AHC: Most Impactful Centennarian

[DominusNovus]

Take any individual alive and in power during the 20th century, and extend their life to 100 years. Who has the biggest impact on world history simply by virtue of being alive for that long? Note that their extended life is to be the primary divergence, rather than a consequence of the divergence. So, no “Hitler wins WW2 and then lives to be 100.” In Hitler’s case, it would be “Hitler doesn’t commit suicide, and then lives to 100.” Of course, by the time of Hitler’s death, his living or dying mattered little in the grand scheme.

My vote is Stalin or Mao. An extra quarter century of the USSR under Stalinist rule would be quite the divergence. Mao, meanwhile, could have short-circuited China’s resurgence, and it would have been quite interesting to see him outlive the Cold War.

 

[Kaze]

Elizabeth II.

She is almost there - 100 years old.

 

[Karelian]

Lenin staying alive until the 1970s would have been quite something.

 

[Lalli]

It is not easy just to live 100 years old speciality if person posseses high position with much of power. It easily causes much of stress which causes health problems. And you should notice person's health and living habits. Person whom had serious health problems, stress and/or bad living habits hardly lives much longer than in OTL if has died naturally. Hitler is not going live at age of 100 no matter is there WW2 all or if Axis win the war. Hitler had already Parkinson's and some other issues speciality that quack doctor. Hitler is fortunate if he lives to mid-1950's. And even worse changes him has living long if he still loses the war but doesn't commit suicide.

Lenin hardly would live much longer than 1930's even without his assassination attempt. Him had much of stress and not so good living habits. Speciality he slept too few.

Stalin hardly can live much longer than in OTL. Him had very bad living habits and ton of stress which damaged his health.

So I would check them who either died quiet young and could had lived much older or who were very near of age of 100 and had come chances live longer.

Elizabeth II.

She is almost there - 100 years old.

Among persons whom has currently od had high position has indeed best chances. Good health and not so much of stress. And another might be Jimmy Carter. Yet five years but it hardly has much of impact.

 

[GSD310]

One that comes to mind is Deng Xiaoping. He died aged 92-93. 100 years old takes him to 2004. But it would mean an extra 12 years of him at the top considering he retired in 1992 OTL.

I don’t know how changed things will be because he’s already secured the consensus of his party for economic reform by the time he left the stage OTL in 1992.

 

[Lafayette_]

I pick Mahatma Gandhi. I would imagine the process of independence would have gone smoother with his oversight/input, and perhaps avoiding half a century of rivalry had he not been assassinated and lived until 1969.

 

[History Learner]

I’m utterly shocked no one has brought up Franz Ferdinand living till 1963.

 

[Jellico]

A Franz Joseph who makes it to the 1930s could be all sorts of interesting, even if forced to abdicate, purely on the gravitas he had.

 

[Gavp]

Queen Victoria
Franz ferdinand
Lenin
FDR
Ghandi

 

[DominusNovus]

Elizabeth II.

She is almost there - 100 years old.

She would not qualify in all likelihood. I’m referring to changing history by having a leader live that long, whereas historically, they did not.

 

[Lalli]

Gandhi would be intresting but with his health it would be quiet difficult. You need POD which not put him practise so severe hungry strikes. Perhaps Brits are nucer to Indians but I don't know how to do that.

FDR would be quiet difficult considering his life habits and extreme stress over WW2. Even that might be hard get him live whole fourth term.

Franz Ferdinand living to 100 might be possible considering that Habsburgs can live pretty old. But even living at age of 80 - 90 would be enough make very different history.

But how would be Martin Luther King Jr.? Well that too is pretty difficult but still intresting. Or then some Kennedy brothers who died quiet young (JPK Jr., JFK or Bobby). Altough JFK living even 1980's would be hard due his health problems.

 

[DominusNovus]

I'll point out that Churchill made it to 90 with a relatively unhealthy lifestyle (not as much as his caricature, but still not a paragon of fitness) and several health scares.

 

[Mark E.]

If Lenin lives (and survives) long enough, he butterflies out Stalin's rule. That could change the world's view of socialism.

 

[Tales Weaver]

I'll point out that Churchill made it to 90 with a relatively unhealthy lifestyle (not as much as his caricature, but still not a paragon of fitness) and several health scares.

By 1960, churchill retired from political life. Even if he lived to 100, his impact would been already made.

 

[DominusNovus]

By 1960, churchill retired from political life. Even if he lived to 100, his impact would been already made.

My point was not that Churchill would be a candidate for this discussion - as a nonagenarian, he's pretty limited. My point was that an unhealthy lifestyle doesn't preclude a long life. He was overweight, drank constantly (though not to excess in most instances) and smoked cigars just as constantly. He had plenty of health issues beyond that, plenty of injuries over the years. This is not a man that should have made it to 90 in such good condition, yet he did. If he can make it, so can Stalin, Lenin, etc.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

George V living until 1965 will have interesting political effects. Raised to be King Emperor of the largest empire Earth has ever seen he's not going to be comfortable with its dissolution.

Followed by Edward VIII 1965 - 1972 (And I doubt he gets to marry Mrs Simpson in 1937, so who's Queen and do they have children?)

 

[David T]

George V living until 1965 will have interesting political effects. Raised to be King Emperor of the largest empire Earth has ever seen he's not going to be comfortable with its dissolution.

This would be significant only if he could do something about it.

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

It might not affect the rest of the world but a conflict between Crown and Parliament will affect Britain, even if it's kept behind closed doors.

 

[Maeglin]

It's a toss-up between Lenin (1870-1970) and Queen Victoria (1819-1919). The former changes the development of socialism like nothing else. The latter - even as a constitutional monarch - might well short-circuit the First World War.

 

[Sriyam Swastik]

What about Heinrich Hertz? If not for illness, who knows what new discoveries he would have contributed to? Perhaps he would be influential in early radar and electronic computers, if he had lived till 1957.