History shows that by the time people notice the damage, they may lack the means to fight back. “When patriotism becomes worship of one man,” a Hungarian dissident observed, “defending real freedom becomes an act of betrayal.”
A personality cult promises salvation but often delivers authoritarianism. Leaders proclaimed as “chosen” can justify skirting laws, confident supporters will excuse any transgression. Critics become enemies, truth becomes malleable, and power cements into fewer hands. That’s why Step Seven is so critical: once the leader’s image fuses with the nation’s identity, reclaiming democratic norms grows monumentally difficult. A society convinced that one figure alone can save it may wake up too late, finding it has surrendered its own safeguards to a ruler thriving on unconditional devotion.