Top 20 Most Controversial People in History

Top-20-Controversial-People-in-History

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the twenty figures in history whose actions, beliefs, and/or policies have been subjects of heavy debate. We will not be including people who are universally regarded as monsters, like Adolf Hitler.

#20: Thomas Edison

Often called the most prolific inventor in American history, we have Thomas Edison to thank for numerous life-changing creations, including the phonograph and the electric light bulb. Then again, maybe Edison didn’t actually give us these things. Maybe we just think he did. Edison has long been accused of taking credit for other people’s work and engaging in ruthless business tactics, painting him as more of a shrewd businessman than a creative genius. He was also known to cause harm to animals, like killing an elephant on Coney Island and being complicit in the electrocution of horses while helping to develop the electric chair. That is also another point of contention, with many having since argued against the merits of capital punishment.

#19: Mother Teresa

Her very name is synonymous with good deeds, having won the Nobel Peace Prize and being officially canonized by the Catholic Church. But the truth is actually a bit more complex than that. Mother Teresa has been criticized for her dogmatic views on contraception and abortion, but that’s the least of it. The medical care she provided was described as “haphazard,” with a “spiritual approach” in place of genuine medical knowledge. Enormous sums of money that she received as charity may have been mismanaged. She defended a priest accused of sexual assault and kept curious friends, like Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier and fraudster Charles Keating. And some have even argued that she engaged in forced conversions by baptizing patients without their consent.

#18: Oliver Cromwell

While he is celebrated by some as a champion of democracy and religious freedom, others view Oliver Cromwell as a dictator who ruled with an iron fist - including future leader Henry VIII, who is equally controversial. The Cromwell family has links to Henry VIII, and Oliver would later help execute Charles I and establish the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Cromwell has long been criticized for his violence and dictatorial actions, like abusing his power with the New Model Army. He is also fiercely criticized for his brutal conquest of Ireland, which included killing up to 50% of the native population, sending the country into famine, and taking 50,000 native Irish as indentured laborers.

#17: Martin Luther

A hugely influential figure in Christian history, Martin Luther formed the backbone of the Protestant Reformation and challenged the authority of the Catholic Church. But with great change comes great division. Luther’s actions led directly to a schism within Western Christianity as Protestant denominations broke away from Roman Catholicism, and his call for radical change provoked wars and violent upheavals. His late writings also expressed vehemently antisemitic views, and he publicly promoted the burning of synagogues. Some even contend that Luther’s antisemitic philosophy eventually inspired the creation of the Nazi Party. Now that is not a good legacy to leave behind.

#16: Maximilien Robespierre

Maximilien Robespierre was a divisive figure in his day, and he’s a divisive figure today. Robespierre advocated strongly for many important rights and progressive stances. However, he was one of the leading figures of the French Reign of Terror, and his reputation is marred by his incredible penchant for violence. Many see him as an authoritarian figure who prioritized ideological purity over human rights, and many argue that he hoped to form a dictatorship in France. He also enforced his revolutionary laws through force with his radical political group La Montagne and authorized countless executions via the guillotine. But he himself became a victim of the blade, and he was executed in 1794.

#15: Henry Ford

Thanks to his innovative practices, Henry Ford provided vehicles to the middle class and changed the very nature not only of transportation, but urban infrastructure and economic industry. But he was also a terrible person. Ford could be a poor boss, lobbying against labor unions and often sending investigators to pry into his employees’ private lives. He also had a negative view against women in the workplace, stating, “I consider women only a temporary factor in industry.” But perhaps worst of all, Ford was also an enormous antisemite, spreading terrible conspiracy theories about Jewish internationalism through his various publications.

#14: Karl Marx

Author of “The Communist Manifesto” and “Das Kapital,” Karl Marx is one of the most divisive philosophers the world has ever seen. Marx promoted societal revolution through his many publications, arguing against the merits of capitalism and claiming that its very structure would eventually promote its downfall. In turn, he promoted a socialist mode of production, which is the basis of communism and the ideologies of socialist states like the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union. While some praise Marx’s critiques of capitalism, others argue that his ideology led to oppressive regimes and destructive economic failures.

