Damnly my dear, I don't give a frank

Ronald Reagan is no longer with us. I was slightly amazed to discover he was 93 years old, putting him in his seventies for the majority of his time in office. I suppose it says something of my knowledge of politics during his presidency that my primary memory of him during his term comes from a Spitting Image special. With the benefit of hindsight, I can't say I was a fan of all his policies (the Star Wars debacle springs to mind amongst others), but he did preside over a remarkable period of history (alright, technically he presided over America during a remarkable period of history, but I'm not certain there's much difference) and, together with Gorbachev, helped lay the foundations for the end of the cold war and shaped the current political landscape. Worthy achievements for which I'm genuinely grateful.

I've always been curious as to how much effect a single individual can have in these matters - does the momentum of society hold sway, such that events unfold along similar lines regardless of who's holding the reigns, or can one many really make a difference? It's largely a rhetorical question - I only ask as it seems difficult to tell in our media led society which seems to place as much, if not more, emphasis on personality than on policies. I'd cite an example involving George W. Bush, but I'm sure it's goes back much further still.

Anyway, another figure from my childhood is no more.