, Columnist
The Great Man Theory of Current Events
Yes, structural forces dictate a lot of history, but character and judgment matter in the moment.
The Great Men theory of art.
Photographer: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
Historical biography is a perennially popular genre. But in the academy, “great man” accounts of history have been unfashionable for a couple of generations. Most historians focus on broad structural factors.
They are not wrong. The Great Man theory is a limited frame through which to view history, not least because it ignores half the human population. But it remains useful — underrated, even — as a way to understand leadership in an era of hyperpartisanship.