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The Dictator’s Guide: a contemporary guide to understanding
dictatorships Yousuf Qureshi and
Eugene Sadov
2
A note to the academic reader
This book is not a guide on how one can become a dictator, benevolent or otherwise. Nor
is it a book on how an average person can use his guile, intelligence and talent to take
control of a country. It is instead a book that will guide you to understand dictators and
dictatorships. Theoretically a dictator could use this guide to understand the misfortunes,
mistakes and externalities that occur due to ‘incorrect’ implementation of a dictatorial
rule in order to improve his own dictatorial regime. But that is a far-fetched thought as
inevitably most if not all previous and existing dictatorships possess common
characteristics that are perverted and at the same time governed by the greed and hunger
for power. This increases the undesirability of this type of governance. Therefore this
book is strictly a work disguised as a guide that gives the reader a better understanding of
dictatorships. Consequently, in theory, it shows that any democracy can be manipulated
enough to allow an ambitious person to turn it into a dictatorship.
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Content
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 4
Part 1 Knowing the system ................................................................................................. 6
Chapter 1: What is a State ............................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2: Starting with Democracy............................................................................... 8
Chapter 3: Understanding Dictatorships ....................................................................... 11
Part 2: Politics ................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 4: What is Politics ........................................................................................... 14
Chapter 5: Machiavelli .................................................................................................. 16
Chapter 5.1: The Prince and its contemporary relevance ............................................. 17
Chapter 6: Getting into Power ...................................................................................... 20
Chapter 6.1: “Slow and peaceful way” (authoritarian dictatorship) ............................. 21
Chapter 6.2: “Radical and violent way” (totalitarian dictatorship)............................... 23
Revolution ................................................................................................................. 23
Coupe d’état, military coup ...................................................................................... 24
Regime change .......................................................................................................... 25
Chapter 7: Techniques of Dictatorial rule ..................................................................... 27
1. Defining an Enemy ............................................................................................... 27
2. Detention centers .................................................................................................. 28
3. The use of a ‘thug caste’ ....................................................................................... 29
4. Targeting key individuals ..................................................................................... 30
5. Monitor the population: an internal surveillance system ...................................... 31
6. Power of propaganda ............................................................................................ 32
Part 3- Legal Issues ........................................................................................................... 33
Chapter 8: Constitutions ............................................................................................... 33
Chapter 9: Changing the constitution; procedural steps ............................................... 35
Slow and peaceful way ............................................................................................. 35
Radical and violent way ............................................................................................ 36
Effectiveness and the long run .................................................................................. 38
Chapter 10: Immediate laws ......................................................................................... 40
Internal Surveillance ................................................................................................. 40
Imprison the opposition ............................................................................................ 41
Censorship and Control of the Media ....................................................................... 42
Part 4 Social Issues ........................................................................................................... 44
Chapter 11: Significance of the Society ........................................................................ 44
Chapter: 12 Ideology..................................................................................................... 46
Chapter 13: Education................................................................................................... 48
Chapter 14: Propaganda ................................................................................................ 50
Reflection .......................................................................................................................... 53
Glossary ............................................................................................................................ 54
Bibliography ..................................................................................................................... 56
4
Introduction
Its 510 BC. The Roman Republic is established. The power of the government is
separated into two consuls to ensure that the state and the citizens do not fall under the
rule of a single tyrannical power. Soon after, there was a general belief amongst the
members of the Senate that under certain circumstances the government should be vested
under the rule of one person. This person would possess absolute power for a short period
of time in order to carry out the tasks appointed to him. His actions would not be
questioned and he would not suffer any legal consequences due to his actions during this
time. In 501 BC dictatorship was instituted and thereafter was implemented numerous
times during times of war.
Today dictators and dictatorships are perceived differently rather than 2000 years ago.
While certain patterns remain as to why and how it occurs, modern dictatorships are no
longer merely a solution to a state of emergency, but rather a means to create it. In order
to understand the contemporary dictators and the different techniques of achieving and
implementing dictatorships this book will show you the different aspects that create a
path towards a dictatorship. In other words this guide should ideally lead the reader
through a process of transforming a democratic State into a fully functional dictatorship.
First, we will try and explain the mechanisms that govern a state, giving an overview of
the different duties managed by governments. In order to fully grasp the changes that
would take place within a State it is important to inform a reader on the philosophical as
well as practical matters of what democracy is what it entails. Furthermore, its extreme
opposite, dictatorships will be discussed in detail and the different types of dictatorships.
Once the difference between the two concepts is clear the reader will be swiftly immersed
into an experience that will educate him or her on the three fields that play a crucial part
in bringing about dictatorial rule, namely; political, legal and social aspects. In other
words, this guide is divided into three main parts mentioned above. Within these three
fields we will elaborate on different techniques that most of the dictator tend to use once
they are in power or on the way of getting into power as means of strengthening their grip
on a State. The political part will give you hands-on approach on how to gain popularity,
5
influences within the political circle and most importantly how to get into power. You
will come to understand how certain political figures in the past have used different
methods to create circumstances that best served their interests and consequently allowed
them to become a dictator. The legal part will show you how to make use of the
constitution to your advantage. You will understand the possibilities within the legal
system and how laws and the legal system can serve as means to achieving your
objectives. The fourth part, the social issues will highlight the relevance of the masses;
the population; citizens living in the state you wish to become the ruler of. There are
many social issues that need to be addressed and many methods available that may serve
to steer the population towards your goals. This will all be discussed in the fourth part of
the book. Thus, this book will effectively engage in explaining you three crucial areas
that make up a state; the politics, laws and the society. This book is your step by step
guide through various issues in order for you to understand how to transform a
democracy into a dictatorship. This book is your guide to dictatorship.
6
Part 1 - Knowing the system
Chapter 1: What is a State
The state is a human institution that dates back as far as 10,000 years. In China a highly
trained bureaucracy has existed for over a thousand years. Although the shaping of what
we now know as the state is only as old as five hundred years. In this modern definition a
state is something, which exercised sovereign authority over a large territory, with the
deployment of large armies, taxation powers and a centralized bureaucracy1. The ability
to “provide order, security, law, and property rights”2 are characteristics of the
contemporary state and has made the rise of the modern economic world possible. Such
characteristics have a profound impact on our lives in the contemporary society. People’s
lives have come to be regulated and controlled by government agencies to a certain
degree varying in different states. This control is achieved by the different institutions the
state is made up of. These institutions and their functions define the state and to what
extent it governs and manages the country. The institutions are “legislative bodies,
including parliamentary assemblies and subordinate law-making institutions, executive
bodies, including governmental bureaus and department of state; and judicial bodies”3,
comprised principally of courts of law which enforce and develop law. These institutions
in all political systems are supported and maintained by the police and armed forces to
“guarantee internal and external security”4. But there are differences in how they are
related to each other. In some political systems these institutions are separate from one
another, in others they may overlap. In the United Kingdom, for example, overlap is
found between the Cabinet, Parliament and the House of Lords. On the other hand, in the
United States, the different political institutions; the Presidency, Congress and the
Supreme Court are distinct and “kept apart by the separation-of-powers principle”5,
which ensures that each branch has separate and independent powers and responsibilities.
In case of the U.K there is overlap, but there are still distinct powers in each branch that
1 Fukuyama, F, The Missing Dimensions of Stateness 2 Fukuyama, F, The Missing Dimensions of Stateness 3 The Role of the State: From The Policy Process in the Modern Capitalist State, p.23 4 The Role of the State: From The Policy Process in the Modern Capitalist State, p.23 5 The Role of the State: From The Policy Process in the Modern Capitalist State, p.23
7
they do not share amongst each other. This degree of separation is a characteristic of a
democratic state, thus found in every democratic political system. Together the various
state institutions and the degree to which their control extends has an effect on how
liberal or authoritarian a state is.
State institutions are located on the national, regional and local level. The degree to
which a state’s government extends its control over the functions and goals of different
institutions in the various levels is its scope. Its capacity to control them and to what
extent it controls them is its strength. Having a high scope and strength leads to a more
authoritarian state, while lower scope is a characteristic of liberal (democratic) states. It is
important to have the right balance between strength and scope, as having a high scope
and low strength, thus inadequate state capacity to manage the various institutions leads
to states that are ineffective in terms of their governance over the different areas they
wish to control6. This is important for you to understand as it will help you decide which
areas are vulnerable to the various methods of influence and manipulation, as different
agencies of the state are subject to different political influences. One such area, which
was also one of the earliest responsibilities taken on by the state, is the police and armed
forces. They are responsible for the maintenance of law, order and peace. It is also
important to mention that a State as an institution also holds a monopoly of the legitimate
use of violence and force in the enforcement of order7. Having the legitimate control over
the police and armed forces will play a crucial role in turning a democracy into a closed,
dictatorial society. The use of such enforcement agencies is important to ensure that
people comply with the state’s laws. The use of ‘police’ or force, in one form or another
is important for turning a state into a dictatorship and this will be explained in various
upcoming chapters.
6 Fukuyam, F., The Missing Dimensions of Stateness 7 Weber, M., Readings and Commentary on Modernity
8
Chapter 2: Starting with Democracy
Since our starting point is a State with a fully functional democracy it is important to
inform a reader on what democracy is. Its basic definition, since the times of Herodotus,
has been the rule of the people thus, the power of the people to choose their own
governments. Open, fair and free elections are the essence of democracy and as Samuel.
