History's People: Personalities & The Past, Lecture 2

In the 2015 CBC Massey Lectures, the great Canadian historian Margaret MacMillan explores some of the people - good and bad, dreamers, explorers and adventurers - who have shaped their times and ours. One historian's view of the people of the past who have intrigued, horrified or engaged her. **This episode originally aired November 3, 2015.
 

"If someone other than Hitler had been in charge of Germany in the 1930s, would he or she have risked all in a war...?"

Margaret Thatcher, Woodrow Wilson, Joseph Stalin, and Adolf Hitler. All had immense ambition, and they were also lucky enough to be leaders at times when great changes were taking place -- changes that gave opportunities for action that they firmly seized. Sure in their own convictions, and in the inevitability of great historical forces in their favour, they were certain they always knew what was best.

Watch Margaret MacMillan on Hubris, The Pitfalls of Power in this excerpt from the web series and TV special "The Art Leading"

Ep. 4: Hubris, pitfalls of power

9 years ago

Duration 6:15

Extreme pride can inspire leaders to believe they’re infallible. In fact, their arrogance makes them anything but. Exhibit A: Margaret Thatcher.

 

• Watch the 6-part series on YouTube

• History`s People: Personalities and The Past is published by House of Anansi Press.