan was not only an outstanding conqueror, but also a wise politician who established a clearly functioning state system. For the peoples of Asia, he is not just the main character, but almost a sacred personality.

Napoleon is a great commander and statesman, the founder of the modern French state. He led a series of victorious wars that turned France into a major European power. His rapid rise and subsequent fall amazed the minds of his contemporaries. Napoleon changed the idea of ​​the role of the individual in history, becoming for some a symbol of courage and amazing human capabilities, and for others an example of a power-hungry, ready to destroy himself in the name of glory.

Peter I is a Russian emperor, statesman and reformer. In his era, everything new was associated with the name of Peter: a new dynasty, a new form of political structure, a new capital, a new army, a new culture. His large-scale reforms changed all spheres of life in Russian society. In addition, Peter expanded the territories of Russia and, thanks to a victorious war with Sweden, gained access to the Baltic Sea. Historians have diametrically opposed views on this extraordinary personality, but no one doubts that Peter’s activities brought Russia to a completely different level of civilizational development, putting it on a par with the leading European powers.

Strong-willed

Jesus Christ is the founder of one of the three, which is professed by more than a third of the world's population. According to Christian doctrine, Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world, who, through his atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection from the dead, reconciled people with God and opened the way for them to the Kingdom of Heaven. Even those who do not recognize Christ as Lord do not recognize the fact that this real person changed the world with his dedication and love. The life story and teachings of Christ became a source of inspiration for millions of people, among whom were many cultural and artistic figures.

By the number of times his name is mentioned in literature, Christ is the most popular person on earth.

Christopher Columbus is a legendary navigator and the world's most famous traveler. Columbus was the first to cross the Atlantic Ocean and, as is commonly believed, discovered two continents - North and South America. Thanks to his voyages, Europe became acquainted with a hitherto unknown world and entered a new era - the time of colonial expansion. And although many scientists believe that Columbus was not the discoverer of America, his voyages certainly had a huge historical significance. At the same time, the personality of Columbus himself, despite his universal fame and the many scientific works devoted to him, still remains shrouded in mystery.

Karl Marx is a philosopher, revolutionary, and the world's most famous economist and sociologist. Founder of historical materialism and the theory of class struggle. The ideological inspirer of the communist movement and socialist revolutions. The creator of a philosophical, political and economic doctrine that largely changed the fate of the world. At the end of the last century, almost half of the world's population lived in countries with so-called Marxist regimes. Karl Marx became a man whose fanatical love and fierce hatred for his ideas do not fade to this day.

Gagarin is a Soviet pilot-cosmonaut, the first in the history of mankind to fly into outer space. People may not know, for example, who invented the wheel or invented the bicycle. But the name of the first man in space is on everyone’s lips. He became the one who became convinced with his own eyes that the Earth is round. At one time, Gagarin's flight was the main news in the world, and Yuri Alekseevich himself turned into one of the most famous people. According to surveys, Gagarin is the favorite hero of the last century for Russians. Thanks to him, the most incredible dream of mankind - flight into space - came true.

