From Mislabeling to Understanding: The True Essence of ‘Dictatorship’ Through History

As you might have gathered from the headline, this blog aims to delve into the true essence of dictatorship. But what does ‘dictatorship’ really mean in today’s world? A quick Google search can give you a definition, but there’s more to the story.

Lately, the term ‘dictator’ has been making headlines globally, and not for positive reasons. However, the origins of the word paint a different picture. Derived from the Latin word ‘dictātor,‘ it originally did not carry the negative connotations it does today. In Roman culture, a dictator was a magistrate granted extensive powers, but only for a limited period and in specific circumstances.

So, how did the meaning evolve over time? Historically, the term was associated with autocracies or monarchies. Now, it’s increasingly being used to describe leaders within various democratic systems around the world. In my best understanding, dictatorship is a concept far more complex than what some YouTube influencers might narrow it down to in their videos. These influencers often dilute the significance of such a powerful word. So, let’s begin with a deep dive into the real essence of dictatorship—starting with the rulebook on how to truly become a dictator.

Let’s get started.

• Make a stereotypical enemy

So, as a dictator, the first rule is to find someone to blame for all your problems. One person won’t be enough; you need to identify a community. This community might already be powerful or hold key positions where you feel your own supporters are lacking. By directing blame towards this group, you can unify your base through a common enemy. And once you do this, you become the Messiah of your people. Your next step is to elevate this strategy to a national level, ensuring that you can solidify and maintain your grip on power. Does history provide examples of this tactic in action? Absolutely. And our next discussion is about it.

ADOLF HITLER : In the 1920s, following Germany’s defeat in World War I, a man emerged who could not accept this loss. At the time, Jews held significant positions across various institutions in Germany, something that deeply unsettled him. He perceived the Jews as one of the reasons for Germany’s defeat, believing they had betrayed the nation.

An AI-generated image about Holocaust

Hitler knew what needed to be done to unite the country under his vision. This led to the rise of Nazi Germany, which became a formidable force. His intense hatred towards Jews not only fueled his rise to power but also set the stage for his brutal regime. The Holocaust, as we know it today, stands as a horrific testament to what a dictator can achieve when driven by such intense animosity.

• Show brutal repression

As we move to the second rule, remember that people love freedom, but dictators don’t. In fact, dictators fear any form of freedom that might undermine their power. To maintain control, they resort to repression. This repression doesn’t always mean eliminating people outright; instead, it’s about instilling a fear of death so severe that it deters any dissent or resistance. It’s about creating a state of fear where people are too afraid to even think about defying the regime. This tactic is not just theoretical; history provides us with numerous examples.

SADDAM HUSSEIN : His story is too complex to fully capture in this blog, so I’ll summarize it as best I can. Saddam Hussein knew how to maintain power by consistently countering his enemies. As a Sunni leader in a predominantly Shia Iraq, he was a brutal dictator who targeted not just the minority Kurds but also the Shia majority. This sectarian animosity was one of the reasons behind his attack on Iran, a neighboring country with a Shia majority.

An AI-generated image about Saddam’s Regime

Hailing from the Ba’ath Party (which promoted Arab unity, socialism, and secularism), Saddam sought to spread Ba’athism across the Arab world. What Hitler did during the Holocaust, Saddam mirrored with the Kurds, using mustard gas, a chemical weapon, to devastating effect. These historical examples underscore the second rule of dictatorship: the suppression of freedom through fear and brutality

• Make Military Dominance

When we think of the military, we usually associate it with national defense, protecting a country from external threats. Unlike the police, which handle internal matters, the military is meant to fight enemies beyond national borders. However, some men use their military might against their own people in the most brutal ways, ultimately becoming dictators.

A common aspiration among dictators is to strengthen their military and become its head, ensuring they are protected from coups. A dictator with sole control over military power is particularly dangerous, as this control often reveals the extent of their cruelty. History provides us with examples of such dictators, including one who, in my opinion, was a psychopath in every sense of the word.