P. Huntington writes “governments produced by elections may be inefficient, corrupt,
short sighted, irresponsible, etc… these qualities makes such governments undesirable
but they do not make them undemocratic”. 8 The fact that people should have the right to
choose their own government is however just one side of the coin. When we speak of
democracy, another important aspect has to be mentioned, and that is that the autonomy
of individuals has to be protected against any coercion with the State. Therefore, a
broader definition would be that a State can be called democratic if it guarantees a
number of fundamental rights in political, social, economic, religious spheres. A number
of philosophers ranging from Thomas Hobbes to Isaiah Berlin have emphasized on these
two principles that a democracy should have.
In the view of the fact that this guide will lead the reader through the process of
transforming a modern democracy in its ideal-type construct into a dictatorship we
should also look at a democracy from a philosophical perspective. An ideal-type
construct relies on twin principle which was first formulated by John Locke and later
elaborated during the time of the French Revolution. These two basic grounds of
democracy are: autonomy of the individual and autonomy of the collectivity.9 Autonomy
of the individual is applied within a limited sphere, namely the domain of private life,
where as autonomy of collectivity is contained within the very term of “democracy”,
which means “people power”. Thus, the basic separation is between public and private
life, reflecting the distinction between the collective and the individual respectively.
Within those two fields, public sphere rests upon such principles as equality, justice and
is separated in economic and political domains. Private life, individual sphere or personal
8 Huntington, Samuel. P., p. 56, The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century 9 Todorov, Tzvetan, p. 11 Hope and Memory
9
world on the other hand, can be seen as a web of preferences and exclusions and its
highest point is love. Ideally, in a democracy, political life respects the pluralist
principles and the individual is protected by law from any possible infringement. Making
of laws and its exercise is clearly separated as a consequence of the separation of powers,
first elaborated by Montesquieu.
If we compare it with a dictatorship the two principles of the autonomy of the individual
and the autonomy of the collectivity are perceived differently. Within a dictatorship the
autonomy of the individual is rejected as a whole. The I of the individual, as in
democracy, is replaced by we of the group or collectivity.10 Thus, the individual or
private sphere is somewhat merges with the public sphere, where a number of things such
as, tasted, preferences, believes, etc. become attached or combined with the reigning
public standards. As a matter of fact love also loses its special status of being part of
private space and consequently an individual has no exclusive control over it. This
rejection of the autonomy of the individual leads to a creation of a community that can be
characterized as unified or fused together.
A democratic regime is defined by Robert Dahl as a regime in which the state is highly
responsive to the preferences of society because all adult citizens are free to formulate
their preferences, to signify their preferences to other citizens and to the state, and to
have their preferences weighed without discrimination in the conduct of state
policymaking.11 Looking at the political institutions that democracies usually possess six
prerequisites has to be mentioned that in fact characterize democracy, namely:
o Elected official (decisions taken at the governmental level are vested in official
that have been elected by the citizens)
o Free, fair and frequent elections (election of official is frequent with unlikely
coercion)
o Freedom of expression (citizen’s right to express themselves freely without any
danger of being punishment on political matters and criticisms of officials)
10 Todorov, Tzvetan, p. 13 Hope and Memory 11 Dahl, Robert, p. 2-3, Polyarchy: Participation and opposition
10
o Alternative sources of information (sources of information such as media are not
under the control of the government and citizens have access to alternative
sources of information)
o Associational autonomy (freedom to form independent organizations such as,
political parties, interest groups, etc.)
o Inclusive citizenship (rights to vote as well rights to five political institutions
listed above)
In a transition to dictatorship a number of these prerequisites would have to be suspended
in order to fulfill the goal of turning the state into a functional dictatorship. As an
example this would be: freedom of expression, alternative sources of information and
free, fair and frequent elections. However, the aim of this chapter is to simply introduce
the reader to the concept of democracy, thus the logic and practical implication of this
suspension will be elaborated further throughout the guide. The following chapter will
focus on the complete opposite of a democracy and a democratic rule, on dictatorships.
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Chapter 3: Understanding Dictatorships
What is a dictatorship? When referring to a dictatorial regime most people refer to an
authoritarian dictatorship. An authoritarian system of government is heavily centralized
and it can be dissolved by a properly functioning parliamentary democracy12. This
presupposes that an authoritarian government is undemocratic; the government, usually
in the hands of a few or one person and has social control over most aspects of the
citizen’s life. With very little room for civil liberty and freedom, authoritarian regimes
use dictatorships in a conservative way, preserving traditional values and social structure.
Besides authoritarian there is also another type of dictatorship, namely totalitarian.
Having all the same characteristics as an authoritarian dictatorship, it also has some
distinct characteristics that make it different. Since adopting of the term ‘totalitarian’ by
Adolf Hitler’s fascist regime and the widespread use of the term in both academic and
popular use in the past decades, it is now widely understood that there is something novel
about 20th century dictatorships. This is reflected back in characteristics of a totalitarian
regime which employs methods of control that go further then the “Caesaristic”
dictatorship that existed in the Roman Republic.
An authoritarian regime is also similar to “Caesaristic” dictatorship, resting its success in
the hands of “monopolized coercion and popular backing”13, and, regarding Napoleon’s
rule, involved centralized, autocratic rule lacking any constitutional foundation, and no or
little respect for legality, with its success resting in the legitimacy of popular consent.
Similarly in a totalitarian regime, the leader does not take responsibility for all his
actions, but rather is a functionary of the masses he leads. But a totalitarian dictatorship
goes further and controls most if not all aspects of life. Education, communication and
the economy fall under the command of a totalitarian regime as it gears the private life of
individuals and the society as a whole towards the system of political domination14. In
other words totalitarianism is the most extreme type of dictatorship. Another
characteristic of totalitarian dictatorship is that is has a distinct ideology. A concept of
12 Lee, Stephen J., European dictatorships, p.300 13 Richter, M., Baehr, P., Dictatorships in History and in Theory, p.243 14 Richter, M., Baehr., P., Dictatorships in History and in Theory PAGE
12
ideology and its significance will be explained further throughout the guide in Part 4.
Ideology helps organize the population, or the mass, into a single party working towards
the cause of the regime. This ‘total’ control aspect is similar to mass participation found
in democracy, although in this case it serves to further the goals of the single ruling
political party or figure. Which brings up the next point; totalitarian dictatorships have a
single party rule, which is typically led by one person. These points are further supported
by Hannah Arendt who highlights that this type of dictatorship has “a mass movement
with an ideology”, is “the personal dictatorship of a leader who has no constitutional
legitimacy but enjoys mass support”, and “repression within the state’s borders”15 is not
uncommon. The masses are repressed and controlled by what Brzezinski calls a
‘terroristic’ police. There is a communications and weapons monopoly and finally a
centrally directed economy16. The key point about totalitarianism is that it is a mass
movement. This mass movement has a leader. And the leader and the masses depend on
each other, without the one the other cannot exist; the mass simply becoming a horde, the
leader a nonentity. It is this very fact that Arendt argues prevents a totalitarian leader
from becoming a towering figure, “or a power hungry individual imposing tyrannical and
arbitrary will upon his subjects”17, but rather the center and personification of a mass
movement. All this implies implementing a step by step process of influencing the
masses through techniques of propaganda and indoctrination as well as the use of force to
keep order and ensure conformity; aspects that will be dealt with in further chapters. If we
would try to summarize the distinction between authoritarian and totalitarian
dictatorships, than according to K. D. Bracher, one difference lies in the way these two
types come to power. Authoritarian dictatorships tend to come about as a result of an
existing conservative regime imposing increasingly undemocratic measures intended to
neutralize and immobilize mass political and industrial organizations. Totalitarian
dictatorships, on the other hand, come to power as a result of a revolution, military coup
or a substantial mass movement backed up by an ideology, usually radical ideology and
results in a total overhaul or change of political system. It could be said that after a
15 Richter M., Baehr P., Dictatorships in History and in Theory, p.243 16 Lee, Stephen J., European dictatorships, p.298 17 Richter M., Baehr P., Dictatorships in History and in Theory, p.247
13
revolution, a dictator, in a totalitarian dictatorship could be seen as a painter with a clear
canvas where he can create what ever laws or institutions he desires.18
18 Bracher, K. D, p. 48, The German Dictatorship: The Origins, Structure, and Effects of National
Socialism.
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Part 2 - Politics
Chapter 4: What is Politics
Politics is the art of government and is viewed as a process which concerns the state. The
word originates from the Greek word “polis” which means the state or community as a
whole. The concept dealt with improving a society to an ideal state and means available
to achieve it19. Furthermore the man (by which is meant human being in general) is by
nature a political animal and it is in his nature to take part in the process of politics in
order to fulfill his inherent desires. Additionally, man is self-preserving, and either as an
individual or as part of a group, seeks to meet his interests. These interests are expressed
through politics. Inevitably he also finds himself at conflict with others in regards to his
interests. What he may wish may not coincide with the ideals of another person. And this
very fact is what politics is about; a community of different views using politics as a
medium to resolve conflicts of interest in order to find compromises and ways of
achieving them. If people would all agree on a course of action, they would not have the
need to engage in politics20. In our contemporary society this notion of politics has grown
into encompassing the different areas affecting society, such as crime, the market and
law, into the different institutions laid out earlier. This in turn gives rise to the need of
some sort of authority and power which governs the mechanism known as politics,
namely the government. Thus politics is as much about the existence of diversity and
conflict as it is about cooperation and collective interests.
