home Thyroid Outstanding British political figures of Jewish origin in the 20th - 21st centuries. Appendix British political and statesmen of the second half of the 19th century

Outstanding British political figures of Jewish origin in the 20th - 21st centuries. Appendix British political and statesmen of the second half of the 19th century

“Outstanding political figures of Great Britain of the 20th century and their role in the development of the country’s political culture”

Modern Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. Unlike most countries in the world, the UK does not have a Constitution that is a single document; it consists of various acts of parliament - statutes, court decisions and constitutional customs. The Constitution can be amended by an Act of Parliament or by general consent to change constitutional custom. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II (born April 21, 1926), who ascended the throne in February 1952. Over the last century, there has been a tendency to transfer power directly to the government, but the queen continues to take part in a number of important functions of government.

Great Britain includes 4 historical and geographical regions (historical provinces) - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Ulster) - part of Ireland - 6 north-eastern counties (according to the 1921 Treaty, it was included in Great Britain with autonomy rights).

The highest legislative body is parliament. It consists of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Parliament is engaged in legislative activity. Bills pass 3 readings. Generally, bills must be passed by both houses. They must receive royal assent before they can become laws. In practice this is a pure formality.

The head of the executive branch is the monarch. The head of government is the prime minister. The government is formed by the leader of the party that wins the majority or the largest number of seats in parliament in the elections. The government consists of cabinet members (about 20), non-cabinet ministers, and junior ministers (usually parliamentary deputy ministers). Most ministers are members of the House of Commons. At the disposal of the Prime Minister is a staff of civil servants

The key to understanding many of the features of the modern socio-political structure of British society is provided by such features of its development as evolution, “traditionalism” and the comparative stability of political institutions. Over the centuries, British political culture has been characterized by moderation and the organic weaving of new elements into existing structures, the combination and fusion of traditional and modern values, and the gradual acquisition by the ruling elite of the skills and abilities of “coordinating interests” within the framework of democratic institutions. The stability of British society has always depended on the ability of the country's leading politicians to achieve consensus on its fundamental goals and ways to achieve them. One of such outstanding British politicians of the twentieth century was Winston Churchill.

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (b. 1874 - d. 1965), Prime Minister of Great Britain (1940-1945, 1951 - 1955). Nobel Prize winner (1953) in the field of literature. One of the members of the “Big Three” - the heads of the powers of the anti-Hitler coalition, the initiator of the Cold War, largely thanks to whom the modern world is what it is.

Sir Winston Churchill earned a reputation during his lifetime as one of the most famous people of the 20th century, but over the years his fame as a great statesman increased a hundredfold. He was not only an intelligent and subtle politician, this man was much further ahead of his time than any of his contemporaries. Not everyone, for example, knows that Churchill was the initiator of the development of a tank design and was one of the first to realize the importance of aviation, back in the 30s. showed interest in rockets. On his orders, the pilots began scattering aluminum foil to confuse the German radars. He expressed the idea of creating a pipeline under the Atlantic Ocean and invented a navigation device for pilots. Churchill was also the highest paid journalist of his time; writer, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 1953

Churchill went down in British history as the most prominent politician of the 20th century, who was in power during the reign of six monarchs - starting with Queen Victoria and ending with her great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth II. He managed to take part in battles in Sudan and was present during the testing of the atomic bomb, which became the main threat of the post-war world. Churchill was an excellent diplomat, artist and even gardener at his Chartwell estate. His paintings were periodically exhibited at the Royal Academy, and in 1958 there was a solo exhibition of his work. Churchill was one of the best orators of his time. It was he who coined the term “Iron Curtain”, which became a capacious description of the post-war political situation. And this charming Englishman was one of the wittiest people of his time. One day Lady Astor told him: “If I had to marry you, I would give you poison,” to which Winston replied: “If I were your husband, I would take that poison.”

Churchill had irrepressible ambition, an unbridled desire for power. At the same time, the dominant feature of his political portrait was his commitment to democracy and hatred of dictatorship. His famous aphorism has long become textbook: “Democracy is the most terrible form of government, but humanity has not come up with anything better.” The following statement is no less famous: “In politics, as in war, they kill. Just more than once." He knew what he was talking about. His whole life confirms this aphorism.

The father of the future politician, Lord Randolph Churchill, was the third son of the seventh Duke of Marlborough, who traces his ancestry back to the Norman comrades of William the Conqueror. However, most biographers believe that the first Duke of Marlborough was the ardent royalist John Churchill, a lawyer from Dorset. His son fought on the side of King Charles I during the English bourgeois revolution and in 1643 married a girl who came from the family of Sir Francis Drake, who became famous in the 16th century. pirate expeditions and plunder of Spanish possessions in the West Indies.

Winston's mother Jenny Jerome was the daughter of a prominent New York entrepreneur and was reputed to be one of the most beautiful and brilliant social women in Great Britain. According to his son, “it was a princess, a fairy. She sparkled and radiated light like a star.”

Churchill's parents devoted a lot of time to social pleasures: they passionately loved horse riding and did not miss a single ball. The boy was born at seven months old during one of these balls on November 30, 1874, in the changing room in the palace of the Dukes of Marlborough, in Oxfordshire. His parents were seriously worried about his life. Winston grew up weak and had a strong stutter and lisp for a long time. Apparently, he could not count on a brilliant career. In addition, the boy studied poorly in all aristocratic schools, not wanting to study ancient languages, mathematics and philosophy. His favorite pastime was playing with toy soldiers, with whom he played out entire battles.