The complexity and ambiguity of understanding the problem of the role of the individual in history is visible in the example of Marxism, despite the fact that, as is known, it most consistently defends the primacy of social laws over other factors of historical development. Plekhanov most systematically expressed Marxist views on this problem in his work “On the Question of the Role of the Individual in History.” Nevertheless, among modern researchers (Lukach, 1991; Aron, 1993; Karsavin, 1993; Grinin, 1998, etc.) some aspects of it cause quite reasonable criticism. For example, the fact that the author speaks almost only about great and progressive figures, while there were much more insignificant, reactionary, bloodthirsty, insane, etc., who often played a very large role. However, the main mistake is that he tries to see social laws as inexorable, eternal, unchanging, hence the belittlement of the role of the individual. Recognizing the development of productive forces as the main, most general historical cause, he writes: “Next to this general cause, special causes operate, i.e. the historical situation in which the development of the productive forces of a given people takes place and which itself is created in the final instance by the development of the same forces in other peoples, i.e. the same common cause." “Finally, the influence of special causes is complemented by the action of individual causes, i.e. personal characteristics of public figures and their “accidents”, thanks to which events finally receive their own individual physiognomy.” “Single causes cannot produce fundamental changes in the action of general and special causes, which also determine the direction and limits of the influence of individual causes.” It seems that Plekhanov imagines history as a pre-written performance in which the director can replace the actor, but will still do what is specified in the script. The author involuntarily proceeds from the idea of ​​the existence of the meaning of history before the events took place. If you abandon this approach, then it is not at all easy to answer the endless questions that arise as soon as you delve into the history of any country. Why do insignificant individuals sometimes play such a huge role, while great heroes fail? What is the reason for the demonic success of usurpers and tyrants (Ivan the Terrible, Stalin, Hitler, etc.) who enslave society, and why often reformers (Boris Godunov, Alexander II, Khrushchev, etc.), trying to liberate it, lose their lives or are overthrown? Why do some tyrants calmly end their lives, while uprisings arise against others? Why are some ideas so easily perceived and become, in the words of K. Marx, “material force,” while others, seemingly very relevant, run into a wall of misunderstanding? How the activities of certain individuals affected the country and the whole world, and what would happen if this leader died. How did the characteristics of your character and environment affect you? Etc. The answers given are different; true and false statements are intertwined in them. “The role of the individual is determined by the organization of society,” Plekhanov correctly writes. But then why is it given such a small role in his theory? After all, if the character of society is such that it allows one to rule arbitrarily, then with the coming to power of a new personality, the historical outline can no longer become dependent on the character of society, but on the desires and personal qualities of the ruler, who will begin to attract social forces to satisfy them. And at the moment of the decisive battle for the primacy of two leading world powers, when the outcome may depend mainly on the luck and talent of the commanders, will the character of society always have a noticeable impact? “Not an idea, not a dream, but a mysteriously great man stands here, as elsewhere, at a turning point in history,” writes one of the supporters of the exaggerated role of the individual, A. Jülicher (Jaspers, 1994, p. 176.). This is also true, but a very difficult question arises: was this “mysteriously great man” caused by the era or, on the contrary, did he create it himself (did the Arab people, looking for a new idea, call Mohammed, or did the latter himself bring the Arabs out of historical oblivion?). So, is any individual capable of becoming the most important independent factor changing society (the era, the prevailing views) depending on his understanding of the matter, or does he only realize what was laid down by previous development and which must inevitably manifest itself? In other words, would the course of history have changed in some cases if this or that person had not been present, or, on the contrary, if the right figure had appeared at the right moment? For Plekhanov, the position that the role of the individual is determined by the organization of society serves only as a way to prove the triumph of harsh, inexorable Marxist laws over the will of man. Modern researchers (Lukach, 1991; Aron, 1993; Karsavin, 1993; Grinin, 1998, etc.) note that within the framework of the antinomy indicated by Plekhanov (see introduction), the issue cannot be resolved, since there is rightness in both approach. Moreover, as shown in the previous section, the individual is not a simple “cast” of society, but still has a completely definite attitude towards it with their active mutual influence on each other.

Human society changes and develops over time. This development of humanity over time is history. History is “the development of human society in relation to nature, the science of this process.”

Many thinkers have thought about the question: does history move by itself (i.e., are there some laws of history) or is it moved (created) by people? Thus, the most important problem is the problem of the relationship between objective and subjective factors of history. An objective factor is understood as the laws of development of society. These patterns exist objectively and do not depend on the will and desire of individual people.

The subjective factor is a person, his desires, will, actions. The subjects of history are diverse: the people, the masses, the social group, the elite, historical figures, ordinary people.

There are many theories that explain social development or, as is often said, the historical process. The historical process is a sequential series of events in which the activities of many generations of people are embodied. Let's look at some of them. There are two extreme points of view on the relationship between objective and subjective factors: fatalism and voluntarism. Fatalism (from Latin fatalis - rock, fate). Fatalists believed that everything was predetermined, that law prevailed, and man could not change anything. He is a puppet of historical necessity. For example, in the Middle Ages, the idea of ​​divine providentialism dominated (history develops according to a plan or predestination outlined by God). Voluntarism is based on the understanding that everything depends on the will of a person, his desires, there are no objective laws of social development, and history is created by great people who have a stronger mind and will.
Modern thinkers connected the development of the laws of society with human nature and the development of the mind. For example, French enlighteners believed that the laws of social development are determined by the development of the human mind. It is enough to change only public opinion, and the whole society will change. Changes in historical stages are based on changes in social consciousness.

