BBC World Documentaries: Lincoln and the World

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Abraham Lincoln and his legacy are a global story. His political influence is more powerful today than it ever was.

His martyrdom increased his global clout. For example, church services were held all over Germany after his assassination.

He is seen as not only an embodiment of values and principles but also as a representative of a nation emerging as a world power.

A month before Lincoln's bicentennial celebrations began, US President Barack Obama evoked him in multiple ways.

He saw their trajectories as similar and he believes that without Lincoln, he would have never had the chance to become President.

UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown and former Pakistan leader, Pervez Musharraf both invoked Lincoln in support of their respective domestic agendas.

In Lincoln and the World, Allan Little looks at how movements and leaders from very different political perspectives have looked up to Abraham Lincoln.

He also explores how Barack Obama's championship of him has given Lincoln higher visibility, and whether there is hubris in Obama's conscious parallelism.

First broadcast on Monday 25 May 2009

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