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Which nation has contributed the most to world history?

pandora7

Jaager

I think Poland also deserves a mention, as at the Hight of Absolutism they practised Their Golden Democracy with the Elected monarchy, and so compared to most of Europe they were quite progressive, its just a shame they ended up being too weak to defend themselves against Frederick and Catherine.

poland? hell no, she was Russia's bitch, and before that Germany's :p:

I said a mention, not that they contributed the most :p:

Reply 61

In1Su

Iraq. It was the first civilisation, created the first meaningful law society (Hummurabi's Code), created the first ever story (Gilgamesh) and was the possibly the most economically and strategically important Islamic country ever.

Having said that the Middle East in itself is probably the most important place in World History.

Western nations have not been here long enough to be considered "influential" (200-300 years?). Although their economic progress driven by technological innovation has been something to marvel at.

Reply 62

RyanT

15

Toss-up between China and Greece methinks.

Kazakhstan.

Ancient Greece. Fact.

Reply 65

Lord Hysteria

OP

18

Bismarck

I love all the bickering here considering that the thread starter didn't even say what "contributing to world history" means.

For the what does "contributing to world history" mean, how many possible interpretations are there? :confused:

It is quite simply. The history of world, and which country has had the greatest impact. It's not bickering, it's called discussion - I think you are getting mixed up with the forum you mod. :rolleyes:

Reply 66

Lord Hysteria

OP

18

Makaveli_The_Don

Kazakhstan.

why?

Reply 67

Lord Hysteria

OP

18

SusDev

Israel. Namely the birth and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I think you'll find very little history which hasn't stemmed from this.

I don't think Israel was around at the time of Christ? :wink:

Was it not the Roman Empire.

And there is a lot of history that has nothing to do with Christ.

Equally, you could Egypt as it was there that the 10 commandments were born. :yep:

Reply 68

Bismarck

13

Lord Hysteria

For the what does "contributing to world history" mean, how many possible interpretations are there? :confused:

It is quite simply. The history of world, and which country has had the greatest impact. It's not bickering, it's called discussion - I think you are getting mixed up with the forum you mod. :rolleyes:

Greatest impact on what? What exactly is "world history"? How can something contribute to it? How can one discuss something when the terms aren't properly defined?

Reply 69

Ed.

17

The Ancient Greeks. Why ?

-Athens was the first city state to introduce true democracy
-Theatre as we know it (with actors) originated from Athens
-Aristotle and Plato from classical Athens (more Aristotle) still influence religious philosophy.
-Greek culture heavily influenced Roman religion, art and general culture.
-The New Testament was written firstly in Ancient Greek

However you could also argue for the Middle East as it is believed language originated from there.

Reply 70

Lord Hysteria

OP

18

Bismarck

Greatest impact on what?

You have answered that in your next question.

Bismarck

What exactly is "world history"?

The history of the world :confused:

Bismarck

How can something contribute to it?

By being there and doing something. That is how history is written and made. And those who have wider reaching implications are deemed to have had the greatest contribution to the history.

Bismarck

How can one discuss something when the terms aren't properly defined?

It's quite simple, and fun. You see by keeping it open and wide, it allows a variety of responses, all the way from religion to military. :smile:

Reply 71

Ed.

17

brimstone

Germany, I'd say. Shaped pretty much most of the twentieth century for Europe, as well as done a lot for the previous few centuries too.

How can Germany be the most influential nation in world history when I only became a country in 1870 ?

138 years is infinitesimal compared to the history of the world.

Reply 72

Folderol

2

Mostly Greece (Philosophy, literature), UK (Science, Empire, Literature) and US (Aid, Influence in world affiars)
Little bit France (shaping continents), Germany (wars) and Russia (influence in Cold war, WW2)

Reply 73

beesbees

14

It's quite impossible to discuss this on such broad terms, but I'll give it a go. What do you mean by world history anyway? The writing of History? Or the achievements of certain nations?

If so, It's almost impossible to single out one nation as the main contributor, as all cultures place emphasis on different things. For example, in the west, we often look back to the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th Century as the most influenctial period; within was created the system of governence that Mr Bush would have us believe is the the best and which all people aspire too - democracy. Meanwhile, Plato was writing the Republic, Socrates was being tried in a law court for corrupting the youth, Pericles was funding the rebuilding of the acropolis (So much of modern architecture still incorperates classical ideas, and many government and public buildings are often in the neo-Classical style, the British Museum being one that springs to mind), and Greek theatre, the foundation of Western theatre as a whole, was flourishing under Euripides, Sophocles and Aescholys.

However, it's impossible to single out one nation or group of people in the hundreds of thousands of years of human civilisation that has contributed most. Our society is an amalgamation of thousands of years of taking in influences from many, many countries.

Reply 74

Lord Hysteria

OP

18

Folderol

Mostly Greece (Philosophy, literature), UK (Science, Empire, Literature) and US (Aid, Influence in world affiars)
Little bit France (shaping continents), Germany (wars) and Russia (influence in Cold war, WW2)

I thought you were going to say Israel!

But yeah Greece and Italy.

Reply 75

Ed.

17

Folderol

Mostly Greece (Philosophy, literature), UK (Science, Empire, Literature) and US (Aid, Influence in world affiars)
Little bit France (shaping continents), Germany (wars) and Russia (influence in Cold war, WW2)

The UK didn't invent Empire. There were many Empires before the British one and no doubt there will be many more.

Reply 76

Folderol

2

Ed.

The UK didn't invent Empire. There were many Empires before the British one and no doubt there will be many more.

I meant the British Empires vastness. The influence and contribution in and of it.

Reply 77

KLL

11

Not really a country, but Egypt, Middle East and Sumerans probably shaped it the msot by developing agrigulture some 5000-8000 years before the Chinese. If it wasn't for them chances are we'd either still be much behind in technological and cultural development, or we'D all be speakign chinese.

Reply 78

beesbees

14

Folderol

Mostly Greece (Philosophy, literature), UK (Science, Empire, Literature) and US (Aid, Influence in world affiars)
Little bit France (shaping continents), Germany (wars) and Russia (influence in Cold war, WW2)

Britain was by no means the first empire no matter how you look at it. Arguably (depends how you define an Empire, mind) you could consider Ancient Egypt in the 15th Century BC as an empire of sorts... but I'm not getting into this argument again!