G. Hegel raised the question of the relationship between the objective and the subjective in history in a new way. The world spirit (world mind) develops according to objective laws. The world spirit is an individual, a people, and a state, i.e. The world spirit is embodied in specific nations and people (that is, it is embodied in the subjective factor). People pursue their interests, but very often the results they achieve differ from the goal they set. This means that the pattern of development of the World Spirit interferes. Hegel called this “the cunning of the World Mind.”

Hegel compared the actions of a person in history to the actions of an arsonist: one peasant set fire to his neighbor’s house out of hatred for him, but due to a strong wind the entire village burned down. The goal and the actual result clearly do not coincide here.

Hegel considered the problem of the role of a great personality in history. He noted that it is not great personalities themselves who create history, but history itself creates heroes. Great is the personality that expresses the development of the World Spirit.

However, one should distinguish between outstanding personalities, whose contribution to history is positive and significant for society, and historical figures, which include tyrants and dictators. There is even a catchphrase - “the glory of Herostratus” - Herostratus burned the temple of Artemis of Ephesus, wanting to become famous.

Marx and Engels also considered the interaction of objective and subjective factors, but from a materialist position. It is based on the laws of development of material production, such as the primacy of social existence in relation to social consciousness, the primacy of the basis in relation to the superstructure, the law of correspondence of production relations to the nature and level of development of the productive forces.

Objective laws do not act on their own and they do not create history, people create history. The objective in society (the laws of history) is manifested only in the subjective factor, only through the activities of people. The laws of history are the resultant of all the efforts of its participants.

Marxists also paid attention to the role of great personalities in history. A great personality, firstly, is the person whose activities correspond to the objective laws of social development - progress, and secondly, best expresses the interests of a certain class. The main driving force in history is not individuals, but the masses, since the people create all material and spiritual benefits. Without the participation of the masses, large-scale historical action is impossible.

Hegel and Marx noted that history is the activity of a person who pursues his goals. In history, human activity is embodied in events. Events make up the living fabric of history. History is not static, but dynamic. History is a process. Both Hegel and Marx showed the dialectic of objective and subjective in society, showed that the objective in society is manifested only through the subjective.

Let us summarize the theories that explain the course of history: 1) history moves “according to a predetermined plan (divine or logical)”; 2) the character and development of society are “determined by material factors” (for example, climate, geographical conditions); 3) the laws of history are “the resultant of all the efforts of its participants.”

Thus, we will answer the question: what and who moves history. Both the objective course of events and the conscious activity of people matter.

“Historical circumstances provide different possibilities for their further development. The choice is presented to the actors.” A person has an influence on a historical event. The main subject (creator) of history is man. These are both the people (large masses of people) and individuals... “In history there is an opportunity for self-expression not only of great personalities, but also of the most ordinary people.”

Problems related to the role of the masses and individuals in history are included in the subject of social philosophy.

Philosophers trying to understand and comprehend the process of world history or the history of individual countries and peoples were faced with the question: what is the driving force of history, what causes and conditions the course and outcome of historical events, rise or decline in the lives of peoples, wars, uprisings, revolutions and others popular movements? At the head of all any significant events are one or another historical figure. These are people with different characters: with great will and determination or weak-willed; insightful, far-sighted, or vice versa.

These historical figures and personalities have a greater or lesser influence on the course and sometimes the outcome of events. Aren't these historical figures - Caesars, kings, tsars, political leaders, generals, ideologists - the true inspirers, movers, “culprits” of historical events, the main creators of history? Reactionary historiography attributes the creation of the Russian state to the Varangian princes, the unification of the principalities around Moscow, the gathering of Rus' to Ivan Kalita, and explains the transformation of Rus' into a powerful centralized state by the activities of Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great. Bourgeois and noble historians explain the English revolution of the 17th century as influenced by the personality of Cromwell.

World history is the result of the activities of great or outstanding leaders - this is the conclusion that was made by historians, philosophers, and politicians based on an examination of historical events. (idealism). The Marxist view, without in any way belittling the role of the individual, sees the primacy of society, social relations over the individual.

Of course, the role of the individual is great due to the special place and special function that it is called upon to perform.

In general form historical figures are defined as follows: these are individuals elevated by force of circumstances and personal qualities to the pedestal of history.

