Leader of the world ...

The BBC held a vote for the leader of a "world government". The results:

1 - Nelson Mandela
2 - Bill Clinton
3 - Dalai Lama
4 - Noam Chomsky
5 - Alan Greenspan
6 - Bill Gates
7 - Steve Jobs
8 - Archbishop Desmond Tutu
9 - Richard Branson
10 - George Soros
11 - Kofi Annan

Interesting that Clinton ranks so highly, and Chomsky for that matter. (Was there some sort of campaign for the latter, I can't help wondering?)

There's a distinct broadly leftish tinge to the list - perhaps reflecting the sort of people (15,000 in total apparently, half from America) who are likely to be intrigued by the question.

You'd have to say it is a small feather in the cap of South Africa that it gets two nominees - a reflection, fair enough when you think of it, of the amazing peaceful transition in which those two men played such a part.

But the only Briton being Branson - you should be able to hear me wince - oh he's entertaining enough, but ...! (Tony Blair was 12th, which I guess you could call the British "donkey" vote.)

But, surprise surprise, no women. The BBC reports:

"Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi [was] the highest-ranking woman at 13th. Hillary Clinton was the next most popular woman at 16th."

J.K. Rowling was 49th - presumably with the youth vote.

Who would I choose? I think Mary Robinson, former Irish President and UN Commissioner for Human Rights might get my vote, although I'm open to other suggestions ...