Opinion | The Terrible Man Theory of History - The New York Times
nytimes.com
Trump's presidency is forcing a reckoning with the "Great Man Theory" of history — but in reverse, asking whether one terrible man can reshape civilization just as much as a heroic one.
Great Man TheoryAgency vs. Structure DebateHistorical DeterminismChaos Theory
Theory Briefing
- Thomas Carlyle's Great Man Theory holds that history is driven by towering individuals — the NYT op-ed asks if villains work the same way.
- Trump's presidency serves as the test case for a 'Terrible Man Theory,' where a single destructive figure bends institutions and world order.
- The piece challenges structural theories of history — like Marxism or systems thinking — by showing how one person's chaos can outweigh deep forces.