The question of the role of personality in history has its roots in antiquity. Already ancient scientists laid the foundation for a tradition according to which the individual and society are considered in close interrelation. But the most fruitful era in solving the question of an outstanding personality was opened by German classical idealism. According to Hegel, the most important distinguishing feature of an outstanding figure is a goal that contains such a universal that forms the basis for the existence of a people or state. It is the great people who best understand the essence of the matter, and all other people only assimilate this understanding of theirs and approve of it, or at least reconcile themselves with it. All other people follow these spiritual leaders because they feel the irresistible power of their inner spirit. People become great insofar as they want and realize great things, and, moreover, not imaginary and imaginary, but fair and necessary.

Hegel's concept had a great influence on the interpretation of questions about the subjects of history of many philosophical doctrines, including the Marxist concept. Marxists proceed from the position of the decisive role of the masses in history, while emphasizing the ability of the individual to influence the course of the historical process. Marxism removes the extremes of those historical and philosophical positions that overly emphasized either the role of the masses or individuals in the historical development of society. The roles of people and individuals in history are analyzed inextricably linked.

G. Hegel called world-historical personalities those few outstanding people whose personal interests contain a substantial element that constitutes the will of the World Spirit or the Reason of history. They are not only practical and political figures, but also thinking people, spiritual leaders who understand what is needed and what is timely, and lead others, the masses. These people, albeit intuitively, feel and understand historical necessity and therefore, it would seem, should be in this sense free in their actions and deeds. But the tragedy of world-historical personalities is that “they do not belong to themselves, that they, like ordinary individuals, are only instruments of the World Spirit, albeit a great instrument.”

Studying the life and actions of historical figures, N. Machiavelli wrote that happiness gave them nothing except chance, which brought into their hands the material to which they could give forms according to their goals and principles. It was necessary that Moses should find the people of Israel in Egypt languishing in slavery and oppression, so that the desire to get out of such an intolerable situation would motivate them to follow him. And in order for Romulus to become the founder and king of Rome, it was necessary that at his very birth he was abandoned by everyone and removed from Alba. Indeed, the beginning of the glory of all these great people was generated by chance, but each of them was able to attach great importance to these occasions and take advantage of them for the glory and happiness of the peoples entrusted to them.”

I.V. Goethe: Napoleon, not only a brilliant historical figure, a brilliant commander and emperor, but above all a genius of “political productivity”, i.e. a figure whose unparalleled success and luck, “divine enlightenment” stemmed from the harmony between the direction of his personal activities and the interests of millions of people for whom he was able to find causes that coincided with their own aspirations.

History is made by people in accordance with objective laws. The people, according to I.A. Ilyin, there is a great divided and scattered multitude. Meanwhile, his strength, the energy of his being and self-affirmation require unity - a single center, a person, a person outstanding in intelligence and experience, expressing the legal will and state spirit of the people.

A historical figure must be assessed from the point of view of how he fulfills the tasks assigned to him by history. A progressive person accelerates the course of events. The magnitude and nature of acceleration depend on the social conditions in which the activity of a given individual takes place.

The very fact that this particular person was nominated for the role of a historical figure is an accident. The need for this promotion is determined by the historically established need of society for a person of precisely this kind to take the leading place. The fact that this particular person is born in a given country at a particular time is purely coincidental.

In the process of historical activity, both the strengths and weaknesses of the individual are revealed with particular sharpness and prominence. Both sometimes acquire enormous social meaning and influence the destinies of a nation, people, and sometimes even humanity.

Since in history the decisive and determining principle is not the individual, but the people, individuals always depend on the people.

The activity of a political leader presupposes the ability to make a deep theoretical generalization of the domestic and international situation of social practice, the achievements of science and culture in general, the ability to maintain simplicity and clarity of thought in the incredibly complex conditions of social reality and to carry out planned plans and programs. A wise statesman knows how to vigilantly monitor not only the general line of development of events, but also many particular “little things”—at the same time he can see both the forest and the trees. He must notice in time a change in the balance of social forces, and, before others, understand which path needs to be chosen, how to turn a ripe historical opportunity into reality.

A huge contribution to the development of the historical process is made by brilliant and exceptionally talented individuals who created and are creating spiritual values ​​in the field of science, technology, philosophy, literature, art, religious thought and deeds: the names of Heraclitus and Democritus, Plato and Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, Newton, Lomonosov, Mendeleev and Einstein, Goethe, Pushkin and Lermontov, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky and others. Their work left a deep mark in the history of world culture.

