The 5 Rules of Highly Successful Dictators
If you are an aspiring dictator, the rules are strict. The dictators that followed them enjoyed long careers. The ones that deviated; they were either ousted, exiled or assassinated. The rules are simple, but their execution is complex. They all boil down to control and loyalty.
Rule 1: Keep Your Inner Circle As Small As Possible
You need to depend on as few people as possible. When your inner circle is too large, you can no longer give private rewards. Without private rewards, you do not have your inner circle’s loyalty.
Rule 2: Make The Pool Replacements For Your Inner Circle As Large As Possible
Your inner circle must not feel special. They must always feel expendable. They must feel that if they do not follow your whims, someone could take their place anytime.
Rule 3: Tax People As Much As You Can, And Have A Firm Control On Money
If you do not have any natural resources like oil, at your disposal, you need to tax people as high as you can just before they revolt. Where else are you going to get funds for your inner circle and your hidden bank accounts? Also, nobody else should know where the money goes to.
Rule 4: Pay Your Inner Circle Just Enough To Keep Them Loyal
You want both loyalty and dependence from your inner circle. If you give too much, your inner circle can take over. If you aren’t giving enough, you lose their loyalty.
Rule 5: Never Take Money From Your Inner Circle To Make People’s Lives Better
Your priority is not the people. If you lower the rewards that your inner circle gets, you will lose their confidence. You will not get their protection when people revolt.
Machiavelli’s The Prince advised medieval princes on how to gain and sustain power. This book guides modern day dictators for the same outcomes. This time however, the rules are much more ruthless. The authors use this as a frame to discuss politics. It contains references from history and current events. It also talks about the economic consequences of a dictator’s actions.
Why read The Dictator’s Handbook?
You learn how important public freedoms are; freedoms such as Free Speech, Free Press and Freedom of Assembly. You learn of early signals when a future dictator is brewing. You learn of the motivations of self-interested politicians.
How can you use this information?
“Be suspicious of people’s motives”, the authors wrote, “Appeals to ideological principles and rights are generally a cover. […] There is always some principled way to defend any position, especially one’s own interests.”
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First Published: December 19, 2020 7:22 am
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