Even Though Unparalleled Deeds Offend Today, Great Men Did Shift History
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Napoleon’s ambition, decisiveness, and drive made him excellently suited to make the most out of the tumult of the revolution.
What about Great Women?
One of Beevor’s points is that the Great Man Theory “carries the insulting implication that women cannot be great leaders.” But appreciating Napoleon or Caesar does not exclude recognition of the achievements of female rulers. Maria Theresa of Austria is considered by some to be “the most important ruler of the age of Enlightened Absolutism.” Queen Victoria’s rule defined one of Great Britain’s most vibrant eras. Catherine the Great played a key role in turning the Russian Empire into a great power.
Beevor’s assertion that female rulers are somehow “much less susceptible to the narcissistic narratives so favoured by male dictators” appears silly to anyone who’s read a biography of Cleopatra or Catherine de Medici.
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