Two Historical "Greats"

 

Grand Duchess Catherine Alexeevna by L.Caravaque

I have just finished reading two fascinating biographies of monarchs so respected by their subjects and the world that they have been proclaimed with the title "The Great." Emperor Peter the First and Empress Catherine the Second, who led Russia during 18th century Russia transformed their country in ways that prepared it for the modern world and greatly improved the standard of living of its citizens.

Both were autocratic monarchs as were the leaders of almost all countries at the time. Both were also successful military strategists that enlarged the Russian empire and made the borders of their country more secure.  But those are not the traits that earned them their claim to greatness.

Both Peter, and Catherine two generations later, were declared great because of their intellectual curiosity, willingness to bring experts and expertise from around the world to Russia, and the enthusiasm to use those ideas to transform their country.

Peter the First by Jean-Marc Nattier

Peter was raised in a mostly medieval society, reluctant to embrace any new ideas and under strict control of an extremely conservative Orthodox Church. Early in his life, he realized that breaking Russia's isolationism would require a navy and he traveled to the Netherlands to personally learn the art of ship building. He also selected intellectually curious Russians to travel to all of the major capitals of Europe and learn the state-of-the-art methods for manufacturing and governance. When they encountered exceptional teachers, they persuaded them to come back with them to Russia to assist in the country's transformation. Included in the immigrants to Russia were the great architects who built the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. 

Catherine was a child of the enlightenment who read and corresponded with French and Swiss philosophers like Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau. She also traveled throughout Russia and listened patiently to the concerns of the Russian nobility and the Russian Serfs. Catherine brought European political and judicial processes to Russia along with literature, art, architecture and medicine. She built hospitals, schools and orphanages while assembling the greatest art gallery in Europe. She even persuaded her citizens to be inoculated against smallpox.

If intellectual curiosity and openness to new ideas is the hallmark of greatness, we need to ask what our leaders have been doing in the 20th century that could be classified as great. Regardless of political party, the restrictions on travel, low limits on H-1B visas, and attacks on freedom of speech indicate our leaders appear to be governed mostly by fear; fear of terrorists, fear of infection, fear of people willing to study harder or work harder.

If we truly want to reach our greatest potential, we need to open our minds to new ideas and our country to those who can help us implement new ideas.

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