Although most people do not consider violence as a desired method for pursuing political goals, the most ruthless politicians in history certainly do not agree. Horrible acts of terror have been perpetrated by these leaders over the course of their time in power, yet the reasons are not always clear. Some have justified their actions as means to an end, while others have tried to keep their transgressions a secret. Yet whether the most ruthless politicians of all time made their actions public or not, fear seems to be a common denominator in the societies they ruled over.
If you read one of our previous posts about the greatest empires in history, then you surely noticed that violence was abundant in those societies. However, the target of this aggression has rarely been the general population. Instead, minorities and so-called enemies of the state have suffered at the hands of such ruthless politicians. Yet what motivated these leaders to take such brutal action against these groups? In most cases the main reason was to unite the majority of the population behind a common goal or threat, using minorities as scapegoats for national problems. Thus, although the most ruthless politicians in history might seem like sociopaths at times, their actions were mostly intended to increase their power.
Political goals by no means justify kidnapping, imprisoning, torturing, and killing innocent civilians, but understanding their importance does contribute to a better understanding of history. In some cases the violence generated by the most ruthless politicians in history helped them hold onto power for a long period of time, and even harness additional support amongst the local population. The reasons of course are numerous, and it is not our goal to cover them in this article, although they are quite interesting. Instead, we simply wish to present you with the following cohesive list of the ten most ruthless and bloody politicians in history.
10. Saddam Hussein
Throughout his 24 years in power, the leader of the Ba’ath Party and President of Iraq persecuted and killed more than 600,000 people. His victims were primarily Kurds and Shi’ites, although political opponents also suffered the same fate as these segregated minorities.
When Saddam Hussein can only make #10 on our list of the most ruthless politicians in history, you know it’s going to be filled with unspeakable tyrants. Discover who they are on the following pages.
9. Jean Kambanda
Jean Kambanda is notorious for leading the Hutu tribe of Rwanda on a bloody path against the Tutsis. This leader should be higher up on the list by some standards, since he arranged the genocide of more than 800,000 people in a single year.
8. Yakubu Gowon
As the dictator of Nigeria from 1967 to 1970, Yakubu Gowon ws responsible for over one million deaths. The violence was directed at the Biafrans, who wished to secede from Nigeria during the civil war.
7. Mengistu Haile Mariam
The communist military dictatorship of Mengistu Haile Mariam was extremely bloody, claiming the lives of more than 1.5 million people. After rising to power, the Ethiopian leader persecuted Eritreans and political opponents in the most ruthless manner.
6. Kim Il Sung
Kim Il Sung is an excellent example of a ruthless politician who enjoyed widespread support despite his acts of terror. Around 1.6 million North Koreans fell victim to his communist regime, although this figure also includes a great deal of civilians who died from famine.
5. Pol Pot
By the time Pol Pot’s reign came to an end, there weren’t many political opponents left in Cambodia. Or at least one would think so, since the communist regime claimed the lives of 1.7 million of them during the late 1970’s.
4. Ismail Enver Pasha
Despite the fact that Ismail Enver Pasha’s rule over the Ottoman Empire dates back almost 100 years, he cannot be excluded from this list. Although his reign only lasted five years, Pasha claimed the lives of two million Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians during this short period.
3. Adolf Hitler
As one of the most recognizable politicians on our list, Adolf Hitler certainly needs no introduction. This leader not only perpetrated the largest genocide in history, but is also responsible for World War II, bringing his headcount to around 30 million.
2. Joseph Stalin
Although Joseph Stalin fought against the Nazis during World War II, his reign was by no means any more peaceful than that of Hitler. In fact, Stalin had his own camps or “Gulags”, where political opponents and undesired minorities were tortured and slaughtered.
1. Mao Zedong
Championed as a hero for bringing communism to China, Mao Zedong would later be known as the most ruthless politician in history. Although many fell victim to famine and were not targeted directly by the regime, Mao’s reign of terror claimed the lives of around 60 million Chinese.
