What happened when these 6 dictators took over? - Stephanie Honchell Smith
According to legend, the ancient Roman
statesman Cincinnatus
was plowing his fields
when news arrived that the Aequi,
Rome’s powerful enemy to the east,
had invaded.
Rome was in need of swift,
decisive action,
and the senate had chosen him
to serve as dictator,
with absolute power over the military
and government.
Cincinnatus set down his plow,
took control and,
in a matter of weeks,
saved Rome.
This story reinforces the myth
of the “benevolent dictator”—
the idea of a leader who
holds absolute power,
yet only uses it for the common good,
to address problems efficiently,
and create a just regime.
But can a truly benevolent dictator
exist in today’s world?
Nations established modern democracies
to safeguard
against the potentially destructive whims
of a single individual.
When functioning properly,
democracies enable a society to be freer,
and provide stability by protecting
against corruption and the abuse of power.
This is accomplished by holding regular,
free, and fair elections,
imposing term limits,
and establishing strong legislative
branches and court systems.
Maintaining a free press also helps keep
politicians accountable for their actions
and encourages citizens to engage
in their governments and communities.
In a dictatorship,
absolute or near-absolute power
is held by a single individual
who is free to impose their vision
on society.
Under certain conditions, the idea
of a dictator can sound appealing,
like when a democracy isn't functioning
as it should due to corruption,
economic instability,
or extreme political polarization.
At these moments,
people may be willing to give up some
democratic rights and freedoms
for hopes of a better future.
Authoritarian-leaning leaders
present themselves
as the ones who can fix everything.
They distill complex problems
into simple talking points
and promise quick solutions.
Some of the most overt authoritarian
leaders have taken this strategy,
including military dictators who seized
control through coups
like Augusto Pinochet, Mobuto Sese Seko,
and Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi, for example, initially asserted
himself as a revolutionary hero,
canceling the country's exploitative
foreign oil contracts.
But the longer he was in power,
the more riddled with paranoia he became.
Like Pinochet and Mobuto, he used his
position to target and torture opponents,
embark on campaigns of mass violence
against everyday people,
and build an enormous personal fortune.
Other modern dictators were initially
elected democratically,
then strategically accumulated power by
embracing authoritarian forms of control.
Italy’s Benito Mussolini and
Germany’s Adolf Hitler, for example,
gained popularity during waves
of mass discontent.
Both channeled economic woes
into racist rhetoric and embraced fascism,
a type of authoritarianism which exalts
the importance of one nation, or race,
above all others.
Once in office, such leaders gradually
dismantle checks on their power,
including removing judges who might rule
against them,
abolishing term limits,
or refusing to acknowledge
unfavorable election results.
Since they punish dissenting voices,
dictators are often surrounded
with yes-men,
who are promoted based on loyalty
over expertise,
ultimately wreaking incalculable economic,
social, and environmental costs.
But these costs can also
be hidden from view.
Dictators build up cults of personality
by minimizing negative coverage
and pushing positive propaganda
that presents them as strong or heroic.
This can make it almost impossible
to accurately measure their success.
Did Mussolini really make
the trains run on time?
It’s hard to know, since he would have
punished those who said otherwise.
While some modern dictators have
brought modest growth
to their nation’s economies
and industries,
most have enriched the few and left
widespread destruction in their wake.
Even so-called benevolent dictators,
whose regimes lacked overt violence,
stand accused of censoring journalists
and limiting the rights
and freedoms of citizens.
Back to ancient Rome.
Perhaps the most important dimension
of Cincinnatus’ legendary
benevolent dictatorship
is not that he held total power,
but that he gave it up after only 16 days.
Once Rome was safe,
he stepped down and retired to his fields.
His willingness to relinquish control
to the senate was as important
to the common good
as his ability to fend off invaders.
In practice, no modern dictator
has lived up to this ideal.
Dictators don’t willingly walk away
from power,
they continuously crave more.
That’s why institutions that provide
checks on leaders must be safeguarded:
in the hands of an aspiring dictator,
even seemingly robust democracies
can sink into repressive,
authoritarian regimes.
