Top 10 Most Influential People of All Time
Portrait of Jesus courtesy ChatGPT
Although “most influential” is ridiculously subjective, these 10 individuals are often named by historians, scholars, and surveys for their lasting impact on culture, science, religion, and governance (rather than fame alone):
- Jesus (0–33). Founder of Christianity, the modern calendar, and the beliefs of billions in today’s leading civilizations.
- Muhammad (570–63). Founder of Islam—influencing law, culture, geopolitics, and even humanity’s love of sugar, sweets, and desserts.
- Isaac Newton (1643–1727). Developed calculus, laws of motion, gravity, and established modern physics.
- Albert Einstein (1879–1955). Revolutionized physics with space-time and relativity, which profoundly impacted our current technology and worldview.
- Buddha (563–483 BC). Founder of Buddhism—influenced ethics, meditation, spiritual thought, and zen.
- Confucius (551–479 BC). Shaped East Asian thought, governance, and cultural values for over two centuries.
- Johannes Gutenberg (1400–1468). Invented the movable-type printing press and democratized knowledge which we still enjoy today.
- Alexander the Great (356–323 BC). Conquered much of the known world militarily and culturally. Never lost a battle.
- Genghis Khan (1162–1227). United Mongolia to create the largest contiguous empire in history, popularized meritocracy.
- Karl Marx (1818–1883). Influenced politics, economics, and revolutions worldwide with idealism that will not die, despite capitalism’s best efforts.
Honorable mentions: Galileo (astronomy and science), Leonardo da Vinci (art, science, engineering), Napoleon (politics, law, military), Martin Luther (religious/protestant reform), and Aristotle (philosophy, science, logic).