Power is a delicate thing. When it rests in competent hands, governments run smoothly and nations prosper. But when held by the indecisive, arrogant, or downright foolish, regimes collapse like dominoes. History is littered with rulers and officials who blundered their way—and their countries—into ruin. From disastrous wars to tone-deaf leadership, here are 20 inept people who brought down their governments.
#1: Louis XVI (France, 18th Century)
A man better suited for tinkering with locks than leading a revolution, Louis XVI failed to grasp the scope of France’s crisis. His hesitations, poor fiscal management, and refusal to embrace reform fanned the flames of the French Revolution. In the end, the monarchy—and his own head—fell beneath the guillotine.
