Adolf Hitler vs Joseph Stalin vs Mao Zedong vs Pol Pot

[Sewer]

...

[Daniel Z]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

[War on Want]

I went with Stalin.

[© tweed]

tough between Stalin and Mao; probably Mao, as he was far more of a thinker and had fewer fatal personality flaws, though he was less competent.   @ Daniel Z: Pol Pot was probably 'worse' than Hitler

[War on Want]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Pol Pot makes Hitler look like a nice guy.

[Daniel Z]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Pol Pot makes Hitler look like a nice guy.

Respectably disagree

[The Mikado]

Pol Pot has a curious distinction on that list.  For better or worse (hint: worse), the other three leaders on that list strengthened and united their countries, all three of which were in chaotic states of distress before their leaders arrived, and made them a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.  Pol Pot, on the other hand, destroyed his own country to the point where even VIETNAM said "enough is enough."  Pol Pot stands with Enver Hoxha and a few others as leaders who (intentionally?) sabotaged their own countries and ran them into the ground.

[Beet]

Pol Pot has a curious distinction on that list.  For better or worse (hint: worse), the other three leaders on that list strengthened and united their countries, all three of which were in chaotic states of distress before their leaders arrived, and made them a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.  Pol Pot, on the other hand, destroyed his own country to the point where even VIETNAM said "enough is enough."  Pol Pot stands with Enver Hoxha and a few others as leaders who (intentionally?) sabotaged their own countries and ran them into the ground.

Vietnam dislike Pol Pot because he was allied with the Chinese, which in turn was partially due to border disputes between Vietnam and Cambodia. Also, Pol Pot's rise to power was facilitated by the destruction of Cambodian society as part of the broader war in Southeast Asia, and in this sense he is similar to the other three, all of whom rose to power as the result of a war (although in Hitler's case, it was separated by 15 years, the cause and effect is quite clear).

Otherwise, agreed.

[Earth]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

[The Mikado]

Pol Pot has a curious distinction on that list.  For better or worse (hint: worse), the other three leaders on that list strengthened and united their countries, all three of which were in chaotic states of distress before their leaders arrived, and made them a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.  Pol Pot, on the other hand, destroyed his own country to the point where even VIETNAM said "enough is enough."  Pol Pot stands with Enver Hoxha and a few others as leaders who (intentionally?) sabotaged their own countries and ran them into the ground.

Vietnam dislike Pol Pot because he was allied with the Chinese, which in turn was partially due to border disputes between Vietnam and Cambodia. Also, Pol Pot's rise to power was facilitated by the destruction of Cambodian society as part of the broader war in Southeast Asia, and in this sense he is similar to the other three, all of whom rose to power as the result of a war (although in Hitler's case, it was separated by 15 years, the cause and effect is quite clear).

Otherwise, agreed.

True on both counts, and our bombing the hell out of Cambodia didn't help matters.  All I'm saying is that Hitler and Stalin (Hitler in the short run, Stalin in a much longer run) were effective leaders for their countries and strengthened their respective states' positions in the world.  Mao did too, to some extent, but any strengthening to China was hindered because China was a basket case and because he was a moron.  (Yes, I can back that up, but I'm tired at the moment)  Pol Pot actively tried to destroy his own country.  In that sense, he really isn't comparable to any of the above.

[JSojourner]

I am really disappointed no one put King of the Bench on this list.  It's incomplete.

(Sorry, but given the enthusiasm for the guy elsewhere...I couldn't resist.)

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I vote option 5 (head to Canada).

[Daniel Z]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

Calm down I know what Pot did. Some of this is just a matter of opinion. I voted for Hitler based off the genocide, and his role in starting the worst war in human history (which I count for something). You can certainly argue that Pot did much more harm to his country than Hitler did, but I don't think you can reasonably argue that Pot's impact on the world was anywhere near as negative as Hitler's. Oh and as for body count, I think you will find Mao had a higher body count than Pol Pot.

[dead0man]

Are we voting "worst" or who we'd vote for given the choice?  Worst?  Pot.  Least worst?  eeegads, Mao or Hitler I guess.