In 1887, the future “greatest Englishman of the 20th century.” entered a privileged educational institution in Harrow. This was a violation of family tradition, since all the Churchills studied at Eton. However, even here he was faced with constant reproaches from teachers for phenomenal negligence, tardiness and loss of books. A year later, remembering his son’s passion for soldiers, his father decided to send him to the famous military school at Sandhurst. In his opinion, Winston was incapable of anything else. But just before admission, the young tomboy managed to fall from a tree and received a severe concussion. He lay unconscious for three days, then without movement for several months, and finally recovered only a year later. After two unsuccessful attempts, on the third try, Winston finally entered military school.

In 1895, the young man suffered great grief. His father and nanny died. He became the head of one of the branches of the Churchill family and immediately faced serious problems - it turned out that his parents had squandered their entire fortune. At the same time, the mother continued to spend money thoughtlessly, blaming her son for his extravagance.

In the same year, the future prime minister finished his studies in twentieth place among 130 students and was assigned to the 4th Hussars Regiment. He passionately wanted to take part in hostilities. Therefore, when the war began in Cuba, he, through his father’s influential friends, secured a business trip to the island. He was tasked with checking the ammunition of the Spanish troops fighting there. In addition, he had to send articles to the London Dailygraphic newspaper. From this trip, Winston developed a passion for cigars, which many years later would become an integral part of the image of the famous politician. Here he became addicted to afternoon rest, which he followed throughout his life.

Returning from the island, Churchill was assigned to India. However, upon landing in Bombay, he dislocated his shoulder and had limited use of his right arm for the rest of his life. This did not, however, stop the young man from being passionate about polo and even winning victories in competitions between regiments. Since 1897, Winston worked in India as a war correspondent and covered the fighting against the Afghan Pathan and Afri-Di tribes who resisted the British invasion. He described this campaign in the book The Malakand Field Army, which brought him some fame.

In the same year, Churchill’s first political speech took place: the Conservative Party needed good speakers, and one of the relatives suggested that Winston try his hand at a Conservative meeting in Bath. His speech was well received, and the Morning Post newspaper reported “the arrival of a new figure on the political scene.”

However, military adventures attracted Winston much more. In 1898 he went to Sudan to take part in the campaign against the Islamic army of the Mahdi. In September, at the head of a detachment of lancers, a young officer fought with 12 dervishes and put them to flight, personally killing five. He later described this attack in the book “River War”, the circulation of which sold out instantly. In the same year, as a war reporter, Churchill went to South Africa, where there was a war between the British and the Boers. Two weeks later, Winston was captured and miraculously escaped, hiding in a carriage between bales of wool that were heading to East Africa. Two days later he safely left Boer territory and ended up in Mozambique. The brave correspondent returned to England as a hero.

In 1900, 25-year-old Churchill was elected to Parliament from the constituency of Oldham. In parliament he was accepted as an honorary member of the Conservative Party, but less than three years later Winston joined the ranks of the opposition Liberal Party, losing all his popularity. The formal reason for the transition was disagreements with Conservative leader J. Chamberlain on the issue of protectionism. In 1906, Churchill was again elected to parliament, now on the Liberal Party list, from the Manchester constituency. At that time he was considered one of the most brilliant speakers. Winston began his government career as Deputy Secretary of State for the Colonies, in 1908 he headed the Ministry of Commerce, and two years later became Minister of the Interior.

At one of the meetings with voters, Churchill met 23-year-old Clementine Hozier, a representative of a noble and wealthy family living in the Scottish city of Dundee. In August 1908, he proposed to her, and a month later they got married. And although Clementine could not be called the first great love of the 34-year-old minister, their marriage turned out to be extremely happy. According to Churchill, this woman, who had both external and internal virtues, brought calm and tranquility into his life and became a faithful companion for life.

Smart, beautiful, educated, she was able to tame the unbridled and self-centered character of her husband. When giving advice to young girls, Clementine liked to repeat: “Never force your husband to agree with you. You will achieve more if you calmly stick to your beliefs.” As a result, Winston often consulted with his wife about his political steps, was an exemplary family man and did not cheat on his wife. Politics always interested Churchill more than women. Clementine had nothing to complain about except her husband’s addiction to Armenian cognac and gambling.

Churchill realized that life exists outside of politics when he acquired the ancient Chartwell estate. Built during the time of Henry VII, the house offered a magnificent view worthy of an artist's brush. However, there was a lot of work to be done here: the beams were eaten away by worms, everything around was overgrown. With his usual passion, Winston set about arranging the estate. He cut down and burned the bushes, cleaned the pond, and laid the bricks himself. The wife, who perfectly understood what a huge job it was to turn Chartwell into a cozy nest, courageously performed the most thankless job.

In October 1911, Churchill received the appointment he had long dreamed of. He became First Lord of the Admiralty, i.e. Minister of the Navy. In this post, he sought to modernize the army through the creation of aviation, including naval aviation. During the Second World War it played a crucial role in protecting British cities from German bombing. The head of the military department often flew airplanes and seaplanes himself, which plunged his wife into panic.

After the defeat of the British troops at Gallipoli, at the end of 1916, Churchill was forced to leave his post in the cabinet. After a brief stint as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, he went to Flanders, in the active army, as commander of a battalion of Fusiliers in the Royal Scots Regiment. Here he saw for the first time how effective the use of tanks on the battlefield could be; Subsequently, becoming Secretary of the Navy, Churchill ordered the development of new types of weapons.

Churchill was soon recalled to England for consultations, and in the summer of 1917, in the coalition government of Lloyd George, he was appointed Minister of War Supply. Thanks to his energetic leadership, the output of military products increased significantly. By the end of the war, Winston had regained his position as one of the top officials in the state and, after the abolition of the ministry in 1918, he was appointed to the posts of Minister of the Navy and Minister of Aviation, which he held until 1921.