G. V. Plekhanov wrote about two conditions, the presence of which allows an outstanding personality to have a great influence on the socio-political, scientific, technical and artistic development of society.

Firstly, talent must make a given person more relevant than others to the social needs of a given era,

Secondly, the existing social system should not block the path of the individual with his abilities. If the old, feudal order in France had lasted an extra seventy years, then the military talents of a whole group of people led by Napoleon, some of whom were former actors, hairdressers, and lawyers, could not have emerged. When one or another outstanding personality finds himself at the forefront of historical events, he often obscures not only other personalities, but also those mass social forces that nominated and support him, thanks to which and in the name of which he can accomplish his affairs. This is how the “cult of personality” is born.

Charismatic historical figure- a spiritually gifted person who is perceived and assessed by others as unusual, sometimes even supernatural (of divine origin) in terms of the power of comprehension and influence on people, inaccessible to an ordinary person. The bearers of charisma are heroes, creators, reformers, acting either as heralds of the divine will, or as bearers of the idea of ​​a particularly high mind, or as geniuses who go against the usual order of things.

C. de Gaulle: there must be an element of mystery in the power of a leader: the leader must not be fully understood, hence both mystery and faith.

Weber: the charismatic power of a leader is based on boundless and unconditional, moreover, joyful submission and is supported primarily by faith in the chosenness and charisma of the ruler.

A lot depends on the head of state, but, of course, not everything. Much depends on what society elected him, what forces brought him to the level of head of state. The people are not a homogeneous and unequally educated force, and the fate of the country may depend on which groups of the population were in the majority in the elections, and with what degree of understanding they carried out their civic duty. One can only say: such is the people, such is the person they choose.

There are a great many people who changed the world. These are famous doctors who invented cures for diseases and learned how to perform complex operations; politicians who started wars and conquered countries; astronauts who first orbited the Earth and set foot on the Moon, and so on. There are thousands of them, and it is impossible to tell about them all. This article lists only a small part of these geniuses, thanks to whom scientific discoveries, new reforms and trends in art appeared. They are individuals who changed the course of history.

Alexander Suvorov

The great commander who lived in the 18th century became a cult person. He is a figure who influenced the course of history with his mastery of strategy and skillful planning of war tactics. His name is written in golden letters in the annals of Russian history; he is remembered as a tireless, brilliant military commander.

Alexander Suvorov devoted his entire life to battles and battles. He is a participant in seven wars, led 60 battles without knowing defeat. His literary talent manifested itself in a book in which he teaches the younger generation the art of warfare, shares his experience and knowledge. In this area, Suvorov was many years ahead of his era.

His merit lies primarily in the fact that he improved the tendencies of warfare and developed new methods of offensives and attacks. His entire science was based on three pillars: pressure, speed and eye. This principle developed the soldiers' sense of purpose, development of initiative and a sense of mutual assistance in relation to their colleagues. In battles, he always walked ahead of ordinary military men, showing them an example of courage and heroism.

Catherine II

This woman is a phenomenon. Like all other personalities who influenced the course of history, she was charismatic, strong and intelligent. She was born in Germany, but in 1744 she came to Russia as a bride for the Empress’s nephew, Grand Duke Peter the Third. Her husband was uninteresting and apathetic, they hardly communicated. Catherine spent all her free time reading legal and economic works; she was captivated by the idea of ​​the Enlightenment. Having found like-minded people at court, she easily overthrew her husband from the throne and became the full-fledged ruler of the Russian Empire.

The period of her reign is called “golden” for the nobility. The ruler reformed the Senate, took church lands into the state treasury, which enriched the state and made life easier for ordinary peasants. In this case, the influence of an individual on the course of history implies the adoption of a mass of new legislative acts. On Catherine’s account: provincial reform, expansion of the rights and freedoms of the nobility, the creation of estates following the example of Western European society and the restoration of Russia’s authority throughout the world.

Peter the First

Another ruler of Russia, who lived a hundred years earlier than Catherine, also played a huge role in the development of the state. He is not just a person who influenced the course of history. Peter 1 became a national genius. He was hailed as an educator, a “beacon of the era,” the savior of Russia, a man who opened the eyes of the common people to the European style of life and government. Remember the phrase “window to Europe”? So, it was Peter the Great who “cut through” it in spite of all the envious people.

