Over the coming days, I’ll be taking a look at the frightening world of power grabs by modern dictators. I’ll explore, day by day, the ten key steps that authoritarian leaders have historically used to rise to power. I’m both fascinated and uneasy as I dive into these strategies because they aren’t just stories from the past—they’re real tactics in the news daily.
If you enjoy this series or any of my other posts, please subscribe. I’m Bill Southworth and my Substack handle is @rottendog.
I’ve been searching for insights from influential voices like Madeleine Albright, Timothy Snyder, and Hannah Arendt. Albright’s warnings about the slow erosion of democratic norms and Snyder’s practical lessons on resisting tyranny serve as a powerful backdrop. The takeover process is laid out in detail in The Dictator’s Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith. Alexis de Tocqueville, in Democracy in America, showed how a democracy can inadvertently set the stage for authoritarian practices. Fareed Zakaria argues for the need for constitutional safeguards, independent institutions, and a commitment to protecting individual rights.
My series kicks off by looking at the spark that often ignites the flames of dictatorship: crises and instability. When societies face economic collapse, security threats, or social unrest, there’s a vacuum that desperate populations and opportunistic leaders can exploit. In my first post, I’ll discuss how dictators use these moments of vulnerability to promise swift, decisive solutions—even if those promises come at the cost of personal freedoms.
Then, I shift gears to the art of image-making. Dictators don’t just rise to power; they cultivate a larger-than-life persona. On day two, I’ll delve into the techniques used to craft a charismatic image, portraying themselves as the sole saviors of the nation. This step is crucial for generating the public support that later enables more draconian measures.
By day three, the focus turns to the subtle—and not so subtle—manipulation of political systems.