Top 10 Worst Decisions in Recent World History

#10: The Brexit Referendum

The European Union is one of the largest trading unions in the world. In the 2015 UK election, Tory politician David Cameron promised a vote to decide if Britain should leave the EU. Even though it wasn’t legally binding, Leave won by a small margin, and Britain eventually left in 2020. Since then, the UK has experienced a serious economic decline and a cost-of-living crisis. Brexit isn’t the sole factor, but it’s a huge contributor. The majority of polls show a higher proportion of UK citizens believe it was a mistake, and some even wish to rejoin, but that’s unlikely to happen soon.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdrynjz1glpo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021%E2%80%93present_United_Kingdom_cost-of-living_crisis

The Wall Street Journal

Brexit 101: The UK’s EU Referendum Explained: https://youtu.be/JirBvgI8JXA

Channel 4 News

Hundreds of thousands of people march for another Brexit vote: https://youtu.be/m-Gq0nixHbU

Sky News

Bojo pledges to “get Brexit done”: https://youtu.be/ewpp_VB1UGA

#9: Bolsonaro’s Deforestation

Between 2019 and 2023, Jair Bolsonaro was president of Brazil. He quickly became one of their most controversial presidents ever, and a huge factor was his eagerness to destroy the Amazon rainforest. Under his administration, deforestation reached alarming levels. He stripped protections from Indigenous lands and threatened to worsen the situation if foreign funding stopped. This felt like he was essentially holding the rainforest hostage. By the end of his term, some regions of the Amazon were emitting more carbon than they stored. His successor is way more environmentally friendly, but unfortunately, many conservationists worry that the damage is irreparable.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jair_Bolsonaro

https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2022/9/29/23373427/amazon-rainforest-brazil-jair-bolsonaro-lula-deforestation

https://sentientmedia.org/amazon-deforestation-brazils-new-president/

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/7/brazilian-amazon-deforestation-up-150-in-bolsonaros-last-month

Al Jazeera English

Is Bolsonaro a death sentence for the rainforest? https://youtu.be/__6rUca4ryg

YouTube: WION

Bolsonaro signs new decree to save Amazon: https://youtu.be/NUYE30xpKPA

BBC News

One-fifth of the Amazon rainforest lost to deforestation: https://youtu.be/ZU4XH-C3Kpk

#8: Boeing 737 MAX Crisis

It’s one of the largest plane manufacturers in the world, but in recent years, it’s become increasingly competitive with rival Airbus. This led to the 737 MAX disaster. Boeing prioritized competition over safety by hiding the details of its new automated maneuvering system from pilots to reduce training costs. The first 737 MAX planes flew in 2016, but their reputation took a major hit after two crashes in 2018 and 2019. In both flights, all passengers tragically died. The planes were subsequently grounded, and Boeing lost billions because of the incident. After corrections to the system were made, the planes were brought back into service by the end of 2021. However, many anxious fliers still get fearful when they see they’re boarding a 737 MAX.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_MAX_groundings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_737_MAX

https://apnews.com/article/boeing-plea-737-max-crashes-b34daa014406657e720bec4a990dccf6

https://www.henricodolfing.com/2024/08/case-study-19-20-billion-boeing-737-max.html

YouTube: Vox

The real reason Boeing’s new plane crashed twice: https://youtu.be/H2tuKiiznsY

The Wall Street Journal

Inside the Boeing 737 MAX Scandal that rocked aviation: https://youtu.be/0jTN0JD4I5M

CNBC

Why the Boeing 737 Max has been such a mess: https://youtu.be/otCYl7_uU8Y

#7: U.S. Exits Paris Agreement

The Paris Agreement was signed in 2016 and aims to mitigate climate change. It’s been signed by 195 countries, but after Donald Trump became America’s president, he didn’t hesitate to pull out. The Green Climate Fund lost $3 billion in U.S. funding, and climate research took a huge hit. Trump has long pushed the idea that global warming is a hoax. The fact that one of the world’s leading powers isn’t taking the climate crisis seriously is harrowing. Fortunately for Trump, the worst consequences won’t be realized for several decades.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Agreement

https://www.whitecase.com/insight-alert/us-withdrawal-paris-agreement-impact-and-next-steps

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_Paris_Agreement

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51213003

Al Jazeera English

What does Trump's exit from Paris Agreement mean for US climate projects: https://youtu.be/Kk9PmIkz3TM

The New York Times

Fact Check: President Trump’s Exit From The Paris Climate Accord: https://youtu.be/G5xTaS6VWqk

CNN

Trump exits Paris climate accord: https://youtu.be/tHVqHr60-Tc

#6: The Philippines’ Drug War

Some countries, like Portugal, have humane ways of dealing with substance abuse, believing destigmatisation encourages victims to seek help. Others, like the Philippines, have much more outrageous ways of curing these issues. From 2016 onwards, Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte began encouraging people to take the war on drugs into their own hands. This included advising citizens to murder people with substance abuse disorder in the streets. The majority of victims come from poverty, and it’s considered a major human rights violation by Amnesty International. In March 2025, Duterte was arrested and brought to The Hague as a result of his crimes against humanity.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_drug_war

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_Portugal

https://www.amnesty.org/en/projects/the-philippines-war-on-drugs/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/04/rodrigo-dutertes-war-on-drugs-in-the-philippines-explained-in-30-seconds-ntwnfb

Amnesty International

If you are poor, you are killed: https://youtu.be/8CjmRFGFmys

Al Jazeera English

A Filipino priest’s fight for justice for victims of Duterte’s drug war: https://youtu.be/F8JSceUt7Y0

