1) Dunno really, I'd assume one of the top-end billionaires.
2) Marcus Licinius Crassus is said to have been the wealthiest man in history, or at least ancient Roman history (his wealth is debated) and at the height of his power had influence over much of Rome during a time when Rome controlled and/or had influence over much of Western civilization and beyond. He was 1/3rd of the First Triumverate. Though Rome's absolute height would come around 150's years after his death.
edit: never mind, OP said "not in gov" and Crassus was definitely political.
1. Candidates are probably top Wall Street moguls, oil barons, political pundits or former politicians like Bill Clinton, tech executives, religious figures, or philanthropists. Maybe Pope Francis, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, Obama, or one of the major news channel executives? IDK.
2.Wasn't there that Rothschild person who commanded like more than half of Britain's national income?
Originally posted by The Ellimist
1. Candidates are probably top Wall Street moguls, oil barons, political pundits or former politicians like Bill Clinton, tech executives, religious figures, or philanthropists. Maybe Pope Francis, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Bill Clinton, Obama, or one of the major news channel executives? IDK.2.Wasn't there that Rothschild person who commanded like more than half of Britain's national income?
Good call on the Pope, though technically not a billionaire himself, he has full control the Catholic Church's coffers (8billion officially) and more importantly, the ear and devotion of close to a billion people in varying degrees.
Originally posted by Kurk
Whoever controlled the East India Company should be up there historically as most powerful private person.By the beginning of the 19th century I believe the EIC's private armies doubled that of Britain's.
In modern times it's a toss up between the billionaires.
I'd almost rank the East India Co. as part of Britain's government or more closely a partner as it had heavy influence there. Like when our government uses our military in the interest of certain corporations best interest.
Originally posted by Robtard
Good call on the Pope, though technically not a billionaire himself, he has full control the Catholic Church's coffers (8billion officially) and more importantly, the ear and devotion of close to a billion people in varying degrees.
I'm not sure about today, but I think Michael Jackson at least deserves mentioning in regards to the most powerful in history. Think about it, even after all the controversies surrounding the guy the an incredibly large amount of the world is sad about his passing. Even after people started accusing him of child molestation parents were STILL letting their kids spend the night with him. Most of the general public wasn't demanding that he clean up his act about stuff, we were basically BEGGING him to. We were like "Please stop holding babies out of windows and having young boys spend the night with you so you can keep making music for us to listen to" lol
Adding the Koch brothers for modern day most poweful:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/documents-show-ties-between-university-conservative-donors-160359654.html
It's hard to pick out a historical figure from of wealth and power from too far back. Prior to the emergence of the middle class, having wealth and power essentially meant you WERE part of the government, or the head of a nation. Spoils of war, taxation, pillage etc. Mansa Musa is top dog in terms of wealth, probably. But he was an emperor. Popes are still autocratic heads of state in the Vatican, and were in control of good chunks of Italy in history.
And then there's determining what exactly IS "power", especially nowadays. Are super famous celebrities as powerful as billionaires you've never heard of? I dunno.
This is a good question for exploring societal influence.