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QUIZ: Who is This Politician? HINT: Not who you think!

Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. - 10/27/2009

He was born to a part of the population that was often despised and mocked by the majority.

He was "abandoned" by his parents early on in his life.

He spent his formative years abroad, outside his country.

He never accomplished anything of note before he became the leader of his party (in his late thirties) and the ruler of his country (in his mid-forties).

He published two autobiographical books before he was forty. They both became bestsellers and were promoted by the fawning media. Still, there were gaping holes in his official biography and in his astonishing rise to power. Essentially, he was a secretive and mysterious man.

He was a master of using "new media" and advanced technology in his electoral campaigns. He revolutionized the face of politics. Among his main keywords were: "change" and "hope". He attracted massive crowds to his rallies.

His party won democratic and fair elections and he assumed the supreme executive office of his country in January the following year.

His rule was favorably compared with the much hated administration that preceded him which was identified with an unprecedented economic recession and meltdown and with a humiliating resolution to an an unsuccessful and unnecessary protracted war abroad.

When he rose to power, he was loved and admired in his country and throughout the world. The federation of states he governed gradually re-captured the role of a superpower.

At first, he was championed as a peacemaker by foreign politicians and the global media. He struck non-aggression, military, and economic collaboration deals with Russia, Japan, and many other world powers. He believed in multilateralism and helped found coalitions of countries. He befriended the Muslim world and ascendant polities in Asia. Still, his experience in foreign affairs and his knowledge of foreign languages were very limited.

In the first two years of his administration, he pushed through a massive economic stimulus package; reformed the country's social services (especially healthcare and education); introduced enhanced and all-pervasive regulation and state oversight of industry and finance; and invested heavily in infrastructure. He took credit for the economic recovery that ensued (and which was, actually, part of a global trend).

He attacked the opposition to his rule, calling them "extremists" and castigating media representing their views as "biased". Still, at first, he was forced to work with his opponents and to seek political compromises.

Many accused him of being born abroad, of not being native-born (i.e., of being a foreigner).

Many suspected him of being a puppet of powerful financiers and industrialists and the mere plaything of veteran politicians.

So, who is this politician?

You guessed it:

Adolf Hitler, brutal dictator of Germany (1933-1945) and of Europe (1939-1944) and the inspiration behind the Holocaust.