[Associate Justice PiT]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

Calm down I know what Pot did. Some of this is just a matter of opinion. I voted for Hitler based off the genocide, and his role in starting the worst war in human history (which I count for something). You can certainly argue that Pot did much more harm to his country than Hitler did, but I don't think you can reasonably argue that Pot's impact on the world was anywhere near as negative as Hitler's. Oh and as for body count, I think you will find Mao had a higher body count than Pol Pot.

     That's his point. There is a correlation in your ranking where dictators who killed more people were ranked as being better.

[Earth]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

Calm down I know what Pot did. Some of this is just a matter of opinion. I voted for Hitler based off the genocide, and his role in starting the worst war in human history (which I count for something). You can certainly argue that Pot did much more harm to his country than Hitler did, but I don't think you can reasonably argue that Pot's impact on the world was anywhere near as negative as Hitler's. Oh and as for body count, I think you will find Mao had a higher body count than Pol Pot.

     That's his point. There is a correlation in your ranking where dictators who killed more people were ranked as being better.

That's exactly what I meant. Thank you, PiT. I'm looking at it from a purely ethical and pragmatic standpoint, not worldwide cultural impact, as important as that is. To me, Hitler was nowhere near as terrible as Stalin, Pol Pot, nor Mao; given their extremely large body count and grievous effect on their citizenry. It outweighs any Nazi atrocity, as sad as that is to say.

[Daniel Z]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

Calm down I know what Pot did. Some of this is just a matter of opinion. I voted for Hitler based off the genocide, and his role in starting the worst war in human history (which I count for something). You can certainly argue that Pot did much more harm to his country than Hitler did, but I don't think you can reasonably argue that Pot's impact on the world was anywhere near as negative as Hitler's. Oh and as for body count, I think you will find Mao had a higher body count than Pol Pot.

     That's his point. There is a correlation in your ranking where dictators who killed more people were ranked as being better.

Yes but I ranked Pot as worse than Mao.

[Daniel Z]

Worse to "Best"
Hitler
Stalin
Pot
Mao

Are you going on who killed the least to determine the worst? Learn some history.

Calm down I know what Pot did. Some of this is just a matter of opinion. I voted for Hitler based off the genocide, and his role in starting the worst war in human history (which I count for something). You can certainly argue that Pot did much more harm to his country than Hitler did, but I don't think you can reasonably argue that Pot's impact on the world was anywhere near as negative as Hitler's. Oh and as for body count, I think you will find Mao had a higher body count than Pol Pot.

     That's his point. There is a correlation in your ranking where dictators who killed more people were ranked as being better.

That's exactly what I meant. Thank you, PiT. I'm looking at it from a purely ethical and pragmatic standpoint, not worldwide cultural impact, as important as that is. To me, Hitler was nowhere near as terrible as Stalin, Pol Pot, nor Mao; given their extremely large body count and grievous effect on their citizenry.

Ok so we just used different criteria. Fair enough.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

     I vote option 5 (head to Canada).

Only sane option.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Worst to best

Stalin/Hitler
Pot
Mao

It's hard to put them in any kind of order.  Stalin and Hitler led directly to the most deaths while Mao indirectly caused mass starvation.  Pol Pot's regime, though on a smaller scale, is unbelievable in its scope within Cambodia.

[tmthforu94]

Adolf Hitler

[Landslide Lyndon]

Pol Pot has a curious distinction on that list.  For better or worse (hint: worse), the other three leaders on that list strengthened and united their countries, all three of which were in chaotic states of distress before their leaders arrived, and made them a force to be reckoned with on the international stage.  Pol Pot, on the other hand, destroyed his own country to the point where even VIETNAM said "enough is enough."  Pol Pot stands with Enver Hoxha and a few others as leaders who (intentionally?) sabotaged their own countries and ran them into the ground.

I agree. To commit war crimes and genocide against internal enemies or other nations can be explained by a desire to promote the welfare of your own people. Indefensible, inhuman and sick behavior but understadable if you adopt their ultranationalistic point of view.

But to commit these atrocities against your own people, that's the most deranged and absolutely evil thing imaginable.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Best to Worst:
Mao
Stalin
Pol Pot
Hitler

[Rob]

Mao

[Eraserhead]

For JS

Write-in: KingoftheBenchPress