Saparmurat Niyazov was the eccentric former dictator of Turkmenistan. He wrote a book that all children were required to study, built a 37 km long staircase that all citizens had to climb monthly, and erected a 15 meter tall rotating golden statue of himself.

Dictatorship – A Deadly Concept

• Millions Killed: Millions were killed under the dictatorships of Hitler in Germany and Mao Zedong in China.
• Tiananmen Square Massacre: In 1989, China used tanks against protesting students in the Tiananmen Square massacre.
• Origins in Roman Empire: Dictatorship originally emerged in the Roman Empire to handle crises.
• Lord Acton’s Warning: Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely. 

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What is Dictatorship?

• Absolute Power: Form of government where one leader or party holds all power. No regular free elections; constitution does not limit the dictator’s power.
• No Rights: Citizens have no rights, including right to protest. Dictator makes all key economic and educational decisions.
• Suppression: Opposition is brutally suppressed.

Prevalence of Dictatorship

• Widespread: As of 2019, 92 countries had some form of dictatorship, vs 87 democracies.
• Post-Colonial Dictatorships: Many countries that gained independence with India became dictatorships.
• Modern “Spin Dictatorships”: Modern “spin dictatorships” use information control vs direct suppression.
• Rise to Power: Dictators come to power by mobilizing people with ideologies and illusions of a better future.

Characteristics of Modern “Spin Dictatorship”

• Military Control: Powerful institutions like military under direct control of dictator/party.
• No Legal Challenges: Control over courts prevents legal challenges to the regime.
• Propaganda: Media narratives portray dictator as larger than life.
• Nationalism: Aggression justified in name of nationalism, historical grievances.

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Conclusion

“Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others that have been tried” – Winston Churchill.

Despite its flaws, democracy is better than dictatorship. We must support individual liberty, rule of law, and independent institutions.

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