IDI AMIN : Let me introduce you to the ‘Butcher of Uganda,’ a man notorious for his brutality and even rumored cannibalism (act of eating human flesh). Coming from a military background, Amin used the armed forces to seize and maintain power, enforcing his ruthless policies through sheer terror. His brutal tactics and military purges ensured the army’s loyalty, making it a crucial instrument of his dictatorship.

An AI-generated image of a political rally during Idi Amin’s rule.

In the 1970s, Amin became President of Uganda by controlling the military. His reign of terror extended beyond Uganda, instilling fear throughout Africa. One of his infamous actions was expelling around 50,000 Asians from Uganda, believing they were too wealthy and dominated the country. Those he deemed undesirable often faced murder, and it was rumored he would eat their flesh. Amin spared no one, targeting people of all ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.

His story exemplifies how dictators leverage military power to enforce their will and how absolute control can lead to unimaginable cruelty.

• Be a Cult of Personality

This is one of the most powerful tools for becoming a dictator, ensuring your reign lasts for ages, or even a lifetime. The method is simple: elevate yourself to the status of a god. Controlling the military, the media, and the minds of your people will solidify your status as a cult figure.

Control the flow of information in and out of the country, glorify yourself with fabricated stories, and repeat this narrative throughout your life. Ensure that every household in your nation has your portrait displayed in some form. And when in doubt, don’t hesitate to eliminate even your loved ones or inner circle to maintain your grip on power.

If you’re following closely, you might already guess which historical figure exemplifies this strategy.

KIM IL SUNG : By writing this, I probably eliminate my chances of ever visiting North Korea. Kim Il Sung, the idealized, heroic, and worshipped founding leader of North Korea, is a prime example of a cult of personality. His presence permeates every aspect of North Korean life—from school books to the walls of houses and shops, and statues in every conceivable place. His reign continues through his descendants, solidifying the dynasty’s control.

An AI-generated image of newspaper from Kim Il Sung regime

Kim Il Sung was a lifetime dictator who ensured everything in the country was controlled by his family. The brutality towards his people is well-known and need not be elaborated here. The key takeaway is that a god-like personality is essential for any dictator to ensure that their people never turn against them

So, I will not make this article very long. To my knowledge, these four factors or tools are the best indicators to determine if someone is a dictator. If they tick all the boxes above, then they might indeed be one. While there may be other factors, these four are essential.

For a more comprehensive view, I recommend reading ‘The Dictator’s Handbook‘ or, for ease, watching ‘How to Become a Tyrant‘ on Netflix. My article provides a brief overview based on these sources.

I never planned to write on this topic, but recent trends on social media, where influencers misuse such a powerful term, prompted me to address it. I believe using the term ‘dictator’ carelessly sends the wrong message when there are other terms that can be used. This article aims to provide basic knowledge, something easily attainable with the right resources and team. I’m not against anyone, but people should be cautious with terms that carry immense weight.

Understanding the essence of dictatorship through historical examples sheds light on the dangers of misusing the term in contemporary discourse. By examining figures like Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, and Kim Il Sung, we see that true dictators share common traits: creating enemies, brutal repression, military dominance, and cultivating a cult of personality. It’s crucial to use such powerful terms accurately and responsibly, ensuring we don’t undermine their significance.

Hope I did my best to shed some light on this issue, and enjoy the freedom you all live in, because if you are reading this, you might not be under a dictator!

Democracies deemed to be doomed?

Cold War 1.0 was not only about two major powers, USA and USSR, but also about their ideologies of influence. After World War 2, many new states formed or got independent, and their fate was decided by these global powers. The best example we could see in history was the Korean War in 1950. Where South Korea was USA’s democracy, and North Korea was USSR’s autocracy. The USA becoming a might exhibited the world how powerful democracies can become. In contrast, the fall of the USSR left a question, “Are democracies the only way to prosper?”.

Graham Allison’s “Destined for War” Book Cover

1991 saw the fall of Soviet ideology, but Communist China was emerging expeditiously, focusing its red eyes on global trade and exacting the USA’s hegemony.

