Jose Mujica, the president of Uruguay from 2010-2015, was known as the “the world’s humblest head of state” as he gave away around 90% of his $12,000 monthly salary to charity. He also led an austere lifestyle; he lived on a farm than in the presidential palace and drove a 1987 VW beetle.
politics
Former Liberian President, Charles D. B. King…
Former Liberian President, Charles D. B. King, earned himself a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for the most fraudulent election reported in history, having won the 1927 election with 2,43,000 votes in a country with 15,000 registered voters.
The “Hundred Flowers Campaign” of…
The “Hundred Flowers Campaign” of 1956 China, allowed and encouraged people to speak freely and openly express their opinions about the communist regime. After a year, the campaign was withdrawn the Chinese government imprisoned those who spoke critically about them.
Democracy and demon came from…
Democracy and demon came from the same Greek root: ‘dā mo’ is the distance between different types of people, both ‘citizens’ (‘demos’) and Gods and humans (‘dai-mon’ meaning ‘divider’).
According to a 2018 study…
According to a 2018 study, the Washington DC area has a higher proportion of psychopaths than any other state in the USA.
Fiji lost its original declaration…
Fiji lost its original declaration of independence from the UK and asked a copy from them.
In 1967, Egypt received false intel…
In 1967, Egypt received false intel from the Soviets that Israel was massing its troops on the Syrian border. In response, Egypt mobilized its forces in Sinai and Straits of Tiran. Israel saw the blockade of Tiran as a Casus Belli and launched a pre-emptive strike thus initiating the Six-Day War.
On 7 May 1999, the United States…
On 7 May 1999, the United States bombed a Chinese Embassy and claimed it was a mistake. The incident is still brought up in meetings.
The “Windy City” name has nothing…
The “Windy City” name has nothing to do with Chicago weather. Chicago’s nickname was coined by 19th-century journalists who were referring to the fact that its politicians were “windbags” and “full of hot air.”
Ancient Greek historian Polybius…
Ancient Greek historian Polybius came up with a cyclical theory of government (anacyclosis), where governments start off as monarchies, the final stage is ochlocracy, when a democracy degenerates into chaos and mob-rule. Then the cycle resets itself.