Politics can be summed up as the exercise of power by key people and institutions of the
government to enforce and regulate decisions made to govern a state21. It can be regarded
the ‘authoritative allocation of values’, as a few make the decisions that affect a whole
community or society. This is why sometimes politics can be filled with “deception,
dishonesty and even corruption”, as politicians employ the use “of cunning, cruelty and
19 The concept derived from the writings of political thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle, who wrote about
creating an ideal society by improving on the imperfections present in the societies they lived in. 20 Miller, www.allfreeessays.com 21 Heywood, Politics, Government and the State
15
manipulation”22. As individuals are self-interested and seek to fulfill their own or their
groups’ interests and politicians can be self-seeking and unprincipled as they seek to
fulfill their personal ambitions. Thus political power can be corrupting, as it encourages
exploiting of the power for personal advantage and at the cost of others, making it timely
to say, ‘power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely’23.
Besides being governed by the said institutions, politics is also divided into two
spectrums; namely left and right-wing. The left wing and right wing politics dates back to
end of 18th century and owes its origins to the French revolution. The terms’ original
significance depended on the seating of the members of the National Assembly. At the
time a monarchy, those who opposed the monarchy; members of the Third Estate
consisting of revolutionaries, sat on the left and those who supported; members of the
First Estate who were nobles and had more to gain from a monarchy, sat on the right24.
As a monarch has absolute power over the state and government, the left then seeks to
reform or abolish existing social hierarchies in order to create a more equal distribution of
wealth and privilege.25 The more left a society leans the more it tries to provide equal
opportunities for all. Here communism is an example that lies on the far left of the
political spectrum. The right-wing is associated more with those that seek to maintain or
return to traditional authorities, as would be the case with the monarchy. The right seeks
to preserve domestic culture.26 Another important attribute which is also a clear opposite
of the left is the desire to preserve personal wealth and private ownership and in the
contemporary society has promoted the advance of capitalism. While each side is more
extensive then this, what is more important for you to understand is how each side
influences the shape a dictatorship takes.
22 Heywood, Politics, Government and the State 23 Lord Acton (Politics, Government and the State) 24 History of the National Assembly online 25 Encyclopedia Britannica Online 26 Encyclopedia Britannica Online
16
Chapter 5: Machiavelli
A democratic system is safeguarded by numerous means in order to ensure that no one
person can become too powerful and influence the government enough to with time take
supreme control over the state. But the system is manmade, and there are ways to
circumvent laws, influence individuals on the political level and feed information that
serves your purpose well to the individuals in order to influence their minds to your
liking. Dictatorships have occurred at various times, due to various circumstances around
the world. Your first step towards becoming a dictator is to understand this very fact. You
must understand the political arena well as well as the legal system of the state in order to
be successful in strengthening yourself within the political sphere. Laws must be
channeled to your selfish desires and conflicts inherent in political life and you must
create fear, first to create support, then to ensure obedience27. This is a careful process of
influence and manipulation. You cannot simply choose to change people’s behavior as
you please. Unlike some who believe the human mind to be a tabula rasa28 which you
can influence infinitely, it is important for you to understand that individual natures; such
as their intelligence, boldness and ability to question your authority, cannot be totally
controlled29. Therefore ingenuous methods need to be concocted and implemented that
partially make the populace believe that they are part of the decision-making process and
are not being manipulated to serve the agenda of a political figure or a government. The
following part will show you the thoughts of Machiavelli, an intellectual, who dismantled
and understood the relationship between the rulers and the ruled in order to explain the
political mechanisms that govern a state. The following passages contain relevant
chapters from Machiavelli’s book The Prince that contain points that have relevance to
the rest of this guide.
27 Machiavelli – The Prince. Chapter 12 28 Latin for Blank Slate, refers to a mind not yet affected by experience. 29 Steven, M, C., Political Philosophy, p.187
17
Chapter 5.1: The Prince and its contemporary relevance
Politics is not governed by strict laws. But similar to natural sciences, certain actions will
lead to certain reactions. Never-the-less the reactions can be influenced or counteracted
with careful planning. Although human beings will not tolerate extreme violence or
oppression, there are ways to win over their support in you as their leader using dastardly
means if need arises. When accustomed to living under an authority; be it a government
or rule of one person, people become incapable and unwilling to govern themselves and
prefer to follow a leader. When the governing body or person dies, dissolves or is
eliminated, the people are at despair as they do not know “how to live as free men” and
are “hesitant in taking up arms”30. By employing the correct methods, you can effectively
win over their support. But you must understand that when trying to achieve control of a
state, you are essentially bringing about a new order. This is no easy task, as you will find
opposition from those that were of the old government, or old order, and everyone else
that profited from it31. The opposition will be legitimate, consisting of members of the old
government, holding a profession in the political or legal arena and possibly the military.
In order to fight against any such opposition it is necessary to employ the correct methods
that win over the support of the masses as well as create a positive image for yourself. It
is fair to say that it is not so difficult to influence the minds of people, but it is difficult to
have a lasting affect on their thoughts and opinions. Due to this very fact, “affairs should
be managed in such a way that when they no longer believe, they can be made to believe
by force”32. What this implies is the use of rule of law, a legal body that regulates the
behavior of the society. In relation to this it is also important to know of another form of
power; namely military power or support. Whether a leader has it or not is seen in the
difference between one who is forced to beg or is able to use power in carrying out his
goals33. What this means is that in order to have considerable strength in convincing
others of your legitimacy as a leader you need to be able to show that you have power. As
without such support, leaders “come to a bad end and never accomplish anything”, and
30 The Prince – Machiavelli –ch.5 31 The Prince – Machiavelli –ch.6 32 The Prince – Machiavelli –ch.6 33 The Prince – Machiavelli –ch.6
18
“when they depend on their own resources and can use power, then only seldom do they
find themselves in peril”34. Thus a leader who wants to be able to regulate and influence a
society, and impose order, needs to have laws and regulations governed by a legitimate
body that can implement order and rules amongst the society. And thus, needs the use of
the armed forces (which can be in form of military or paramilitary, or police), a body that
can punish and maintain order through force or by the mere presence of it.
The principal foundations of a state are good laws and good armies, thus having the
armed forces on your side plays a crucial role in ensuring your success as a budding
leader. It is important to have loyal troops that believe in you or the cause. Mercenaries
and auxiliaries are useless and dangerous, as they are brave amongst friends, but cowards
when facing the enemy35. These two types of armed men are either foreign soldiers or
armies and their loyalty to you is only as much as you fund and pay them. They do not
believe in your leadership nor in the cause of the state. Their wage is their motive to serve
under you, and it is not enough for them to die for36. This point highlights the relevance
of a military or police force that is loyal to you and your political ambitions. Having
explained the usefulness of armed forces let us move on to the different manners of
achieving greater power.
The common people or the noble are two sources from which a leader can derive his
support from. The nobles, or elite and the common people exist in every state. Both have
conflicting interests. While the “people do not wish to be commanded or oppressed by
the nobles…the nobles desire to command and to oppress the people”37. A leader arising
from the nobility after having support of the people, who form the majority, has a more
difficult time sustaining his leadership as he may be at conflict with other nobles for he
finds himself “amidst many who feel themselves to be his equals”38. In a state where the
leader arises from the people tends to resort to dictatorial rule as he “has around him no
34 The Prince – Machiavelli –ch.6 35 The Prince – Chapter 12 36 The Prince – Chapter 12 37 The Prince – Chapter 9 38 The Prince – Chapter 9
19
one or very few who are not ready to obey him.”39 As such a rule arises from the people,
usually due to the absence or a weak noble or elite it tends to be dictatorial. Besides these
two ways, you can also become a leader “through some wicked and nefarious means”40.
From then on you can also employ such measures to ensure that you remain in power.
Such measures require from you to resort to dubious and evil ways such as dishonesty,
hypocrisy and fraud, among others. Agathocles the Sicilian, a potter’s son, resorted to
wickedness after having gained the rank in the military as commander of Syracuse. He
“called together one morning the people and the senate of Syracuse as if he were going to
discuss things concerning the state; and with a prearranged signal, he had his troops kill
all the senators and the richest citizens”41, and seized control of the city and finding no
opposition from the citizenry became ruler and King of Syracuse. Such measures are
cruel and immoral but never-the-less very effective. Besides this there are other means to
resort to for achieving power such as; being endowed with wit and vigorous mind; the
use of treachery and false promises; murdering those in power; forcing people to obey
through fear; and by strengthening your rule and the state with new civil and military
ordinance.42
39 The Prince – Chapter 9 40 The Prince – Chapter 8 41 The Prince – Chapter 8 42 The Prince – Chapter 8
20
Chapter 6: Getting into Power
Before the means of getting into power can be explained, a few words have to be
mentioned about different types and systems of the government of a particular
state/country namely that of parliamentary and presidential systems. The description will
be limited to the parliamentary and presidential forms of government and will leave out
other forms of government, such as semi-presidential.