Therefore, democracies are not the only way to develop. Human Rights still remain a prime issue in Authoritarian and Hybrid regimes, but sometimes it may end as a better developing of a country’s GDP like Middle East.
It is not only related to development or the country’s economy, but also the political leadership. After the fall of the USSR, democratic leaders from the USA and Europe enjoyed soft power over third-world countries. However, Putin’s arrival in world geopolitics gashed the USA and its partners.

Around the same time, China’s GDP was showing signs of boom. While Mao focused on capturing land and making China a global military power. The arrival of Deng Xiaoping transformed China’s market from previous Maoist policies to a new form of Capitalism. Yes, the Capitalism of China was different from what the West believed. China ranks second in the world’s GDP and will replace the USA soon at the top. So, my question at the very first “Are democracies the only way to prosper?”, is a simple No and the Communist China has proved it.

The debate of democracies vs dictators is a hot topic in this Cold War 2.0, where the USA seeks to control the globe with its democratic agenda. China, an emerging power, wants to turn the table with its hybrid authoritarian policies with support from Russia and like-minded. Leaders now don’t want to be under the limelight of America’s feet, whether it is MBS (from Saudi Arabia) or Erdogan (from Turkiye), which in the past have been aligned with US policies. 

(Osaka – Japan, 06/28/2019) President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, during a family photo of the BRICS Leaders. Photo: Alan Santos / PR

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the powers from Asia, Africa, and South America don’t want the powers of Europe, the USA, and its allies to control global markets. De-dollarization is discussed among BRICS and SCO countries and more countries want to be a part of such groups. But still, the dominance of the Dollar won’t be gone soon however hard the countries try. So there’s a confusing side, you might think countries may group according to Democracy vs Autocracy. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine divided the world more than ever, now dominance matters more than just ideologies. You’ll see democracies like India, Brazil, and South Africa grouping closely with Russia, China, and Iran. Or autocracies like Azerbaijan engaging more with EU partners for their energy utilization.

So, I am not keeping it long, there’s a twist in some recent years for the Democracies in the world. While Myanmar’s democracy was gone in a day after the takeover by the military junta. The USA in 2021 witnessed the January 6 Capitol Hill event as Black Day for their democracy. Recent clashes between two factions in Brazil over Bolsonaro’s defeat are some of the major events democracies are facing all over the world. Sri Lanka, a small island country, now a bankrupt state is an example of how democracies could fail if handed to corrupt leaders. The path to being a democracy and sustaining it is a challenge in itself. While Autocracies don’t run smoothly either but they are good at managing masses or silencing them, taking examples from Iran (Anti-Hijab protests) or China (Anti-Covid Restriction protests). Here’s a take, now the majority of countries see the future as a multipolar world, which in turn will get more and more complex. United Nations with its World War 2 era mindset is not providing means to stop conflicts and is so fragile. There seems to be no mechanism in the world right now to stop a major war, which we are seeing in the case of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The world must embrace itself for a bigger war, that is coming, and inevitable. The only hope is, that it does not end mankind. Okay, let’s not go there…

So, I started my blog with a question if democracies are dying? And if they are, Autocracy or Dictators are not the best answer to them. So what then? The answer is confounding. Russo-Ukrainian War is almost completing one year, and there’s no winner yet. But many losers, especially humanity. Some strong men, strong governments, and their egos are keeping our lives at stake. Whether it is Democracy or Autocracy, people are struggling. It comes to a point, who struggles less. And for now, I can say that democracies are a bit far from dooming. Nevertheless, the world is changing and evolving, developed countries have attained their peaks, developing countries are giving them challenges, and the underdeveloped world is viewing and facing chaos. Let’s see where this next decade takes us, cause the next 7-8 years will be the most consequential years for the World. So, watch out for major geopolitical changes in and around the globe. I will end this blog with a phrase we all be needing for the next roller-coaster decade, “Embrace the Chaos”.