Jimmy Wales
As you may be able to tell from Wikipedia, I believe in people. I believe they’re fundamentally good, I believe they’re trustworthy—and I believe the best way to achieve greatness is to hand the power to them. If I ruled the world, that’s what I’d do. I’d unite people behind a simple set of values—values like the ones underpinning Wikipedia, and my upcoming news publication WikiTribune. Values like openness. Transparency. And respect.
At first, I’d be there to guide them, sowing the seeds from which an equal, collaborative society could grow. A kind of benevolent dictator, if you like—culture has to start somewhere, after all—but for as short a time as possible. Gradually, I’d pass the power down, to allow people to do what they do best: build, design and create. I’d give them the freedom to construct their own future, piece by piece—together. I know for certain it’d be better than anything any unaccountable elite could hand down to them.