When speaking of parliamentary or presidential governments, initially it is referring to a
set of political institutions by which the State and its government are organized and
perform its duties. The characteristics of a parliamentary system include the fact that
executive powers lie with the prime minister, whereas legislative powers are vested in the
parliament. Similarly, in presidential types of government, it is the president and
parliament that possess executive and legislative powers respectively. From a first glance
it could be said that both systems are very much alike, however in reality and practice
both systems have some fundamental differences. For the goal of explaining a
prospective dictator on how to get into power within different political orders, focus will
be kept on the parliamentary system. The parliamentary system has an important
characteristic; the executive branch of the government is dependent on the support of the
parliament. Whereas in the presidential system the executive branch, under control of the
president, presides and exists independently or separately from the legislature. It is also
worth noting that he or she is usually not accountable to the legislative body because both
of these political bodies have their own mandate. The president owes his authority to
being elected and he is therefore not accountable to the parliament in a sense of a
confidence rule. Whether the parliament has confidence in him or not, the President stays
in power. In parliamentary systems, the head of the government is not directly elected but
stays in office because he enjoys the confidence of tolerance of the parliament. Thus, in a
parliamentary system a prime minister wields much greater political power since they are
normally the heads of a loyal parliamentary majority and often a chairman of the main
political party. It is important for a prospective dictator to realize and understand these
different nuances in relation to how powers are separated and the technicality of various
forms of government as it will be easier for you to exploit its weaknesses to your own
21
advantage. It should be noted that even though most of the States fall within one or the
other form of government, there are exceptions, such as semi-presidential forms of
government. Furthermore, the climate, internal structure and characteristics of various
nations differs greatly from State to State, thus it is very difficult to pin-point all the
circumstances that are possible and include all the arising conditions. Therefore, we try to
include to most evident and, as history shows, most effective methods and steps of
getting into power.
Chapter 6.1: “Slow and peaceful way” (authoritarian dictatorship)
As mentioned in an earlier part, dictatorships can be distinguished into two categories,
authoritarian and totalitarian and basing on the works of K. D. Bracher this distinction is
closely related to the way these two types come to power. Therefore, we have further
elaborated on this view by dividing authoritarian dictatorships as being achievable by the
so called “slow and peaceful way” whereas totalitarian dictatorships can be achieved by
more “radical and violent ways”. For that reason, we will first try to distinguish way of
getting into power through slow and peaceful way.
Starting off with a parliamentary system, there is number of ways that should be
distinguished that could lead to dictatorship. One of the first and perhaps most important
requirements is that you should be in one way or another involved in politics preferably
be a member of some political party, or be a civil servant. Your next duty is to try and
become a leader of this party. In the beginning this party can merely be at a regional
level, but as long as you evolve in the political circles this will earn you some valuable
experience and perhaps recognition. It should be noted, that you should try and make
your party as influential as possible in order to yield necessary results. Being a president
of a dominant party would mean that you could pass bills and laws that would be
necessary to transform the country and have the backing and vote of your party. If
necessary, you can further establish your dominant position by running for a position of a
Prime Minister. From then on you can eliminate any remaining partied that could be
against you in an ideal of creating a single party rule. It should be noted, that even though
22
this is rather safe and “quite” method it might take rather long time to achieve the results
needed.
Within a presidential system situation is rather different. The starting point would also be
to become a leader of a party in a parliament. While being a party leader you should try
and make as many “friends” as possible from other parties, even if you would have
conflicting interests. The reason for this is that sooner or later you would need to run for
a presidency and once you become one you should have some sort of influence over the
parliament and consequently a legislative body. It is in fact possible to say that
presidential systems leave less room to maneuver with regard to getting into power or
abusing the political system to your advantage. However, as already mentioned, different
States constitutes different procedural characteristics with regard to the governments and
thus it is up to the prospective dictator to study the possibilities and make use of any loop
holes that are available.
When we refer to this form of getting into power, with slow, “legal” ways it is crucial
that you possess the financial freedom. What we mean by the financial freedom is the
presence of a large budged that could be contributed to the cause of manipulating your
way through the political system. It is also wise to have backing of the elite or simply
rich people in your country. This could be aristocrats, businessmen, industrialists. One
such example is the support of Hitler’s party and his campaign by the wealthy
industrialists such as Alfred Krupp, who along with other influential businessmen have
financed his election campaign. It is not important or relevant to you with regards to the
origins of their capital, but rather that they would be willing to support you financially, or
simply with their influence, you and your campaign of becoming a dictator. In return of
their support they most likely will be interested in getting various favors once you indeed
become a leader of a country. Such favors could include reduction in taxes in specific
areas or lucrative governmental contracts for those private industries. It should be noted
that perhaps it would be preferable that you should keep your political agenda disclosed
from these people. In other words do not mention or share any policies that could show
that your are intending to have a dictatorship. The reason behind this is that some of these
23
rich, influential people might not be so eager to invest into your political campaign
knowing your plans of becoming a dictator. This is because they might be afraid of losing
control over their businesses as a result of your dictatorial rule. Once you are in power it
might be wise to have some sort of a show trial. Namely, pick one of those rich people,
preferably an influential businessman, who is most critical of your new regime, strip him
off his possessions and imprison him. This shouldn’t be very difficult as legislative,
judicial and executive powers are finally in your hands. Simply be creative!
Chapter 6.2: “Radical and violent way” (totalitarian dictatorship)
Revolution
Revolutions provide a complete transformation, a complete turn around, one hundred and
eighty degree change. This transformation is present in various features of a society, such
as, political, legal, sociological, economic, etc. As Peter Kropotkin writes, “a revolution
is infinitely more than a series of insurrections in town and country. It is more than a
simple struggle between parties, however sanguinary; more than mere street-fighting, and
much more than a mere change of government. . . . A revolution is a swift overthrow, in a
few years, of institutions which have taken centuries to root in the soil, and seem so fixed
and irremovable that even the most ardent reformers hardly dare to attack them in their
writings. It is the fall, the crumbling away in a brief period, of all that up to that time
composed the essence of social, religious, political and economic life in a nation. It
means the subversion of acquired ideas and of accepted notions concerning each of the
complex institutions and relations of the human herd. In short, it is the birth of completely
new ideas concerning the manifold links in citizenship -- conceptions, which soon
become realities…”43 Some scholars actually only refer to revolutions that were
successful in changing and seizing the power. Kimmel suggests that “that a revolution
occur when the upper class cannot and the lower class will not continue the old system.”44
In other words there exists a list of necessary prerequisites that should take place in order
for a revolution to take place. A number of authors writing on theories of dictatorship
distinguish these key factors. One of the most important aspects that have to be present is
43 Kropotkin, Peter, p. 25, The Great French Revolution 44 Kimmel. S. Michael, p. 5, Revolution: a Sociological Interpretation
24
the ideology, in other words “totalitarianism can only develop on the basis of an ideology
with supreme values, a “political religion”.* Furthermore, according to Maier and
Schaefer, three other factors besides ideology have to be present to make the emergence
of totalitarianism probable. First, an organization has to be founded with a leader or
leadership having the monopoly to interpret the ideology. Second, the secular power of a
state has to be conquered and spiritual and secular leadership to be combined in the hands
of the same person or group. Third, this is only possible if the society of the respective
state is undergoing a crisis. 45 Either your nations possesses these key factor is up to you
to analyze and establish. We should however warn that if it is in fact through
revolutionary methods that you come to power you should be ready to face the fact that
violence and revolutions are the two sides of a same coin; in other words, you should
expect severe casualties among the population of your country.
Even thought it can be argued that revolutions are more effective in a way that it brings
complete change it is without any doubt that the requirement of fulfilling the key factors
mentioned above could pose some complexity. On the other hand since a successful
revolution will allow you to create a completely new State and establish a new form of
government you will be left to decide on the formation of the institutions of the new born
State.
Coupe d’état, military coup
Coupe d’état and military coups, unlike revolution, does not require large numbers of
people working coherently for the similar political, social or ideological believes. In fact
it is the most popular form of changing the political power in the world. The main
prerequisite is the absolute control over the police and especially the military forces. In
its essence, military coup is a complete change of power from above, that is a complete
change of government. However, Edward Luttwak points out in his book Coup d'Etat: A
practical Handbook that at times neither military nor large masses are needed to have a
successful coup d’état. In his opinion an instrument of power that will enable to seize
control of the state comes from the state itself. In other words, “a coup consists of the
* Further notes on ideology are in the Chapter on social aspects. 45 Maier & Schaefer, p, 12, Totalitarismus und politische Religionen
25
infiltration of a small but critical segment of the state apparatus, which is then used to
displace the government from its control of the remainder.”46 Furthermore, a number of
necessary conditions have to be mentioned that would make coup d’état all possible. First
of all your country has to be fairly independent with regard to the international relations,
in other words influence of foreign political powers should be as minimal as possible.
