Why presidential rankings are more than just a popularity contest among academic historians

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Since the mid-20th century, scholars have attempted to quantify presidential greatness. While rankings often highlight the same titans—Lincoln, Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt—these surveys reveal how historians weigh leadership, crisis management, and moral authority. Yet, these lists are not static, reflecting changing political norms and the passage of time.

Presidential rankings emerged in the mid-20th century as a tool for political scientists and historians to evaluate executive success. Early efforts, such as the 1948 poll by Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr., set a precedent for surveying academic experts. Today, these projects, including the long-running C-SPAN Survey of Presidential Leadership and the Siena College Research Institute polls, use rigorous criteria to assess performance. Historians evaluate presidents across categories like crisis leadership, economic management, and moral authority, often resulting in a consistent consensus at the top of the list.

The top tier is remarkably stable, with Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin D. Roosevelt frequently occupying the highest spots. Lincoln is lauded for his Civil War leadership and abolition of slavery, while Roosevelt is recognized for navigating the Great Depression and World War II. Washington is consistently honored for establishing the foundational precedents of the office. Conversely, the bottom of these rankings is often populated by figures from the mid-19th-century 'sectional crisis,' such as James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson, who are criticized for their failures regarding the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Rankings are not immune to contemporary shifts. Recent surveys have begun to incorporate newer presidents, with Donald Trump consistently appearing near the bottom in polls like the Presidential Greatness Project. Scholars suggest that recent drops in scores for Republican presidents may stem from a heightened emphasis on the respect for institutional norms. Furthermore, international perspectives—such as the 2011 UK-based survey—offer a different lens, sometimes faulting American icons like John F. Kennedy for a perceived gap between rhetoric and substantive achievement. Ultimately, while these lists aim for objective analysis, they remain mirrors of the values held by the historians who compile them.

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