Tsar Peter became a great reformer; his changes in state foundations at first frightened the nobility, and then aroused admiration. This is a person who influenced the course of history in that, thanks to him, progressive discoveries and achievements of Western countries were introduced into “hungry and unwashed” Russia. Peter the Great managed to expand the economic and cultural borders of his empire and conquered new lands. Russia was recognized as a great power and its role in the international arena was appreciated.

Alexander II

After Peter the Great, this was the only tsar who began to carry out such large-scale reforms. His innovations completely renewed the appearance of Russia. Like other famous personalities who changed the course of history, this ruler deserved respect and recognition. The period of his reign falls on the 19th century.

The tsar's main achievement was in Russia, which hampered the economic and cultural development of the country. Of course, Alexander the Second’s predecessors, Catherine the Great and Nicholas the First, also thought about eliminating a system very similar to slavery. But none of them decided to turn the foundations of the state upside down.

Such drastic changes occurred quite late, since a rebellion of dissatisfied people was already brewing in the country. In addition, reforms stalled in the 1880s, which angered revolutionary youth. The reformer Tsar became the target of their terror, which led to the end of the reforms and completely influenced the development of Russia in the future.

Lenin

Vladimir Ilyich, a famous revolutionary, a personality who influenced the course of history. Lenin led a revolt in Russia against the autocracy. He led the revolutionaries to the barricades, as a result of which Tsar Nicholas II was overthrown and the communists came to power, whose rule spanned a century and led to significant, dramatic changes in the lives of ordinary people.

Studying the works of Engels and Marx, Lenin advocated equality and strongly condemned capitalism. The theory is good, but in reality it was difficult to implement, since the representatives of the elite still lived in luxury, while ordinary workers and peasants worked hard around the clock. But that was later, during Lenin’s time, at first glance, everything turned out the way he wanted it.

The period of Lenin's reign included such important events as the First World War, the Civil War in Russia, the cruel and absurd execution of the entire royal family, the transfer of the capital from St. Petersburg to Moscow, the founding of the Red Army, the complete establishment of Soviet power and the adoption of its first Constitution.

Stalin

People who changed the course of history... On their list, the name of Joseph Vissarionovich glows in bright scarlet letters. He became the "terrorist" of his time. The establishment of a network of camps, the exile of millions of innocent people there, the execution of entire families for dissent, artificial famine - all this radically changed people's lives. Some considered Stalin to be the devil, others to be God, since it was he who at that time decided the fate of every citizen of the Soviet Union. He was neither one nor the other, of course. The intimidated people themselves put him on a pedestal. The cult of personality was created on the basis of universal fear and the blood of the innocent victims of the era.

The personality who influenced the course of history, Stalin, distinguished himself not only by mass terror. Of course, his contribution to Russian history also has a positive side. It was during his reign that the state made a powerful economic breakthrough, scientific institutions and culture began to develop. It was he who stood at the head of the army that defeated Hitler and saved all of Europe from fascism.

Nikita Khrushchev

This is a very controversial personality who influenced the course of history. His versatile nature is well demonstrated by the tombstone erected for him, which was simultaneously made of white and black stone. Khrushchev, on the one hand, was Stalin’s man, and on the other, a leader who tried to trample on the cult of personality. He began radical reforms that were supposed to completely change the bloody system, released millions of innocent prisoners from the camps, and pardoned hundreds of thousands of those sentenced to death. This period was even called the “thaw”, as persecution and terror ceased.

But Khrushchev did not know how to bring big things to the end, so his reforms can be called half-hearted. His lack of education made him a narrow-minded person, but his excellent intuition, natural common sense and political instincts helped him stay in the highest echelons of power for so long and find a way out in critical situations. It was thanks to Khrushchev that it was possible to avoid a nuclear war during and also turn the bloodiest page in the history of Russia.

Dmitriy Mendeleev

Russia gave birth to many great generalists who improved various areas of science. But Mendeleev is worth highlighting, since his contribution to its development is invaluable. Chemistry, physics, geology, economics, sociology - Mendeleev managed to study all this and open new horizons in these fields. He was also a famous shipbuilder, aeronaut and encyclopedist.

The person who influenced the course of history, Mendeleev, discovered a way to predict the appearance of new chemical elements, the discovery of which continues to this day. His table is the basis of chemistry lessons at school and university. Among his achievements is also a complete study of gas dynamics, experiments that helped to derive the equation of state of gas.