Other important aspects are that there should be a clear political centre within your
country and political participation should be limited to a small portion of the whole
population. The fact that political participation is limited with regard to the total
population could mean that large sections of society are not sufficiently literate, thus
population is not politicized. According to Edward Luttwak, in societies where
population is not sufficiently literate, “the dialogue between the rulers and the ruled
(upon which democratic legitimacy is founded)”47 cannot take place, thus in those
conditions, the state is nothing other than a machine. Therefore, “a coup operates by
taking advantage of this machine-like behavior: during the coup because it uses parts of
the state apparatus to seize the controlling levers.”48 There is a reason why it is the most
popular form of change of government. It is relatively easy in comparison with other
methods but yet effective and as already mentioned, does not require mobilization of
masses as for examples does revolution. In other words, if conditions in your country are
such that would allow a military coup, than it is a very attractive form of getting into
power.
Regime change
Depending on the size of your country as well its strategic positioning, geographically as
well as politically it might be possible to have a regime change. Literally it is a
replacement of one regime with another one. When we speak of regime change we refer
to changing in part or in full of existing institutions, administration and all other
necessary elements, etc. In its essence it is no different from a revolution or a coup d’état
where regime is also changed with all the following consequences. However, what we
mean by the regime change is that the change of power is done with the help of the other
46 Luttwak, Edward, p. 26-27, Coup d'Etat: A practical Handbook 47 Luttwak, Edward, p. 30, Coup d'Etat: A practical Handbook 48 Luttwak, Edward, p. 35, Coup d'Etat: A practical Handbook
26
state. This takes place when a foreign State would interfere secretly, usually with the help
of its secret service agencies, in order to topple an existing regime. This interference
amounts to financial, logistical, tactical, etc. support, in other words anything that is
necessary that could even lead to assassination of the leaders. However, there are drawn
backs with this kind of getting into power. First of all in most of the times it is not you
who actually initiates the whole plan of changing the regime, but rather a foreign
government and its secret service. Furthermore, this of course means that you would
most likely be absolutely dependent on that State that helped or intervened with the
“help” to change the regime. This is an appealing method with regard to countries that
are less developed and might require foreign aid. However, the danger is that the State
that helps you with the change of the regime does not do so simply out of good will. In
most of the cases there are deeper implications behind it. In addition to that, there is no
guarantee that once regime change takes place, the State that have helped you out will
one day decide to overthrow you from the governments as well. In other words, the
stability is critically lacking with this method. Therefore, only in extra-ordinary
circumstances or with some sort of guarantee from the helping State should we advice
you to implement this method.
27
Chapter 7: Techniques of Dictatorial rule
So far you have come to understand the different characteristics that define a state. The
grounds have been laid out for you that have described the similarities and differences
between a democracy and a dictatorship, and how to proceed towards a path of achieving
power and dictatorial rule. Besides this, on a political level, there are different tried and
proven techniques that can be used to further strengthen your position. Some of these
techniques are employed while strengthening your hold in the political arena, but all of
them are put to use once a dictatorship is established at various times when the need
arises. These techniques are explained below. It is important to understand that the use of
each technique is not exclusive and using one may require the support of another to
achieve the best outcome.
1. Defining an Enemy
An enemy is an important aspect of creating unity amongst your people as well as
support in you and your movement. The method, as the saying goes, kills two birds with
one stone. It is important for you to dissolve the individual and make it part of a larger
collective. Not only does this help you gain support, but also makes the individual
question less as part of a larger entity governed by a collective thought. In order to do so
you need to unite the public under a nationalistic collectivity. To do so you need to stress
on, or create, the presence of an enemy. “National feeling will be all the stronger if there
is hatred directed against an enemy of the nation”49, either internal or external. An
internal enemy provides an easier approach as the threat is almost imminent, whereas an
external enemy is more abstract as it is not in the immediate surroundings, so to say. An
internal enemy is more present, more concrete and more hateful. Moreover, you can
blame the country’s problems on the internal enemy. This enemy could be the present
government, a few select high government officials, such as the president, or it could be
something on a more micro level, such as a certain ethnic group. Such was the case in
Nazi Germany, where Hitler used propaganda to incite and fuel anti-Semitism, blaming
the Jewish community for the economical turmoil and channeling hate towards a certain
49 Dundovitch, E., Reflections on the Gulag: With a Documentary Index on the Italian Victims
28
community and at the same time uniting the population under one movement. Similarly
the conspiracy of “World Jewry”, the root of all evil,50 was an argument continuously
stressed upon by Hitler. This found him the support from like-minded people.
Furthermore he used the communist threat as an external enemy that threatened
Germany. In Nazi Germany you can see a clearer example of an external threat in the
case of the “Reichstag fire”. In 1933, the Reichstag building, the assembly of the German
Parliament was set afire. At the aftermath of the fire, the police found Marinus van der
Lubbe inside the building and was accused of the arson attack. He was a member of the
Communist Workers Party of Germany. Hitler utilized this as evidence of a communist
plot against Germany to further ignite hate towards an enemy threat that may or may not
have been real.
2. Detention centers
The gulag, a creation of the Soviet Union, is an acronym for the government agency that
administered the penal labor camps. Predominantly used to house criminals, “the Gulag
system has become primarily known as a place for political prisoners and as a mechanism
for repressing political opposition”51. This was used in the Soviet Union and later in
Germany and Italy and Latin American dictatorships. A similar system will serve you
well and may even be necessary in order to ensure that any sort of opposition does not
50 Gilbert G.M. p.49, The Psychology of Dictatorship 51 Applebaum, A., Gulag: A History of the Soviet Camps
After the Armistice of World War I, Adolf Hitler began to slowly gain support in the political
and military arena. Preaching about the blow the war had made on Germany and on the
defeated army gained him an attentive audience that served as the springboard to the start of
his political ambitions. He used The Treaty of Versailles to his advantage and ensued the
German public with propaganda. Using the “guilt clause, the Polish Corridor through Prussia,
and the impossible reparations” as ‘proof’ to a conspiracy to crush Germany spiritually and
economically. Combined with inflation, hunger, and other misfortunes, Hitler was able to gain
the public support with his words that appealed both to the left and the right wing. At a time
when everyone was looking for scapegoats on whom to vent the aggression, socialistic
splinter parties were being formed to express the discontent amongst the people, one of which
was the German Workers party. Having helped formulate the platform for this party, Hitler
found it the ideal place to voice his thoughts. The German Workers party set the formal
entrance to Hitler’s political career in 1920, in Munich, where he addressed the public with
the party’s program and won their support with his passionate appeal to resurgent
nationalism1. By the next year Hitler had attained leadership of the German Workers party and
soon thereafter renamed it The National Socialist German Workers party.
29
have a chance to strengthen enough to question your authority. In Nazi Germany, Hitler
now President and Commander-in-Chief, established The People’s Court in 1934 after
being dissatisfied by the outcome of the Reichstag Fire Trial. The court operated outside
of the constitutional frame of law and had jurisdiction over a broad array of political
offences. It is important for you to build such a political instrument that works outside of
the rule of law as it provides you with a method of detaining and punishing those that
rebel against your policies. You can also use such special courts to help dissolve any
usefulness of regular courts in terms of their legal jurisdictions, as they become parallel
systems to the regular courts and offer to provide the same functions.
3. The use of a ‘thug caste’
In order for you to maintain and increase your position of power, you need to create a
thug caste that is based on your ideology or political agenda. A paramilitary unit with all
the same power and authority of the military, it is a group that is more loyal and
dedicated to your cause. It is a private army that is used to serve your political ambitions.
You can use it to maintain order, terrorize, or discipline the public. With time the thug
caste’s reputation will build up and its mere presence will ensure that you are able to
conduct your policies with more ease. Having the support of the military plays an
important factor in your political strength and gives you a significant leverage. A thug
caste or paramilitary unit however is an alternative that bypasses the military chain of
command and would report directly to you. This is the force that you need to have to do
your bidding, so to say. They are free from prosecution and thus can carry out acts of
violence and campaigns of assassination and intimidation. The Iraqi Republican Guard
and the Fadayeen Saddam are examples of paramilitary that had all the same, if not more,
jurisdiction as the regular army during Saddam Hussein’s regime52. The Republican
Guard was formed in 1980 during the Iraq-Iran war as an all-volunteer Presidential Guard
brigand created to maintain stability of the regime and protect the state from any internal
or external threats. Here you see how one factor contributes to the formation of another
measure of control. Primarily potential threats to the state lead to justify the formation of
such a paramilitary force and with time it continued to serve the political ambitions of
52 www.number-10.gov.uk, Iraq-its infrastructures of concealment, deception and intimidation
30
Saddam Hussein. The Fadayeen Saddam was similar, but was loyal to the Ba’ath Party,
whereas the Republican Guard was an elite group of troops most loyal to the Ba’ath party
leader, Saddam Hussein. While both served the same purpose, the significant difference
lies in the fact that the Fadayeen Saddam was loyal to the regime or ideology, while the
latter served the leader directly. At the outbreak of the 2003 invasion of Iraq by United
States led coalition forces the Republic Guard collapsed soon thereafter while the other
fought on, loyal to the ideology and willing to fight for it.
