WASHINGTON D.C. - U.S. historian and psychiatrist Professor Arnold Ludwig characterized Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of the Modern Turkish Republic, as the greatest leader of the 20th century.
Ataturk was the greatest leader under 11 criteria classifying success and importance degrees of the various political leaders of the world.
Ludwig made the opening speeches of the conference organized by Ataturk Society of America, an institution in Washington D.C. to commemorate Ataturk.
Ludwig said he worked hard on criteria that may assess why some political leaders were so important and formed a system including 11 criteria by examining some prominent names, such as Julius Caesar, Napoleon and George Washington.
Ludwig said the criteria included: "forming a country, broadening territories, period of remaining in power, military achievement, social and economic success, statesmanship, being example morally, political heritage, and population of the country".
Ludwig said he made an analogy on hundreds of leaders in the 20th century under this system and Ataturk ranked the first.
Founder of communist China Mao Zedong ranked the second and U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ranked the third according to the criteria.
(AY)