President Vladimir Putin has solidified his control over Russia (“dictator” is no longer an outlandish word to ponder) while U.S. President Barack Obama’s lame duck period has seemingly set in earlier than usual for a two-term president — latest example: the government shutdown mess. Anyone watching this year’s chess match over Syria has a clear idea of the shifting individual power dynamic.
[More from Forbes: The Youngest Power People]
The Most Powerul People in the World list represents the collective wisdom of top FORBES editors, who consider hundreds of nominees before ranking the planet’s top 72 power-brokers – one for every 100 million people on Earth — based on their scope of influence and their financial resources relative to their peers.