4. Targeting key individuals
Individuals posing a threat to your political ambitions need to be identified and targeted
in order to quell any uprising that may hinder you from achieving your goals. This is
either achieved by enacting of laws or policies, or by the use of force against the targeted
persons. It is a method that is usually to be undertaken once you have considerable
political power or have already achieved dictatorial rule, and allows you to systematically
remove any opposition. In November 2007, President Musharraf , after declaring a state
of emergency in Pakistan, fired several judges, jailed some secular politicians, put many
other politicians and influential figures under house arrest, and intimidated judges,
journalists, and human rights activists. While the situation proved to be temporary it was
initiated by President Musharraf as his attempt to resolve the Supreme Court ruling
contesting his eligibility to contest Presidential elections held a month earlier. He had
hoped to use the threat of a potential enemy, as explained above, in order to issue a state
of emergency. Consequently he targeted individuals in order to ensure a judiciary process
could not be initiated that could question the legitimacy of his actions in the months prior
to this event53. Similarly such actions can be directed at an even larger group and more
effectively supplemented by laws that allow it to be perceived more legitimate. In 1933 in
Nazi Germany, after the Reichstag fire, Hitler convinced President Hindenburg of the
53 Pakistan: state of emergency: (http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/pakistan-state-
emergency-paves-way-escalating-human-rights-abuses-200711)
Adolf Hitler put forth his political agenda through the German Workers party which he was
leading now. His “aggressive rebellion and contempt for all established social institutions”
inspired further support, of which the most important and crucial to his power were the “Old
Fighters”; a group of revolutionary zealots. They were the chief support for Hitler’s acts of
aggression and helped and supported him on his way to greater power.
31
threat communists posed to the state who then issued a decree that allowed “defensive
measure[s] against communists acts of violence, endangering the state”54. With the help
of this Herman Goering, President of Reichstag, “secured an absolute Nazi majority in
the Reichstag by the simple device of excluding the Communist representatives”55 who
posed an obstacle for Hitler. Soon thereafter, with no opposition in the Reichstag, he
requested for the “Enabling Act” to be passed temporarily delegating to him Reichstag’s
powers, freeing him from all legislative and constitutional constraints and effectively
making him dictator. Here you can see a chain of events targeting individuals and
removing them through carefully crafted measures that allowed Hitler to ultimately
assume dictatorial rule.
5. Monitor the population: an internal surveillance system
An internal surveillance system can be used for various reasons. In 1921, during the
British mandate in Iraq when it was a monarchy, the ‘Al-Amn al-‘Amm’ was created. It
was a political security police force in charge of detecting dissent among the Iraqi public
and addressing political criminal behavior. A decade later after Iraq’s independence
another agency, ‘al-Istikhabarat al-‘Askariyya’ was created which monitered and ensured
the loyalty of military officers to the state. It was also responsible for assassinations of
opponents to the regime. During the early years of rule of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party
‘al-Mukhabarat’, the Iraqi Intelligence Service was created. Some of the responsibilities
undertaken by this agency were, being in charge of monitoring the Ba’ath Party, as well
as other political parties, monitoring grass roots organizations, suppressing opposition
and targeting of threatening individuals or groups56. Thus you can see that there are
various reasons for the need for internal surveillance. While opposition and dissent
amongst the population is one of the crucial issues to address, there is also a need to
ensure that there is loyalty amongst your followers and supporters. The armed forces
contribute to your power and key figures in that area also need to be monitored to see
where their loyalty lies. The essential ingredient for an effective surveillance system is an
54 John Jay College of Criminal Justice: (http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~jobrien/reference/ob60.html) 55 Gilbert G.M. p. 73, The Psychology of Dictatorships 56 Saddam’s Security and Intelligence Network - http://cns.miis.edu/research/iraq/iraqint.htm
32
instrument, such as an agency, organization, or a form of police, combined with the use
of fear. This makes the citizens more docile, as they tend to show obedience and are
hesitant of rising up against your authority due to repercussions they may suffer.
6. Power of propaganda
Propaganda plays a crucial role and is used in combination with many other techniques. It
is a “deliberate and systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and
direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the
propagandist.”57 It works by influencing and appealing people emotionally rather than by
reasoning. A propagandist tries to put across an idea, instead of presenting facts and
truth58. You should opt to make good use of this if you wish to rally people behind a
cause, a movement or ideology. The following excerpt is an example of how the power of
words can be used to gather support and make people listen to you; “The streets of our
country are in turmoil. The universities are filled with students rebelling and rioting.
Communists are seeking to destroy our country. Russia is threatening us with her might,
and the Republic is in danger...We need law and order! Without it our nation cannot
survive.”59 This is how Hitler rallied people towards his cause and was able to persuade
the citizens and government alike. The above is the use of the fear appeal in which the
audience is less concerned by its validity and is more willing to take action to reduce the
fear instead. In this case, Hitler was able to continuously use the ‘communist threat’ to
eventually gather enough support and persuade President Hindenburg to issue a decree to
suspend civil rights and in turn remove the any communist influence in the Reichstag60.
Use of propaganda together with fear can help you find support for your goals and
policies and it is also a method used to create unity or a feeling of collectivity amongst
the citizens. Public speech, the media and the press are the main mediums it is used in.
The use and importance of propaganda will be explained in more detail in a later chapter.
57 How to analyze propaganda (www.sagepub.com/upm-data/11849_Chapter6.pdf) 58 Scrutinizing Propaganda (http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/features/2000/hill1.html) 59 Propagandacritic.com [special appeals, fear] (http://www.propagandacritic.com/articles/ct.sa.fear.html) 60 see section on Targeting Key Individuals (paragraph referenced by footnotes 33 and 34.)
33
Part 3 - Legal Issues
Chapter 8: Constitutions
A constitution is a legal document that includes fundamental rules and rights of the
government and the society. In other words, a constitution comprises the entire body of
fundamental rules that govern socio-political entity.61 Most of the nations around the
world possess this important document in a written, codified format with various articles
laying out specific right. However, there are also examples of unwritten constitutions,
such as that of the United Kingdom. It is very important for a prospective dictator to
understand what is meant by the function of the constitution, which is to govern the
socio-political entity. This means that limitations to his power, such as that of the
separation of power (mentioned in a previous chapter), will be clearly stated in the
constitutions as well as some fundamental rights that individuals possess. This is
especially true to the constitutions of the democratic states. Therefore, you as a dictator
will be faced with a task of changing or modifying the constitution that is tuned to the
standards of a democratic state. This is very important as it will reduce any possible
friction that could arise once you try to implement laws that otherwise could be seen
unconstitutional. For example, trying to control the press, which would consequently lead
to a limitation of freedom of expression would be seen as unconstitutional thus, much
more difficult to implement and unpopular among the general public.
When trying to change or amend a constitution it should be noted that it could be a very
laborious task. With regard to changing a constitutions two types of the constitutions can
be distinguished, that of rigid and flexible. In order to change a constitution a special
procedure has to take place. These procedures vary from country to country but in
general require some sort of majority voting within the parliament of a specific country.
The more difficult it is to change and follow this procedure, the more rigid that
constitution is said to be. In some cases certain parts or articles cannot be changed at all.
Flexible constitutions are logically the opposite of the rigid ones. Again good example
61 Heringa & Kiiver, p.2, Constitutions Compared: and introduction to comparative constitutional law
34
would be the United Kingdom, where as mentioned earlier, the constitution is not in one
coherent written form thus, changing it could be done a “daily basis”. It is also worth
noting that some constitutions can be seen as a pride of a society, a historically valuable
document. In this kind of circumstances these societal values could pose a significant
thread to changing the constitution.
35
Chapter 9: Changing the constitution; procedural steps
With the practical steps of changing the constitutions, starting point or the first question
would be; “How did you get into power”? Was it through legal means, soft and peaceful
way, or was it more of a radical and violent way of a revolution or a military coup? It is
important to establish this because different methods are applicable in changing the
constitution with regard to the way you came into power. We will try and explain
different procedural steps applicable to different ways you got into power.
Slow and peaceful way
The “legal” way of becoming a dictator provides very limited choice with regard to
changing the constitutions. It will initially depend on the country and if the constitution is
rigid or flexible. With the latter it will simply be a statute that should be adopted by a
simple majority in the parliament and since nothing is mentioned about the amendment
procedures it should not pose great deal of a problem. What you have to be sure of is the
support of your parliament, since it is “them” who would need to vote on any changes.
With regard to more rigid constitutions that is where you might face considerable
difficulties, especially if some parts of the constitution cannot be changed at all. Again, it
will depend on the state but most likely it will require super-majority in parliament, two
parliamentary readings of the amendment and new elections in between readings,
ratifications of the amendment in the state’s territorial sub-units, or a referendum.62
Another solution would be not to change a constitution at all but rather to change its
function. As mentioned earlier, constitutions limit the powers of the governments and
include fundamental rights of the citizens, its initial functions. What should be done is
that these rights and functions stay the same in theory or on paper, but in practice would
be absolutely different. With referring to Giovanni Sartori, who states that: “a
constitution that guarantees no rights against the exercise of government power is a
façade for authoritarian sources of power.63 In other words, instead of changing the
constitution you should try and change its function of being a fundamental document to a
façade of what it actually should be. To achieve this you need to make sure that the
62Heringa & Kiiver, p.3, Constitutions Compared: and introduction to comparative constitutional law 63 Sartori Giovanni, p. 861, Constitutionalism: A Preliminary Discussions
36
population, even though recognizing those rights, will be too scared to enjoy it. For
example, anyone trying to invoke his or her right to freedom of speech under the
constitution should be sent to jail as an example to others that consequently should deter
any further attempts.