#13: Napoleon Bonaparte

We return to the French Revolution (sorta) with Napoleon, arguably the greatest military leader in human history. But like any great military leader, his reputation is decidedly mixed owing to his legacy of death and destruction. His unquenchable thirst for expansion plunged Europe into years of devastating warfare, and it’s believed that up to six million people died during the Napoleonic Wars. Furthermore, despite promoting equality, he reinstated forced labor in French colonies after it had been abolished during the Revolution. Some regard Napoleon as a liberator forced to do unspeakable things in the name of expansion; others, a power-hungry tyrant.

#12: Che Guevara

You probably know his face from various t-shirts and dorm room posters. Che Guevara was instrumental in the Cuban Revolution, partnering with Fidel Castro and his 26th of July Movement and overthrowing Fulgencio Batista, who was receiving support from the American government. His status as a countercultural icon clashes with the reality that Guevara endorsed the use of brutal violence and was a ruthless revolutionary who oversaw summary trials and executions. He also contributed to establishing an authoritarian government, violated human rights, and helped incite revolutions in other countries - which eventually led to his capture and execution. According to some critics, Che Guevara is little more than a terrorist who sought to overthrow governments through warfare.

#11: Richard Nixon

No matter the good he did, Nixon’s legacy will forever be tarnished by the Watergate scandal. Nixon accomplished quite a lot in his time as President, like reducing American involvement in Vietnam, establishing the Environmental Protection Agency, and easing relations with the Soviet Union. But he also spied on political opponents and had attempted to use federal officials to obstruct justice when investigators examined the break-in at Watergate. As impeachment proceedings loomed, rather than face almost certain removal from office, Richard Nixon made history by becoming the first U.S. president to resign. He left behind a more cynical America where public trust in government was at a historic low.

#10: Benjamin Netanyahu

He’s the longest serving Prime Minister in the history of Israel, having held office on and off since 1996. Despite this, Netanyahu is enormously controversial in his native country. Supporters believe he has strengthened Israel. Critics argue that he has hindered peace negotiations by promoting settlement expansion in the occupied territories, and many accuse him of employing excessive force during military operations. In fact, critics argue that Netanyahu has engaged in acts of genocide and is set to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Many also blame him for the failure to anticipate and prevent the Israel–Hamas war, and he has since been the target of protests calling for his removal.

#9: Vladimir Putin

Another highly controversial world leader, Vladimir Putin has run Russia since 1999, making him the longest-running leader since Stalin. Some admire the effectiveness of his strongman tactics. However, many critics have argued that Putin has transformed the country into an authoritarian dictatorship, as evident by the 2020 constitutional referendum that gave him more power and drew accusations of corruption. He also controls most major media outlets in Russia and violently suppresses independent journalists who speak out against his corruption and dictatorial rule. And that’s to say nothing of his human rights violations, suppression of political opponents, and invading Ukraine. Putin has been issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for various crimes against humanity.

#8: Margaret Thatcher

Being the first female British prime minister, Margaret Thatcher’s place in the history books is firmly secured. But aside from that, Thatcher was also a very popular leader, known for her widespread reforms and uncompromising nature. However, her ideological shift towards neoliberal policies is not favored by all, and she certainly didn’t finish strong. Thatcher was not loved by laborers after defeating the miners’ unions in 1985. Her economic policies led to increased inequality, progressives hated her conservative leanings, and her infamous poll tax was widely hated for affecting lower-income workers. She eventually grew wildly unpopular within her own cabinet and resigned from office in 1990.

#7: Fidel Castro

Everything we said about Che Guevara also applies to Fidel Castro, but Castro takes the controversy one step further by leading Cuba between 1959 and 2008. With the help of his brother Raúl and Guevara, Castro violently overthrew Batista and established himself as leader of the country. Castro played a huge role in the Cold War by allying with the Soviet Union and allowing them to place nuclear weapons in the country, resulting in the infamous Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. And like the Soviet Union, Castro turned Cuba into a socialist state, turning himself into a dictator who oversaw the ruining of the country’s economy and the mass exodus of native Cubans. He represents significant social achievement alongside terrible failures of human rights.