In 1917, when the Bolsheviks came to power in Russia, Churchill became one of the most ardent opponents of their regime. Regarding Lenin’s return to Russia through Germany, he said that “the brave Russian heart was defeated with the help of German money.” And when in March 1919 the government of Lloyd George decided to withdraw British troops from Russia, he protested. The Minister of War did not want to give in to “Lenin and his gang” and supported the White Guards with manic persistence, which displeased the Prime Minister.

Churchill's finest hour came in the 1940s. This was preceded by a number of important political events.

The House of Commons passed a vote of no confidence in the cabinet of Neville Chamberlain, who in 1938 signed the Munich Pact, which allowed Germany to occupy Czechoslovakia. The short-sighted prime minister believed that by doing this he would ensure peace for Great Britain. However, a year later, when Poland was captured and World War II began, it became clear what to expect from Hitler. Britain immediately declared war on Germany, and Churchill was again appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. In this post, he quickly gained popularity among his fellow citizens thanks to several successful military operations at sea, in particular a well-organized attack on the German ship Altmark, hiding in the Norwegian fjords. There were about 300 English prisoners on board, who were safely released. While supervising military operations, the minister did not stop working on the manuscript of a book on the history of English-speaking peoples.

After the failure of the military operation in Norway, the cabinet of ministers headed by Chamberlain was forced to finally resign. King George VI understood that Churchill was better than anyone else capable of leading the country in a moment of terrible danger. The monarch summoned him to Buckingham Palace and appointed him prime minister on May 10, 1940. From that moment on, he became that Churchill, without whom no history textbook would ever be complete - a tough, cunning, intelligent politician, to whose genius England owes the fact that it paid so little for participation in the Second World War, compared to other countries. price.

In his first speech in his new post, Churchill said: “I have nothing to offer you except blood, sweat and tears. You ask: what is our goal? I will answer in one word - Victory! Victory at any cost, victory no matter what, victory no matter how long and hard the path to it may be. Without her we cannot survive, without her there will be no British Empire and all that it represents. If we do not win, we will have to say goodbye to our way of life... I have now been given the right to demand help from all of you, and I say to you: come, everyone, and together we will go to victory.”

Soon bombs began to fall on English cities, turning them into piles of smoking ruins. No wonder Dover, where the raids began, was called “Hellish Mess.” But the Royal Air Force, once prudently created by Churchill, managed to protect the skies of their country.

On June 22, 1941, Germany attacked the USSR. Churchill hated communism, but in the fight against Nazism he was ready to take anyone as an ally. He made a statement that London would provide technical and economic assistance to Moscow. During the war, Churchill's relations with Stalin became quite close, and on many issues their points of view coincided.

Many facts indicate that Churchill began to think about the arrangement of the post-war world long before the end of hostilities in Europe. He understood that after victory, the USSR would get rid of two strong enemies - Germany and Japan - and would become the greatest land power and the mortal enemy of the entire free world. Therefore, without weakening a dangerous ally militarily, he sought to prepare the ground so that after the war the political chances of the USSR to influence the course of events would be minimal. The opening of the famous “second front” and the desire of the Western allies to seize as much territory as possible in Europe were subordinated to this goal.

The culmination of this policy was his speech on March 5, 1946 at Westminster College (Fulton, Missouri) on the occasion of the presentation of an honorary doctorate to him. In the presence of President Truman, insisting on the need to strengthen the Anglo-American alliance, he uttered the famous phrase that became the call for the beginning of the Cold War: “From Szczecin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has fallen across the whole world... I have come to know our Russians well.” friends and allies in war and is deeply convinced that they respect only strength, and there is nothing that inspires them less respect than weakness, especially military weakness." In addition, on September 19 in Zurich, Churchill called for the creation of a United States of Europe. At the same time, when it came to the unification of Germany, he was convinced that the way to solve this problem lay through an agreement with the USSR.

Immediately after the war, in July 1945, Labor won the elections and Churchill said goodbye to the position of prime minister. The famous politician fulfilled his historical mission. At the beginning of the next year, the king presented him with the honorary Order of Merit, which only two had been awarded before him. Churchill accepted it with gratitude, but refused the Order of the Garter, saying that he had no right to it, since voters preferred Labour.

True, in 1951, the Tory leader once again led his party to victory and again received the post of prime minister, promising the country “peace and greatness.” Three years later, after a stroke, the entire left side of his body was lost, but after four months the prime minister was back in action. However, the strength was no longer the same.

In April 1955, after the whole of England solemnly celebrated Churchill's 80th birthday, the great politician resigned as prime minister. On this occasion, a magnificent reception was held at the residence of the head of government, which was attended by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen appeared in a magnificent outfit, sparkling with beautiful diamonds. Churchill put on all his awards. At the end of the reception, gallant as always, Winston came out to hold the door of the royal car. The next morning he assembled his cabinet for the last time, drank tea with members of his team and left for his Chartwell estate. His tenure in power ended in the best English traditions.

In Great Britain, the Conservative and Labor parties have alternated in power since 1924. From the beginning 1970s “third” parties began to receive significant support, primarily the Liberal Democratic (until 1988 - Liberal) and Scottish nationalists. In 1979, neoconservatives led by M. Thatcher came to power. Authoritarian tendencies in public administration have intensified; The role of the executive branch in the institutions of interest representation has increased. At the same time, the most important direction of Tory policy was the transformation of the system of state social services, or the “welfare state”: there was a partial denationalization of the health care system; Conservatives implemented a number of measures aimed at implementing the principle of freedom of choice in school education and encouraging various types of private insurance. These changes took place thanks to the work of an outstanding British politician - Margaret Thatcher.

Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts) was born on October 13, 1925 in Grantham (Lincolnshire, UK) in the family of a grocer. She was educated at Oxford, where she studied chemistry and became chairman of the university's Conservative Association. After graduating in 1947, she worked as a chemist, first in Colchester (Essex), then in Dartford (Kent). In 1950, she made her first attempt to start a political career: she was elected to parliament from the Conservative Party from Dartford. The attempt ended in failure. In 1953, she received a lawyer's diploma, practiced law, and specialized in tax law. In 1959, Thatcher was elected to the House of Commons for the first time as a member of the Conservative Party. She took over as chairman of the parliamentary pensions committee, combining this position with the head of the national security committee. In 1967, Thatcher was appointed to the shadow cabinet (the cabinet of ministers formed by the party in opposition to the party in power in Britain). Under Edward Heath, prime minister from 1970-1974, Margaret Thatcher headed the Department of Education as the only woman in government. Despite the fact that the Conservatives lost the election in 1975, Mrs. Thatcher retained her ministerial portfolio even in the Liberal government. In February 1975, Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party. The Conservative victory in the 1979 House of Commons elections made Margaret Thatcher prime minister. She became the first woman to hold this post in the UK. During her years as head of government, Margaret Thatcher gained a reputation as an “iron lady”: in her office, all work was based on a clear hierarchy, accountability and high personal responsibility; she was an ardent defender of monetarism, limiting the activities of trade unions within the strict framework of laws. During her 11 years as head of the British cabinet, she carried out a number of tough economic reforms, initiated the transfer into private hands of sectors of the economy where the state monopoly had traditionally reigned (the airline BritishAirways, the gas giant BritishGas and the telecommunications company BritishTelecom), and advocated an increase in taxes. Following Argentina's 1982 occupation of the disputed Falkland Islands, Thatcher sent warships into the South Atlantic and British control of the islands was restored within weeks. This was a key factor in the Conservatives' second victory in the parliamentary elections in 1983. Margaret Thatcher's third term as prime minister was the most difficult. After taking a number of unpopular measures, she lost support in her party and was effectively left with no choice but to leave her post. In November 1990, Thatcher announced her voluntary resignation "for the sake of party unity and the prospect of victory in the general election"; She was replaced by Finance Minister John Major. After her resignation, she served as a member of the House of Commons until 1992. In 1991, she founded and headed the Margaret Thatcher Foundation. Thatcher held numerous academic degrees. Among them is an honorary doctorate from the Russian University of Chemical Technology named after D.I. Mendeleev. She wrote two volumes of memoirs, The Downing Street Years (1993) and The Path to Power (1995), and the book Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World (2002). On June 26, 1992, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain granted her the title of Baroness and she became a life member of the House of Lords. In 1990, Margaret Thatcher received the Order of Merit, Britain's highest government award. In 1995, she was awarded the title of Dame of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of knighthood in Great Britain. In 2001, she was awarded the Chesney Gold Medal. Thatcher also received awards from a number of foreign countries. Health and age less and less allowed Baroness Thatcher to participate in public life. In the last years of her life, the “iron lady” experienced several mini-strokes and also suffered from senile dementia (dementia). On April 8, 2013, Margaret Thatcher died. Baroness Thatcher's ashes, in accordance with her will, were buried on the grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital next to her husband.

Margaret Thatcher can easily be called one of the strongest women in the history of mankind. Not afraid of any difficulties or problems, overcoming any obstacles, she managed to hold on as Prime Minister of Great Britain for 11 years, becoming the first and so far only woman to ever hold this position.

Wise and accurate statements of the “iron lady”, which she left behind as a legacy.

When a woman shows character, they say “bitch” about her. When a man shows character, they say he is a “great guy.”

Defeat? I don't understand the meaning of this word.

Every woman who is familiar with the problems of running a household is close to understanding the problems of governing a country.

The rooster may crow well, but the chicken still lays the eggs.

No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he only had good intentions. He also had money.

If you want to discuss something, go to a man; if you want to actually do something, go to a woman.

The home should be the center, but not the boundary, of women's lives.

I only rejoice at personal attacks on me. This means that the enemy no longer has any other political arguments.

You need to study your enemy well, then one day you can turn him into a friend.

Doing everything with an open heart is not a good idea. The heart should remain closed, so it functions better.

Without economic freedom there can be no other freedom.

90% of our worries are about things that will never happen.

The wealth of a country is not necessarily built on its own natural resources; it is achievable even in their complete absence. The most important resource is people. The state just needs to create the basis for people’s talent to flourish.

Women are much better at saying “no” than men.

Today, women have a lot of opportunities to express themselves: some of us even run countries. But, to be honest, a reticule suits us better than a bayonet.

As a rule, 10 seconds are enough for me to form an opinion about a person, and then it rarely changes.

Politeness today is highly valued, but impudence has no price at all.

If those who criticize me saw me walking on the waves of the Thames, they would say: it’s only because she doesn’t know how to swim.

It is not at all necessary to agree with the interlocutor in order to find a common language with him.

Being powerful is like being a real lady. If you have to remind people that you are, you definitely aren't.

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There are countries on our planet that everyone and everything knows about, and one of them is Great Britain. Looking at the huge lists of the 100 great inhabitants of this country, one gets the impression that the United Kingdom has collected all the minds and talents: a lot of politicians, scientists, stars and writers were born here, leaving a huge contribution to world history. And many famous people of Great Britain made a huge contribution not only to the development of this country, but also to the science and culture of the whole world.