Radical and violent way
It could be argued that getting into power through revolution or military coup you would
have fewer difficulties in changing the constitution. Since revolution would mean a
complete transformation, an overhaul of the government you can simply discard the old
constitution or declare it invalid. You would end up in a perfect situation where you
would need to draft a new one and the content of this new constitution should reflect your
dictatorial needs as a ruler. In other words, no such non-sense as freedom of speech, fair
elections or freedom of assembly, etc. From there on, it should be much easier to sustain
your dictatorial powers.
Military coup
As mentioned earlier in the political chapter, military coups or coup d’état require
specific prerequisites. However, if we will look back at the last five six years we will see
a large number of examples where military coups took place. One recent one is the
military coup in Thailand. Military took control, dissolved parliament, abrogate the
constitutions, etc. In other words, once you succeed with the coup the most obvious
decision would be to suspend the constitution. Therefore, there is no need to change or
amend it but it would mean that rules and rights of the constitution will not be applicable
while it is suspended leaving your hands free to take whatever actions or policies you
desire. As mentioned in the previous chapter, coupe d’état is one of the most popular
Façade Constitutions
One good example of façade constitution was that of the Soviet Union. Even though, it
guaranteed such fundamental political rights such as, freedom of speech or freedom of
assembly the support of these rights was only present on paper. However, ordinary citizens
did not dare to act upon those rights as it entailed going against or opposing the government
and that was similar to a suicide. Therefore, the general population had political right only to
the extent that it did not contradict the goal of the communism and the government.
37
ways of changing power, this also applies to the subject of constitutions. Relative
freedom that a leader possesses after the coup d’état means that he can do what ever he
pleases and this also applies to the constitutional matters.
State of emergency
In most of the countries state of emergency is a governmental procedure that is regulated
either by the constitution or by the law. In most of the cases States implement state of
emergency during the times of natural disasters, war, or other situation that governments
may deem dangerous to a proper functionality of a State. On the basis of the state of
emergency, States can suspend various civil rights such as freedom of press, freedom to
assemble and even restrict the right of personal freedom. Being a dictator of country it
shouldn’t be very difficult to declare state of emergency. As already mentioned, there
should be a cause, a reason why you would declare it. If none of the above mentioned
conditions are present in your country you can make up one. As some refer to it as
“carefully crafted illusions”64, the most practical and evident solution would be to invoke
or create an internal or external enemy. Similar technique has been elaborated in the first
part of the guide in “Defining an Enemy”. It can be in fact a real threat or simply an
imaginary one, the point is that it will provide you with the grounds on which you declare
state of emergency. One recent example of such use of enemy was that of the Pakistan,
when President Musharraf declared state of emergency basing it on the fact that there
were threats coming from the Islamist military groups. It should be noted however, that
ease with which you can declare state of emergency and the powers you would get will
depend on the State and especially on its constitution. Furthermore, a few words have to
be mentioned on the duration of the state of emergency. Again, it is up to a specific State,
but hardly could a country functions under state of emergency in the long run. There is
however one exceptional case of Egypt, where people have been living under the state of
emergency since 1967 that was imposed during the Arab-Israeli War. Never the less,
since it is an exceptional case, you as a leader should take into consideration that even
though state of emergency is an effective and convenient method in suspending the
constitution, other measure should be taken well in advance that once the state of
64 Bueno de Mesquita, Bruce, Smith, Alastair, Siverson,Randolph M., and Morrow, James D, p. 21. Political Survival
38
emergency is no longer in place, your are safe to exercise same unlimited powers and that
civil liberties of your population are suppressed.
Effectiveness and the long run
Now that the separation of power no longer exists and you are in charge, or have the final
say in enactment and implementation of law, if we would analyze different methods of
getting into power described in the first chapter as well the possibilities of changing or
suspending the constitution it could be well said that some of the methods are more
effective compared to the others. For example successful revolution, even though
requiring a large amount of preparation as well as dedication of large masses to the cause,
could be seen as the most effective in getting into power as well having the possibility in
drafting absolutely new constitutions in tune with your dictatorial aspirations. Military
coups or coupe d’état would neither require any vivid ideological conditions nor large
masses as would revolutions. Coups should simply be organized in the upper echelon of
the governments, the political elite. This is one of the advantage of the coup d’état. It can
also be argued that coups are as effective as revolution in changing the governments and
the fact that it does not require to mobilize large masses means that there are less or
absolutely no human casualties, whereas revolutions have a tendency to require high
human cost. Sustainability or longevity of dictatorships that were achieved through
different methods is highly debatable as it should only be judged on the State-to-State
basis as well on the conditions present in the State in question. There is an ample number
Reichstag Fire Decree
An example that could illustrate the invocation of an enemy is the example of the communist
thread to the National security invoked by Hitler. After the fire in Reichstag in 1933, which
Adolf Hitler blamed on the communists, a state of emergency under Article 48 (that dealt with
the rebellion) was declared. A direct response was the Reichstag Fire Decree which was issues
by German President Paul von Hildenburg and that has suspended the Weimar Constitutions.
That decree was an order for protection of people and state, in other words national security.
The consequence was that it nullified a number of civil liberties of the German people, namely
that of the freedom of opinion, freedom of press, freedom to assemble, etc and most
importantly enabled Adolf Hitler and his party members to pass laws without any consent of
the Reichstag, thus avoiding the true legislative body, the Parliament. It is highly debatable if
the arson staring the fire was initiated by the communist (as Hitler claimed) or by Hitler and
his party members themselves. Perhaps it is not relevant as this example shows how an
enemy, real or fictional can lead to manipulative actions and powers being abused.
39
of examples where dictatorial States have functioned for a number of decades, be it a
revolution or a coup d’état that led to the change of power. In other words, there is no
clear cut favorite with revolutions or coup d’état and in fact, in most of the cases, it is not
up to the prospective dictator to decide which methods to use in order to come to power
but rather if the circumstances or condition within a country permit the use of one of the
methods.
40
Chapter 10: Immediate laws
Once you are in power and have managed to either change or suspend the constitution
you will be in the situation where you can enact and execute laws without any opposition.
You have full support of your only party and the majority of your population either also
fully supports you or has not yet realized the full extent of the changes. This is a perfect
time to enact and execute laws that would strengthen your position as a leader. We will
try to summarize the most immediate and important laws that require urgent
implementation. The scope of any further policies will solely depend on you and the
conditions in your country, thus it is further your responsibility to act upon the specific
situations, to start acting as a dictator!
Internal Surveillance
One of the first laws that you should pass is on the establishment of the internal
surveillance system. In practical terms it would entail the creation of a secret police, an
enforcement agency that would operate within your country with a goal known to public
as the maintenance of national security against any internal or external threats. In reality
however the main purpose of this organization will be to keep your population tame and
obedient and to suppress any form of activism that could lead to any opposition or
dissent. You should be very careful in choosing the people who would work for this
organization; especially the ones who would lead it since they will have very little
restrain in their actions and should only be accountable to you. In fact you could use
already existing (if available) domestic security agencies by making these agencies more
extreme by increasing their powers and abolishing any accountability measures that have
existed. The secret police should preferably make use of spies and informants within a
society itself to locate and denounce any one that could be against your regime.65
Therefore, it should have access to any surveillance mechanisms, be able to tap into
telephone lines and use any other necessary measures to keep track on what is going
within the State. This would allow you to anticipate any imminent threats that could
come from any possible enemies. Since you have already managed to either change or
65 Arendt Hannah, p. 419, The Origins of Totalitarianism
41
suspend the constitution there should be no real difficulty with regard to the constitution
and that the actions of the secret police can be considered unconstitutional. In case you
need any help with regard to the tactics and methods of the internal surveillance systems
and the secret police you can look at an example of the East German Staatssicherheid
which is more commonly knows as the Stasi.
Imprison the opposition
Once the secret police is up and running there is a high probability that there will be a
large number of people arrested by this organization. Whether they are guilty of any
crime or not is not the question but rather that they should be considered as an opposition
to your regime and thus imprisoned. Needless to say that the trial and judicial process of
these people should be fabricated or even be absent at all. This process of imprisonment
of people should be done very gradually. In the beginning any one arrested should be
portrayed as a mere criminal or someone who is not part of the society no matter what he
was arrested for, if necessary show trial should take place. The logic behind this is that in
the beginning normal people or the general population instead of feeling scared should
feel safer and have to relation to prisoners as such. Only than, gradually, should the
imprisonment escalate. The secret police should also focus on a number of key
Internal Surveillance or Secret Police
Most of the dictatorial States have one characteristic in common and that is the presence of the
secret police that spies on its on people and also promotes citizens to inform on one another.
One such example is the NKVD (People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs) of the Soviet
Union. Initially started as a secret police in 1917 for the support of the Bolshevik regime
headed by Felix Dzerzhinsky it was dismantled by the end of the Civil War. Under Joseph
Stalin secret police (renamed to NKVD) acquired immense powers and was his personal
instrument against any opposition from party or general population. Its function of protection
“state security” was accomplished through severe and massive political repressions. The so-
called “enemies of the people”,1 which referred to the people that supposedly were against the
regime, were imprisoned or executed, while close relatives of these people were considered
“traitors of Motherland” sent to Gulag, or the penal labor camps. The arrests reached the peak
in mid 1930s where a number of absolutely innocent people have been apprehended. The
results of these massive purges led to the paranoia that swayed in the cities where almost
anyone could have been considered an enemy of the people.