In addition, the scientist actively studied the properties of oil, developed a policy for injecting investment into the economy and proposed optimizing the customs service. Many ministers of the tsarist government used his invaluable advice.

Ivan Pavlov

Like all individuals who influenced the course of history, he was a very smart person, had a broad outlook and inner intuition. Ivan Pavlov actively used animals in his experiments, trying to identify common features of the life activity of complex organisms, including humans.

Pavlov was able to prove the diverse activity of nerve endings in the cardiovascular system. He showed how he could regulate blood pressure. He also became the discoverer of the trophic nervous function, which consists in the influence of nerves on the process of regeneration and tissue formation.

He later became involved in the physiology of the digestive tract, as a result of which he received the Nobel Prize in 1904. His main achievement is considered to be the study of the functioning of the brain, higher nervous activity, conditioned reflexes and the so-called human signal system. His works became the basis of many theories in medicine.

Mikhail Lomonosov

He lived and worked during the reign of Peter the Great. Then the emphasis was placed on the development of education and enlightenment, and the first Academy of Sciences was created in Russia, in which Lomonosov spent many of his days. He, a simple peasant, was able to rise to incredible heights, run up the social ladder and turn into a scientist, whose trail of fame stretches to this day.

He was interested in everything related to physics and chemistry. He dreamed of freeing the latter from the influence of medicine and pharmaceuticals. It was thanks to him that modern physical chemistry was born as a science and began to actively develop. In addition, he was a famous encyclopedist, studied history and wrote chronicles. He considered Peter the Great an ideal ruler, a key figure in the formation of the state. In his scientific works, he described him as an example of a mind that changed history and turned the idea of ​​the management system upside down. Through the efforts of Lomonosov, the first university in Russia was founded - Moscow. Since that time, higher education began to develop.

Yuri Gagarin

People who influenced the course of history... It is difficult to imagine their list without the name of Yuri Gagarin, the man who conquered space. Star space has attracted people for many centuries, but only in the last century did humanity begin to explore it. At that time, the technical base for such flights was already well developed.

The space age was marked by competition between the Soviet Union and the United States. The leaders of giant countries tried to show their power and superiority, and space was one of the best options to demonstrate this. In the middle of the 20th century, competition began over who could send a person into orbit the fastest. The USSR won this race. We all know the landmark date from school: April 12, 1961, the first cosmonaut flew into orbit, where he spent 108 minutes. This hero's name was Yuri Gagarin. The day after his journey into space, he woke up famous throughout the world. Although, paradoxically, I never considered myself great. Gagarin often said that in those hour and a half he did not even have time to understand what was happening to him and what his feelings were.

Alexander Pushkin

He is called "the sun of Russian poetry." He has long become a national symbol of Russia, his poems, poems and prose are highly valued and revered. And not only in the countries of the former Soviet Union, but throughout the world. Almost every city in Russia has a street, square or square named after Alexander Pushkin. Children study his work at school, devoting him not only during school hours, but also outside of school hours in the form of themed literary evenings.

This man created such harmonious poetry that it has no equal in the whole world. It was with his work that the development of new literature and all its genres began - from poetry to theatrical plays. Pushkin is read in one breath. It is characterized by accuracy and rhythm of lines, they are quickly remembered and easily recited. If we also take into account the enlightenment of this person, his strength of character and deep inner core, then we can say that he really is a person who influenced the course of history. He taught the people to speak Russian in its modern interpretation.

Other historical figures

There are so many of them that it would be impossible to list them all in one article. Here are examples of a small part of Russian figures who changed history. How many others are there? This is Gogol, and Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy. If we analyze foreign personalities, we cannot help but note the ancient philosophers: Aristotle and Plato; artists: Leonardo da Vinci, Picasso, Monet; geographers and discoverers of lands: Magellan, Cook and Columbus; scientists: Galileo and Newton; politicians: Thatcher, Kennedy and Hitler; inventors: Bell and Edison.

All these people were able to completely turn the world upside down, create their own laws and scientific discoveries. Some of them made the world a better place, while others almost destroyed it. In any case, every person on planet Earth knows their names and understands that without these individuals our life would be completely different. Reading the biographies of famous people, we often find idols for ourselves, from whom we want to take an example and be equal in all our deeds and actions.