#6: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan became the 25th Prime Minister of Turkey and has held the leadership position since 2003. This, despite the fact that he was banned from politics after being convicted for inciting religious hatred. Erdoğan’s administration has been criticized for authoritarian practices and sending Turkey into a democratic backslide. His government’s crackdown on journalists is seen as an assault on free speech, and the 2017 constitutional referendum significantly expanded his presidential powers. He is also known for his military interventions in Syria, and his government’s actions after the failed 2016 coup resulted in a large-scale crackdown on perceived dissenters. Early on, he was admired for advances in religious freedom and minority rights; however, his legacy is quickly being tarnished.

#5: Donald Trump

The business magnate turned President is a polarizing figure, with his adherents steadfastly loyal to him and seeing him as a victim of a supposed “Deep State” conspiracy. One of the most controversial figures in modern history, Trump received widespread criticism throughout his presidency, with his policies on immigration, healthcare, and climate change stoking incredible division. His approach to governance was unorthodox, his foreign policy decisions were destructive, and many argue that his rhetoric emboldened extremist groups. And let’s not forget the whole January 6 fiasco. Trump is the only American President to be impeached twice and has been indicted on numerous charges, including sexual abuse, financial fraud, and falsifying business records. Unsurprisingly, many scholars rank him as one of the worst American presidents.

#4: Julius Caesar

When you’re assassinated by your own senators, you know your plans have gone off the rails. Credited with kickstarting the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar performed many great deeds and is responsible for many positive reforms throughout the Republic. However, it was his political maneuvering and accumulation of power that made him a central figure of controversy. Caesar set a precedent for authoritarian rule and appointed himself “dictator for life,” undermining Republican institutions. He was also a fantastic military commander, leading many to both fear and respect his authority. However, many of his contemporaries began to view him as a power-hungry tyrant and had him assassinated, prematurely ending his rule and instigating civil war.

#3: Vladimir Lenin

The Soviet Union is arguably the most well-known socialist state in history, and that’s thanks to the work of Vladimir Lenin. A revolutionary socialist from a young age, Lenin helped establish the USSR and its communist ideologies, leading to a highly divisive reputation. Lenin’s government oversaw land redistribution which benefited many of the poor. But it was also responsible for the Red Terror, which included mass arrests, executions, and human rights abuses, and he was involved in wars with massive casualties. Furthermore, the suppression of opposition, mass censorship, and strict control over media created an environment that critics argue was repressive and undemocratic. His regime led to economic stagnation and authoritarian rule under subsequent leaders, resulting in a very questionable legacy.

#2: Christopher Columbus

There are questionable legacies, and then there’s what Christopher Columbus left behind. Columbus is known for the widespread European discovery of the Americas, and his journeys changed the course of human history. But his arrival in the Americas led to widespread violence, rampant disease, and the enslavement of indigenous populations. It’s estimated that European settlers dwindled the native population by as much as 80%, leading some scholars to label it an act of genocide. Furthermore, his voyages marked the beginning of an era of aggressive European colonialism. The mythologizing of Columbus as an intrepid hero ignores many darker truths about the man and his impact on the indigenous population.


Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Hillary Clinton
She Blew the Benghazi Response & Used a Private Email Server as Secretary of State


Niccolò Machiavelli
The Beliefs He Shared Have Caused His Name to Represent Deception & Tyranny


Silvio Berlusconi
A Brash Leader Who Attracted Controversy for His Crimes & Ethics

#1: Jesus Christ

At the top of our list stands a figure whose influence on the world is simply unparalleled. Scholars universally agree that Jesus was a real person, that he was baptized around the year 28 CE, and that he was crucified. That’s about all we know for sure, but there’s no denying that he altered the course of world history. His actions upended the social and religious norms of the time, and people have been fighting over his teachings ever since - both literally and figuratively. Christianity’s historical association with colonialism has added another layer of controversy, with many arguing that its spread was a case of cultural assimilation. Christ’s teachings brought about profound changes, but the many controversies surrounding these changes cannot be ignored.



What do you make of these people? Let us know in the comments below!