CBC News: The National

Horror of the Philippines’ drug war: https://youtu.be/q0v9IcZRfhY

#5: Roe v. Wade Overturned

When a person needs an abortion, if it’s illegal, they may turn to shady places to get it done. Such procedures have no regulation, making them highly dangerous. As such, a lot of countries have opted to legalize abortion, including America in 1973. This was Roe v. Wade, which made abortion a federally protected right. That was until 2022, when it was overturned. This means abortion laws now vary wildly depending on the state, with it being legal in places like California but banned in states like Texas. Some states ban it entirely, even in horrific circumstances, making it feel like a step backward to many.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54513499

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/a-year-after-the-supreme-court-overturned-roe-v-wade-trends-in-state-abortion-laws-have-emerged/

“ABC World News Tonight” (1948-)

ABC

Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade: https://youtu.be/weRVOvLXvok

YouTube: Quimbee

Roe v. Wade Case Brief Summary: https://youtu.be/CezlmUwMXNo

YouTube: The Federalist Society

Roe v. Wade: A Legal History: https://youtu.be/cRAlc0NrlNQ

#4: China’s Treatment of the Uyghurs

Xinjiang is a massive province in northwestern China and is home to the Uyghurs, a Muslim Turkic ethnic group. Tragically, the CCP is anything but kind to them. Since 2017, they’ve been moving Uyghurs into internment camps. Many consider it genocidal, and it’s the world’s largest movement of ethnic minorities since the Holocaust. The government denies any wrongdoing, but the International Criminal Court is unable to investigate, as China hasn’t signed the treaty that would give the court jurisdiction there. The CCP heavily censors the topic, meaning most Chinese citizens are oblivious to the crisis. They’ve even released propaganda videos titled “Xinjiang is a Wonderful Land,” while simultaneously claiming their measures are to counter terrorism in Xinjiang.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Uyghurs_in_China

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyghurs

https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/china/chinese-persecution-of-the-uyghurs

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-22278037

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14623528.2020.1848109

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Statute

YouTube: Investigate Asia

The Uyghurs Tragedy: Inside China’s Quiet Genocide: https://youtu.be/dPvfORR_qSQ

Sky News

What happened to China’s Uyghur camps: https://youtu.be/1jqvy0KOSZ4

The Economist

How China is crushing the Uyghurs: https://youtu.be/GRBcP5BrffI

#3: Rohingya Genocide

One of the most disgusting crimes against humanity of the 21st century so far is taking place in Myanmar. Since 2016, Myanmar’s armed forces have been systematically exterminating the Muslim Rohingya people. Before it began, 1.4 million Rohingya called Myanmar home. As of 2025, approximately 300,000 remain. Many fled to Bangladesh, where the world’s largest refugee camp was established, housing almost 700,000 people. It’s almost impossible to measure the destruction that’s been caused. Tons of villages have been wiped out, and tens of thousands have died. As of 2025, it is still ongoing, but it doesn’t seem to get the international backlash such atrocities deserve.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohingya_genocide

https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/24/myanmar-no-justice-no-freedom-rohingya-5-years

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/atrocities-against-burmas-rohingya-population

VICE News

Myanmar’s Rohingya Genocide: https://youtu.be/AnHizRC6S8U

YouTube: Yaqeen Institute

Rohingya Genocide Explained: Myanmar’s Muslim Massacres: https://youtu.be/am5qpQl4KfQ

The New York Times

Inside the Rohingya Crisis: Capturing Their Genocide on Cellphones: https://youtu.be/OqNqICFcmto

#2: Netanyahu Raising Tensions With Iran

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has spent over 30 years accusing Iran of developing nuclear bombs. In 1992, he said they were only three to five years away from having a nuclear weapon. In 2025, he is still saying they’re only a year or two away. In June 2025, these accusations escalated to a full-on military strike. This led to a brief conflict known as the Twelve-Day War, with both countries firing missiles at each other. Tensions have since ratcheted down, but if military superpowers like America are pulled into a war, the results could be devastating.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Netanyahu

https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2025/6/18/netanyahus-spent-33-years-warning-an-iran-nuke-is

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/13/benjamin-netanyahu-attack-iran-israel-us-nuclear

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Israel_war

Al Jazeera English

Netanyahu’s 33 years of Iran nuclear warnings: https://youtu.be/Mzmtdwsef8s

BBC News

Iran missiles cause multiple casualties in Israel as Israeli strikes hit Tehran oil depot: https://youtu.be/r0N5SG1MaTY

Times News

Moment Iranian Missiles Hit Tel Aviv’s City Centre: https://youtu.be/p4Me9G3hPTE

#1: Invasion of Crimea & Ukraine

The war between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014, when Russia controversially annexed the Crimean peninsula. A ceasefire was signed in February 2015, but it eventually escalated into a full-scale invasion by early 2022. The war is currently in a stalemate, with changes in frontlines taking months. It’s uncertain how long Ukraine will hold out, as President Zelenskyy seeks aid from foreign powers. If Russia comes out on top, the rest of Europe should be fearful. Putin is an aggressive leader, and a victory may bolster his confidence, motivating him to invade other vulnerable nations.

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_annexation_of_Crimea

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_War

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine

https://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/news/no-peace-sight-ideology-territory-and-stalemate-russo-ukraine-war

https://ecfr.eu/article/what-if-russia-wins-in-ukraine-we-can-already-see-the-shadows-of-a-dark-2025/

ABC News

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: a visual timeline of the war: https://youtu.be/6BvOBW3FwbA

The Wall Street Journal

Watch How Russia’s Military Attack on Ukraine Unfolded: https://youtu.be/Gygb1sEah1U

Sky News

How Russia’s invasion unfolded: https://youtu.be/469o1jxR360

Which decision do you think had the most far-reaching consequences in the past 10 years? Let us know in the comments section!

CNN

Trump asked if he trusts Putin: https://youtu.be/j35TMZUVAWA