Talk:Statesman

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Who is a statesman and who is a mere politican?? LirQ

A statesman is a politician who has been dead for at least fifty years. RickK 03:51, 28 Sep 2003 (UTC)

oh really? so JFK was a politican, but Robert Taft was a statesman? LirQ

From American Heritage Dictionary:

A man who is a leader in national or international affairs.
A male political leader regarded as a disinterested promoter of the public good.
A man who is a respected leader in a given field: “a mature statesman of American letters” (Toby Thompson).

Don't see a significant difference. Maybe the article should be merged into politican? -- Taku 03:56, 28 Sep 2003 (UTC)

Never thought much of JFK as a "statesman". RickK 03:57, 28 Sep 2003 (UTC)

These terms ought to be defined in regards to their individual history. When did each enter the language, and how was it originally used?

But if Hitler thought of himself as a statesman, would we call him one? I think statesman is an inherently POV word -- a statesman is a "good politician" -- Im sure Winston Churchill would be a so-called "statesman" -- I see no reason to refer to individuals, within their articles, specifically as "statesmen". LirQ

I agree. It shouldn't be applied to anyone unless it's some sort of title, like "Statesman of the Year" or something like that. RickK 04:08, 28 Sep 2003 (UTC)

Given that any list like this is inherently subjective, how about cutting the examples and just describing the conditions under which someone might be considered a statesman? After all, people will probably arrive here from another article...Mackensen 18:25, 1 Jan 2004 (UTC)

The list could definitely be shortened, a few examples might be ok. Lirath Q. Pynnor

For the love of everyone, please destroy the list. It can never be NPOV. --Jia ng 10:38, 2 Jan 2004 (UTC)

1 Aristotle quote
2 Propose to disambiguate
3 Kissinger quote
4 Move

[edit] Aristotle quote

Aristotle wrote in ancient Greek, and of course never used the word as such. What ancient Greek word are we translating here as "statesman"?--Pharos 02:49, 6 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Propose to disambiguate

I think disambiguation of "statesman" will be useful since it can take on several distinct usages. I want to move the page currently at "statesman" to "statesman (politics)", and the page currently at "politicus" to "statesman (dialogue)." Does anyone object? --Antireconciler