1. Queen Elizabeth II (1926 - present)

The current reigning queen of Great Britain, Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, was born in London in 1926, and in 1952 ascended the throne and to this day delights the whole world with her reign.
Queen Elizabeth II is the daughter of King George VI and the heir to the famous Windsor dynasty, which has ruled England for many years. As a child, she did not even dream of ascending the throne, because she was only the third contender after her uncle Edward VIII and her father. But Edward VIII abdicated the throne because of his love for a married woman, and George VI died of thrombosis in 1952. As a result, a young girl at the age of 26 ascended the throne.
Even before this significant event, Elizabeth II married Philip Mountbatten and managed to give birth to two children - Prince Charles and Princess Anne. During the reign, the crowned couple had two more children.
Throughout her life, Elizabeth II actively took part in the political activities of the country, received an excellent education and even taught herself some disciplines. Today she is the main modern symbol of Great Britain, an example to follow not only for royalty, but also for ordinary Englishmen.

2. Diana Spencer (1961-1997)

Lady Di, or officially Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales. This person needs no introduction, as she has been living in the hearts of thousands of people for many years, especially in the UK. She was married to Prince Charles, gave birth to two children from him - Prince William and Prince Harry, but in this marriage she never found her love and happiness.
Princess Diana, heir to the ancient and famous Spencer-Churchill family, was the standard of style and kindness during her lifetime, and remains so now.
In the last years of her marriage, Lady Di experienced many scandals - the publication of information about her husband's infidelities, the official declaration of her own infidelity to Prince Charles and the constant excessive interest of the media, which ultimately led to the death of everyone's favorite. Queen Elizabeth II insisted on Diana and Charles' divorce, and it was officially signed in 1996. A year later, Lady Di was in a car accident in Paris with her lover Dodi al-Fayed (the son of an Egyptian billionaire), as a result of which she did not survive.
Princess Diana's role in charitable and global activities has brought her well-deserved popularity and love throughout the world.

3. Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Winston Churchill is one of the smartest and most quoted politicians in the United Kingdom, who managed to stay in the political system during the reign of 6 British monarchs (from Queen Victoria to Queen Elizabeth II). Churchill became a favorite of the British during the Second World War, it was at this time that he raised the spirit of the country's inhabitants, who did not believe in victory and were waiting for the German invaders. Churchill was also responsible for the initiative to start the Cold War, so this politician can be called the “cutter” of the modern world as we see it today.
Everyone remembers Sir Winston Churchill as the Prime Minister of Great Britain, but besides this, he was also a writer, a journalist, and even a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, which he received in 1953.

4. Queen Victoria (1819 - 1901)

Alexandrina Victoria, or Queen Victoria, was the reigning monarch of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death. Until recently, she was the longest-reigning monarch in the history of the United Kingdom, sitting on the throne for 63 years and 7 months. In honor of this ruler, even the era of her reign was called Victorian, since Queen Victoria was able to significantly expand the British Empire, create a constitutional monarchy as we see it today, and ensure cultural, industrial, scientific and military progress. The House of Commons also succumbed to the reforms, increasing its influence.
Victoria became Queen at the age of 18, a year before she met her future husband, Prince Albert. The couple had 9 children, and the Queen was often called the “Grandmother of Europe” for the fact that throughout her life she arranged the marriages of all her children and 42 grandchildren across the continent. After the death of her mother and her dear husband in 1861, Queen Victoria went into mourning and wore only black robes for the rest of her life.

5. Margaret Thatcher (1925 - 2013)

“The Iron Lady” Margaret Hilda Thatcher is the first female prime minister of a European state and Great Britain in particular. At one time, she harshly criticized the leadership of the USSR, for which she received the nickname “Iron Lady,” but in her country she was very loved and revered, especially after the victory in the Falkland Islands. Respect for this political person can be indicated by the fact that she was re-elected to the post of prime minister 3 times.
During her political career, Margaret Thatcher carried out many economic and political reforms, for example, she was able to keep inflation at an incredibly low level, achieved permission to privatize some unprofitable state-owned enterprises, and solved unemployment problems in the country. The result was economic growth and stability in the UK.

6. William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

It is impossible to imagine English literature without William Shakespeare. He is an outstanding playwright and poet. His immortal works, in particular Hamlet and King Lear, are staged more often than others all over the world.
William Shakespeare is called the poet of England; he wrote 38 plays, 154 sonnets, and many comedies and epitaphs. However, there is no evidence that all these works were written by Shakespeare, nor are there any surviving manuscripts of the writer. In addition, William Shakespeare did not receive an education, although all of his works are incredibly deep with a large vocabulary reaching 29 thousand words. And although there is a lot of controversy surrounding the figure of the great playwright (about the authenticity of his works, religion, appearance and even his orientation), he was and remains a unique personality with a worldwide heritage.

7. Isaac Newton (1643-1727)

The famous scientist, mathematician, one of the founders of classical physics, astronomer and mechanic - all this is Isaac Newton. We have known about him since school: it was he who expounded the law of universal gravitation, explained the 3 laws of mechanics, developed the theory of color, integral and differential calculus; He has more than one mathematical and physical theory to his credit.
This is a scientist with a capital S, since he considered even eating and sleeping necessary, but wasted time that could be devoted to science. Newton did not have direct students, but a number of English scientists grew up on his books and research.

8. Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

We all know Charles Robert Darwin from the main theory in our history of the evolution of life on Earth, namely the evolution of man from the ape. He was a biologist, naturalist and explorer who circumnavigated the world after graduating from Cambridge University in 1831. After publishing works that resulted from research during his travels, Darwin began collecting material on the evolution and heredity of plants and wild animal species, studied natural and artificial selection, putting forward the hypothesis of heredity.
Most biologists recognized Darwin's theory of evolution during his lifetime, but it became generally accepted only in the 50s of the last century. Now “Darwinism” has become a household word, meaning a scientific view of evolution in the modern world.

