Tinga, therein lies a problem. There is a distressing urgency amoungst people (who should know better) to throw out all manner of crude generalizations and a view of things from the most narrow of categories. This is a sure way to obscure matters which deserve a better look about and interpretation.
One could very easily agree that Washington was indeed overrated. IF one only judges him on certain narrow areas of interpretation. He was no strategic genius as a general, and quite honestly got damn lucky on more than one occasion. As for his executive abilities as president, I don't know if we can really rate him, as his job was so very much different than later presidents, but I would concur that insofar as executive abilities there have been better presidents. So your sneering academic could be considered correct in calling Washington overrated if one only takes the man by these guidelines. However, there is more to a person (or anything for that matter) than narrow, scientific categories in which one can chart, graph, weigh, measure, and ultimately pigeon hole him/her. Washington earned his greatness most fairly by believing in and sticking to an idea -- the fact that he managed to inspire his men (and keep himself inspired) under such duress, managed to stick it out and prevail, and that ultimately he refused personal power at the end of his last term are the keys to what make him great. So, insofar as the content of his character I would almost call Washington underrated (and a pity we don't have people like that anymore).
Tinga, therein lies a problem. There is a distressing urgency amoungst people (who should know better) to throw out all manner of crude generalizations and a view of things from the most narrow of categories. This is a sure way to obscure matters which deserve a better look about and interpretation.
One could very easily agree that Washington was indeed overrated. IF one only judges him on certain narrow areas of interpretation. He was no strategic genius as a general, and quite honestly got damn lucky on more than one occasion. As for his executive abilities as president, I don't know if we can really rate him, as his job was so very much different than later presidents, but I would concur that insofar as executive abilities there have been better presidents. So your sneering academic could be considered correct in calling Washington overrated if one only takes the man by these guidelines. However, there is more to a person (or anything for that matter) than narrow, scientific categories in which one can chart, graph, weigh, measure, and ultimately pigeon hole him/her. Washington earned his greatness most fairly by believing in and sticking to an idea -- the fact that he managed to inspire his men (and keep himself inspired) under such duress, managed to stick it out and prevail, and that ultimately he refused personal power at the end of his last term are the keys to what make him great. So, insofar as the content of his character I would almost call Washington underrated (and a pity we don't have people like that anymore).