Father of the Nation

Father of the Nation is a term used by many countries to describe a political or symbolic leader who was one of the most influential founding fathers of the nation. He may also be a key figure from the nation's history whose perceived heroism and moral authority made him in the public's eyes worthy of respect, indeed often veneration. The Father of the Nation is almost always a highly respected national figure and a source of patriotic inspiration. His image is commonly featured on banknotes, stamps, and other national memorabilia.

While many states have held a 'father of the nation' in continuing high respect since their founding, others have adopted and then abandoned some numerous figures throughout their history. Josef Stalin was seen by millions during his period of control in the Soviet Union as the national father-figure, an image augmented deliberately by images released of him in the pose of a father or grandfather patting children on their head. Such was his esteem that a wave of suicides was recorded when his death was announced, with people suggesting that life without Stalin to guide them was unthinkable. Within a few years however, when his successors revealed the truth about Stalin's reign of terror, his popularity plummeted and his body was removed from the mausoleum where it had been laid alongside Lenin.

In Ireland, though he remained a controversial figure, to the majority of the electorate and the supporters of the state's biggest political party (whom he founded and led for 33 years) Eamon de Valera was seen as the father of the nation up to his death in 1975. However in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s his reputation too underwent a re-evaluation, with the public moving away from their unfettered enthusiasm for 'deV' and his achievements and instead focusing interest on leaders like Michael Collins whom de Valera in his lifetime had tried to sideline.

Sun Yat-sen is regarded the Guofu (國父) in both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. Interestingly, Sun took no part in founding the PRC and in Taiwan, which makes up most of the ROC's jurisdiction, did not become a part of the ROC until after Sun's death.

Countries and their national "father(s):"

• Argentina: Jose de San Martin[?]
• Chile: Bernard O'Higgins[?]
• China: Sun Yat-sen
• India: Mahatma Gandhi
• Ireland: Eamon de Valera (until the 1970s.)
• Pakistan: Mohammed Ali Jinnah
• Republic of Texas: Stephen F. Austin
• Soviet Union: Vladimir Lenin (Josef Stalin from the 1920s to the early 1960s.)
• Spain: King Juan Carlos
• Turkey: Kemal Ataturk
• United States: George Washington
• Canada: John A. MacDonald
• Venezuela: Simon Bolivar