9. Charlie Chaplin (1889 - 1977)

One of the most recognizable images in cinema was created by the inimitable Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, who was not only an actor, but also a director, screenwriter, composer, and editor. At the age of 13, he began his career, inheriting acting talent from his parents, music hall artists.
Although Charlie Chaplin played not only in silent short comedies, but also created films with serious social themes, he is remembered throughout the world for his image of the tramp Charlie. The actor worked not only in England, but also in the USA, where he became the co-founder of the United Artists film studio. This talented silent filmmaker will forever remain in the memory of cinema, being included in the hundred greatest stars of world cinema.

10. James Cook (1728 - 1779)

The name James Cook is associated with oceans and trips around the world. This brave discoverer left behind many accurate maps, which he compiled with such care that they were used by many generations of sailors afterward. He explored lands where few had previously reached - the east coast of Canada, some parts of Newfoundland, New Zealand, Australia. James Cook has completed 3 round-the-world expeditions across the World Ocean.
James Cook was very friendly and tolerant of the local aborigines, wherever he sailed, however, it was at their hands, or more precisely, the inhabitants of Hawaii, that he was killed with a spear in the back of the head.

11. Paul McCartney (1942 - present)

A member of the legendary group The Beatles, Sir James Paul McCartney is recognized as one of the best bass guitarists of all time. He has received a Grammy Award 16 times, is a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and is at the same time an active public and charitable figure, calling for the fight for animal rights, etc.
Paul McCartney is even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most successful musician and composer in recent history for 60 gold discs and more than 100 million singles sold.

12. Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870)

The writer Charles Dickens is one of the main pillars of literature in England. He was the most popular English-language writer during his lifetime, and after his death his name was placed next to Shakespeare. Such novels as “The Life and Adventures of Oliver Twist”, “David Copperfield” and others made Dickens a classic of world literature, the greatest prose writer of the 19th century.

13. John Tolkien (1892 - 1973)

England is rich in famous writers, but it was John Tolkien who was able to introduce “high fantasy” into the genre that has been read by thousands of people around the world for several decades. Great films have been created based on his books; people of all ages read “The Hobbit, or There and Back Again,” “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Silmarillion,” without even knowing that the author of their favorite books was not just a writer. John Tolkien worked as a professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford, was a linguist, philologist, translator, and received the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II. His contribution to modern literature is enormous, and it is not for nothing that he has been ranked among the 50 greatest British writers since 1945.

14. Stephen Hawking (1942 - 2018)

Who would have thought that in the modern world a physicist could be so popular, and even have physical disabilities. However, Stephen William Hawking succeeded, he became a popularizer of science, promotes his theory of black holes to the masses, is one of the most influential theoretical physicists, and the founder of quantum cosmology.
Stephen Hawking is almost completely paralyzed (only part of his cheek remains mobile); he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at a young age. However, thanks to a speech synthesizer, the physicist communicates with others and leads an active social life, even flying in zero gravity.

15. David Beckham (1975 - present)

A list of famous British people would be incomplete without David Beckham, the former Manchester United midfielder. This footballer gained worldwide fame thanks to his execution of set-pieces and free kicks. Not only with his excellent game, but also with his attractive appearance, Beckham was able to achieve the title of the highest paid football player in 2011. He is also famous for being married to Victoria Adams, one of the members of the mega-popular group “Spice Girls”. Now the couple are very famous in the fashion world.

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Cookie Cat:z 10.03.19 16:53

WITH P A With And b O

Incognita 10.03.19 16:51

THX)

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PolinaCat ;3 10.03.19 16:49

Thank you

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PolinaKit:3 10.03.19 16:46

Oh thank you)) very helpful

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No name 12.02.19 19:10

Good facts thx????

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yo 29.01.19 21:58

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No name 15.10.18 18:05

Application

British politicians and statesmen of the second half of the 19th century.

Asquith, Herbert Henry, Earl of Oxford (1852–1928) – English statesman, liberal. 1892–1895 - Minister of Internal Affairs; 1905–1908 – Chancellor of the Exchequer; 1908–1916 - Prime Minister. In the elections to the House of Commons in 1924, Asquith was defeated. Subsequently he was a member of the House of Lords.

Balfour, Arthur James (1848–1930) – English statesman, conservative. Since 1874, member of the House of Commons from the Conservative Party. At the Berlin Congress of 1878 he served as secretary to his uncle, Foreign Secretary Lord Salisbury; 1886 – Secretary of State for Scotland; 1887–1891 - Minister for Irish Affairs; 1891 – First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Commons; since 1902 - Prime Minister and head of the Conservative Party. He was one of the initiators of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902), which put an end to the policy of “splendid isolation”; achieved the conclusion of an alliance between England and France - the basis of the anti-German coalition. At the end of 1905 he retired. In November 1911 he was forced to resign as leader of the Conservative Party. During the First World War, he entered the coalition government, taking the post of Minister of Navy. 1916–1919 - Foreign Secretary; 1921–1928 - President of the British Academy.

Bright, John (1811–1889) – English statesman, radical. Member of the House of Commons since 1843. One of the founders of the Manchester League against the Corn Laws. In the liberal offices of the second half of the 19th century. served as Minister of Trade - 1868–1870; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - 1873–1874 and 1880–1882.

Victoria(1819–1901) - Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1837, Empress of India from 1876, last representative of the Hanoverian dynasty.

Victoria remained on the throne for more than 63 years, longer than any other British monarch. She inherited the throne after George IV and William IV died, leaving no heirs. She became queen on June 20, 1837, and was coronated at Westminster Abbey on June 28, 1838. She was married to Duke Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1819–1861) on February 10, 1840. Had 9 children.

Gladstone, William Ewart (1809–1898) – English statesman, liberal. Coming from the trading classes of Liverpool, in the House of Commons since 1832 from the Tory party. In the 1840s. served as Minister of Commerce (1843), Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs (1845). Since 1847 in the ranks of the Liberal Party, since 1867 - leader of the Liberal Party. Held the posts of Chancellor of the Exchequer - 1852–1855, 1859–1866; Prime Minister - 1868–1874, 1880–1885, January-July 1886 and 1892–1894.

Gordon, Charles George (1833–1885) – English general. In 1863–1864 commanded the army that suppressed the Taining uprising in China. 1877–1879, 1884–1885 - English governor of Sudan. Participated in the suppression of the Mahdist uprising. Killed during the assault on Khartoum.

Gray,(Gray of Fallodon) Edward, Viscount (1862–1933) - English statesman, liberal. Member of the House of Commons in 1885–1916, from 1916 – member of the House of Lords. 1892–1895 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; 1905–1916 - Foreign Secretary; 1919 – Temporary British Ambassador to the USA.

Grenville, George (1815–1891) – English statesman, liberal. Member of the House of Commons since 1836, House of Lords since 1846. He supported free trade. Held the posts of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster - 1854; Chairman of the Privy Council - 1855–1858, 1859–1866 He was Minister of Foreign Affairs - 1851–1852, 1870–1874, 1880–1885; Colonial Secretary - 1868–1870, 1886

Durham, John George Lambton, Lord (1792–1840) - English statesman, Whig. Member of the House of Commons from 1813, House of Lords from 1828, 1830 and 1832–1833. - Lord Privy Seal. 1835–1837 – Ambassador to Russia; 1838 – Governor General and High Commissioner of Canada. In 1839, he presented to the English government a “Report on the situation in British North America,” which had a significant influence on the development of British colonial policy.

Derby, Edward Geoffrey Smith, Earl (1799–1869) – English statesman. Member of the House of Commons from the Whig Party since 1820, joined the Tory Party in 1835. He served as Minister of Colonies - 1833–1834 and 1841–1845; 1852, 1858–1859, 1866–1868 – Prime Minister

Johnston, Henry (1858–1927) was an English explorer and colonial administrator. During his travels to African countries in the early 1880s. entered into treaties with local chiefs, laying the foundation of the British East African Franchise Company. In 1885 he was appointed British vice-consul in Cameroon, and from 1887 - consul. 1891–1896 – Special Commissioner for British Central Africa; 1899–1901 led the British administration in Uganda.

Disraeli, Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield (1804–1881) - English statesman, conservative. In the 1830s. became known as a writer, author of the novels: “Elroy” (1833), “Contarini Fleming” (1832), “Venice” (1837). Elected to the House of Commons in 1837; from 1841 - leader of the parliamentary group "Young England", whose ideology was reflected in the novels "Coningsby" (1844), "Sibyl or the Two Nations" (1845), "Tancred" (1847). Chancellor of the Exchequer in Conservative Cabinets - 1852, 1858-1859, 1866-1868; Prime Minister - 1868, 1874-1880s. In August 1876 he received the title of Lord Beaconsfield.

Dilk, Charles (1843–1911) – English politician, liberal. Member of Parliament from 1868 1880–1882 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; 1882–1885 headed the Ministry of Local Self-Government. Author of numerous works on imperial themes, including: “Great Britain” (1866–1867), “Problems of Great Britain” (1890), “British Empire” (1899).

Curzon, George Nathaniel (1859–1925) – English statesman, conservative. In 1886 was elected to parliament from the Conservative Party. 1891–1892 – Deputy Minister for Indian Affairs; 1895–1898 – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1899, Curzon was appointed Viceroy of India. In 1905 he resigned, taking a seat in the House of Lords and the post of rector of Oxford University, and in 1916 he joined the coalition cabinet of G. Asquith. 1919–1924 - Foreign Secretary.

Cobden, Richard (1804–1865) – English politician. Born into a farmer's family. Since 1828 he was engaged in the chintz trade. He was one of the leaders of the Anti-Corn Law League, founded in 1839, whose members advocated the abolition of duties on grain imported into England. Since 1841 - Member of Parliament. In 1860, he managed to achieve the conclusion of an Anglo-French treaty, which promoted free trade in Great Britain.

Cromer, Evelyn Baring, Lord (1841–1917) - English politician. In 1877 he was appointed British commissioner in the management of Egypt's debt. In 1880–1883 served as financial advisor to the Viceroy of India; 1883–1907 – Consul General in Egypt; from 1892 - peer with the title of baron.

Livingston, David (1813–1873) – Scottish missionary and explorer of Africa. He made a number of long trips around South and Central Africa (since 1840). Explored the Kalahari depression, R. Cubango, Basa. R. Zambezi, lake Nyasa, discovered Victoria Falls, lake. Shirva, Bangveulu and r. Lualabu, together with E. Stanley, explored the lake. Tanganyika, crossed the African continent from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.

Lugard, Frederick (1858–1945) – African explorer, English colonial administrator. He took part in the wars in Afghanistan (1879–1880), Sudan (1884–1885), and Burma (1886–1887). In 1890–1892 became the administrator of Uganda, explored the countries lying to the east and northwest of the lake. Victoria-Nianza. In 1896–1897 made a trip to the lake. Igami. In 1900 he was appointed High Commissioner to Northern Nigeria. Under his leadership, until 1906, the territories that became part of modern Nigeria were conquered and subordinated to British rule. 1907–1912 - Governor of Hong Kong; 1914–1919 - Nigeria.

Macaulay, Thomas Babington (1800–1859) - English historian and critic, politician, Whig. Member of Parliament since 1830; 1834–1838 – Member of the Supreme Council under the Governor of India; 1839–1841 - Minister of War. Author of several works on the history of England, including “History of England” in 5 volumes (1849–1861) about the events of 1685–1702.

Mill, John Stewart (1806–1873) – English philosopher and economist, ideologist of liberalism. In 1823–1858 served in the East India Company; 1865–1868 - Member of the House of Commons, where he supported liberal and democratic reforms. Among the main works: "System of Logic" (vol. 1-2, 1843), "Foundations of Political Economy" (vol. 1-2, 1848), "Utilitarianism", (1863).

Milner, Alfred (1854–1925) – English statesman. In 1889–1892 was one of the officials involved in Egyptian finances; 1992–1897 – head of the department of taxes and duties in the British government; 1897–1905 - High Commissioner of South Africa and governor of the Cape Colony, and later of the Transvaal. 1918–1919 - Minister of War; in 1919–1921 - Minister of Colonies.

Molesworth, William (1810–1855) – English politician, radical. Member of Parliament since 1832; 1855 – Colonial Secretary.

Morley, John (1838–1923) – English statesman, radical. He made a successful career in journalism, and in 1880 was appointed publisher of the Pal Mall Newspapers. Member of the House of Commons from 1883 1885, 1892–1895 - Minister for Irish Affairs; 1905–1910 - Indian Affairs; 1910–1914 - Chairman of the Privy Council.

Munro, Thomas (1761–1827) - English colonial administrator. He took part in a number of military campaigns against Indian principalities. 1819–1923 - Governor of Madras.

Palmerston, Henry John Temple, Viscount (1784–1865) - English statesman. Member of the House of Commons from the Tory party since 1807, Minister of War - 1809–1828. Having joined the Whig Party, he served as Foreign Secretary - 1830-1834, 1835-1841, 1846-1851; Minister of the Interior - 1852–1855; Prime Minister - 1855–1858; since 1859 - leader of the Whigs.

Russell, John, Earl (1792–1878) – English statesman, liberal. Member of the House of Commons since 1813; leader of the Liberal Party from 1831. One of the authors of the electoral reform project of 1832. 1835–1839. - Minister of Internal Affairs; 1839–1841 – Colonial Secretary. He served as Prime Minister - 1846–1852 and 1865–1866; Minister of Foreign Affairs - 1852, 1859–1865; Colonial Secretary - 1855

Rhodes, Cecil John (1853–1902) was an English colonial leader. In 1869 he went to South Africa, where he managed to make a fortune during the Kimberley diamond rush. Founder of the De Beers company. In the 1880s contributed to the annexation of a number of territories to British possessions. Founder of the British South Africa Company (1889), which was to administer and develop the territories later named Rhodesia after Rhodes. 1890–1895 - Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.

Rosebery, Archibald, Lord (1847–1929) - English statesman, liberal. 1886, 1892–1894 - Foreign Secretary. Leader of the liberal-imperialist group. 1894–1895 - Prime Minister.

Salisbury, Robert Arthur Talbot (1830–1903) – English statesman, conservative. Member of the House of Commons from the Conservative Party since 1853, the House of Lords since 1866. He served as Minister for India - 1866–1867 and 1874–1878; Minister of Foreign Affairs - 1878–1880; 1885, 1886–1892 and 1895–1902 - Prime Minister.

Stanley, Henry Marton (present, name and surname John Rowland) (1841–1904) – journalist, explorer of Africa. In 1871–1872 as a correspondent for the New York Herald newspaper he participated in the search for D. Livingston; explored the lake with him. Tanganyika; crossed Africa twice. In 1879–1884 was in the service of the Belgian king Leopold II, participated in the capture of the river basin. Congo.

Wakefield, Edward (1796–1862) – English economist and politician, representative of classical political economics. Author of commentaries on the works of A. Smith. Major works: “Letter from Sydney” (1829), “England and America” (1833), “A View of the Art of Colonization” (1849).

Hartington, Spesor, Duke of Devonshire (1833–1908) – English statesman, liberal. He held the posts of First Lord of the Admiralty, Deputy Secretary of War, Secretary of State for India (1880–1882), and Secretary of War (1882–1885). Since 1886, the leader of the Liberal Unionists supported the Conservatives. Since 1891 in the House of Lords; 1895–1903 - Chairman of the Privy Council in the Conservative government.

Hicks Beach, Michael, Lord (1837–1916) - English politician, Conservative. Member of Parliament since 1864. 1868 – Deputy Minister of the Interior; 1874–1878 and 1886–1887 - Minister for Irish Affairs; 1878–1880 - Minister of Colonies; 1885 and 1895–1902 - Minister of Finance.

Chamberlain, Joseph (1836–1914) – English statesman. Member of the House of Commons since 1876; one of the leaders of the Radical Party until 1885; 1890s – leader of the unionists; 1880–1885 – Minister of Trade; 1895–1903 - Minister of Colonies.

Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer, Duke of Marlborough (1874–1965) - English statesman. Member of Parliament since 1900. Until 1904 - Conservative, until 1923 - Liberal, then again Conservative, leader of the Conservative Party. 1911–1915 - Lord of the Admiralty; 1919–1921 – Minister of War and Minister of Aviation; 1924–1929 - Minister of Finance; 1939–1940 - Minister of the Navy; 1940–1945 and 1951–1955 - Prime Minister of Great Britain.

From the book History of Public Administration in Russia author Shchepetev Vasily Ivanovich

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