42
individuals that could range form actors, writers to scientists and academics.66 Those in
favor of your regime or not willing to revolt should be “filtered” from those that could
pose serious danger. It is important to pay specific attention to these people because in
most of the cases their opinions are regarded as influential by the society in general, be it
an actor who is popular among the masses or a respected professor at the University.
Therefore, the damage they could cause with their criticism or mere remarks should not
be underestimated. It would be wise at fist however, to simply warn “them” against any
confrontation with the regime simply because, it might deter any subsequent criticism
and also from the practical perspective, for example imprisoning a brilliant scientist
might not be beneficial for you country in the long run. Therefore, you should pass the
law to create a special prison that would be aimed at accommodating anyone who would
be seen as a political enemy to your regime. An example of this type of institution
(Gulag) is mentioned in the earlier part of this guide.
Censorship and Control of the Media
In a majority of democratic States the relationship between the media and the government
is that the former has a function of a watchdog where the governmental policies and
actions are available for a critical debate by the media. That should stop in your country.
You should have tight control over the media and public opinion. Everything that would
appear in the media newspapers, magazines, television should be under the control of the
government.67 The most effective way of dealing with this issue is by closing down all
the private media sources, in other words everything should be state owned. This way it
will be much easier to exercise control. * Again, it is possible to reflect at the examples of
various dictatorial regimes in order to draw valuable lessons. Freedom of speech and free
media would pose danger to your political dominance. It is obvious that a number of the
policies with regard to constitution or creation of secret police will not be faced with
much enthusiasm by the general public and media has the capacity to fuel the discontent
of the public. Therefore, it is vital that you control what appears in the press.
66 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 140, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy 67 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 108, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy * Further elaboration on the implications of the censorship and media control is mentioned in the third
section of the guide.
43
Furthermore, it might be a good idea to spread this control over to other domains such as
music, books, films, etc. Enforce censorship laws on any of these products before it has
the chance of reaching the public. A number of State in the past, with a dictatorial
regime, have erected special committees that would solely monitor the content of various
artistic and media productions before it even reaches the general public. It is advisable to
follow the similar example.
With the advances of technology in communication and information technology extra
measures have to be taken with regard to the wide spread of internet accessibility. It
would be desirable to have all the internet providing companies run by the State, since it
is impossible for the government to own internet as such, and forbidding it absolutely
could have very negative economic consequences in the long run. As Friedman writes in
his book that: “what makes internet so dangerous for police States is that they can’t
afford not to have it, because they will fall behind economically if they do. But if they
have it, it means they simply can’t control information the way they did.”68 It is in fact
true that controlling internet is not as easy as with other sources of information, however
if taken seriously and with proper financing it is possible to control it. For example, with
control over internet providing companies you should be able to spread and implement
censorship all the way through the World Wide Web. Ideally, it should be a system that
would monitor web pages that the populations is visiting on the daily basis as well as
permanently block access to the sites that could have any sensitive political content.
68 Friedman, T. p. 47, The Lexus and the Olive Tree
Internet Censorship in China
People’s Republic of China has an impressive system of wide number of laws and regulations
that censor the World Wide Web. The most important aspect of this control of internet is that
most of the internet providers are in fact State controlled, thus all control is in hands of the
governments. It is said to be that there exists the so-called “Internet Police Task Force” in
China which consist of almost 30000 employees whose sole purpose is to monitor and censor
internet activities, such as forums, blogs, foreign media web sites, etc. Very recently Ministry
of Public Security has launched the so-called “Golden Shield Project” which is a much more
advanced system with a sole purpose of surveillance, monitoring and censoring internet
activities.
44
Part 4 - Social Issues
Chapter 11: Significance of the Society
A society is merely a larger social group, and is a group of individuals characterized by
common interests. They may be distinguished on the basis of their culture, institutions, or
economic or social infrastructures they are part of. On a state level the society can be
characterized as the population or the larger part of the population that shares a distinct
interest or ideology. As an individual a person has social needs such as identification and
acceptance among others, spiritual needs, and more importantly a sense of meaning and
purpose and a need for emotional security. These capacities manifest themselves on a
higher level and give rise to a social bond in form of a group or even larger collective; the
society69. The society makes up the population. Within a state as an individual you may
characterize with a certain society, but that falls into the larger population. Thus, while
there is a difference, in regards to being subjected to the rule of the state it may be the one
and same thing. The society plays an important role in the state as its “loyalties and
hostilities provide the soil in which political conflicts and aggression thrives”.70 The
various methods of rule mentioned in the earlier chapters rely on the loyalty and hostility
of societies. Their use allows for the formation of mobs or masses as a form of loyalty,
and hostilities, provided by prejudices, provide outlets of aggression towards a common
enemy, either perceived or real. To further strengthen the masses, an ideology is
employed that unites the whole population under one doctrine.71 The hostilities, on the
other hand, are further supplemented by propaganda72. The society thus plays an
important role in both, a totalitarian as well as a non-totalitarian dictatorship. But the
mass plays a crucial role in totalitarian states, providing the basis for this type of
dictatorship.
The society, when classified as the mass, has a profound impact on a totalitarian state.
Seen as a movement with a loss of common sense and selflessness, “it is devoted to the
69 Gilbert, G. M., p. 304, The Psychology of Dictatorships 70 Gilbert, G. M., p. 287, The Psychology of Dictatorships 71 Lee, Stephen J., p. 179, European Dictatorships 72 Gilbert, G. M., p. 288, The Psychology of Dictatorship.
45
point of self-sacrifice”73, has no rational goals, and lacks any utilitarian purpose. The
mass has such a great role in totalitarian regimes that even when the conditions may exist,
a totalitarian regime may not be a possibility in a country with a relatively small
population.74 One way a masses are different, as existing in a totalitarian state, from the
society is that it is not held together by a consciousness of common interest, but rather are
a large number of neutral, politically indifferent people who never join a party.75 This
makes it a relatively easy group to lead and persuade once it has been successfully
motivated to rally for your cause. Such masses existed in Soviet Russia, under the rule of
Stalin and Nazi Germany, as it followed Hitler into the Second World War.
73 Richter, M., Baehr P., p. 254, Dictatorship in History and Theory. 74 Arendt, H., p. 309, The Origins of Totalitarianism. 75 Arendt, H., p. 311, The Origins of Totalitarianism.
46
Chapter: 12 Ideology
Ideas can be very dangerous, weapons in the hands of a right person. This section is about
ideology and its relevance. It should be noted, however that the relevance of ideologies
with regard to dictatorships is inevitably attached to the most extreme form dictatorship
which is totalitarianism. There are a number of definitions when it comes to identifying
what ideology is. Some scholars would define it as general system of beliefs held in
common by the members of a collectivity76 as would Talcott Parsons describe it; with a
function of serving as a “political myth” others see it as an essential action-related system
of ideas. Zbigniew Brzezinski defines it as “a reasonably coherent body of ideas
concerning practical means of how to change and reform a society, based upon a more or
less elaborate criticism of what is wrong with the existing, or antecedent society.”77
Ideologies are not exclusively attached to dictatorial regimes and totalitarian powers.
Most of the modern States have some sort of political ideology that they follow, thus this
definition is limited in scope as it refers mainly to a political ideology. Totalitarian
ideology on the other hand is the one “which is concerned with total reconstruction,
involving typically an ideological acceptance of violence as the only practical means for
such total destruction.”78 Totalitarian ideologies are therefore radically different from
ordinary political ideologies not in the fact that it tries to implement specific or complete
reconstruction of a society, but on the methods of violence and force that it is ready to
use. No totalitarian State has ever existed without an underlying ideology behind it. It
was communism in Soviet Union based on Marxist, Leninist thought, where as fascism
dominated in Hitler’s Germany and Mussolini’s Italy. It can be argued that ideologies and
especially political ideologies are of relatively recent significance. Ideologies are directly
connected to the parties and different movements and furthermore, and the importance of
ideologies has been amplified by the ever increasing age of mass communication. If you
came into power through a successful revolution and are willing to impose a totalitarian
regime then creation and presence of an ideology is vital. Perhaps, during the
76 Parsons, Talcott, p. 59, The Evolution of Societies 77 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 74, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy 78 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 75, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy
47
revolutionary process you and your followers have already managed to coin some sort of
ideology or a direction that the population should follow. Your ideology doesn’t have to
be perfect; it can be a utopian belief and its rational implications can simply be of
relevance to the means of achieving a desired result. In fact several totalitarian ideologies
are basically trite restatement of certain traditional ideas, arranged in an incoherent way
that makes them highly exciting to weak minds.79 When establishing an ideology, you
should keep in mind the target you are aiming for as well to whom it will appeal and the
scope of it. For examples, Soviet ideology had somewhat universal appeal as it
encourages workers of the world to unite. This universalism works in advantage of this
ideology as it has the ability to extent its reach to other nations around the world. Fascists
had slightly different approach as it addressed specific group of the society to realize their
power, ancestry and historical role. Try and look for inspiration (if needed) at the
ideological examples of other totalitarian regimes.
79 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 81, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy
Symbols
Majority of totalitarian movements and ideologies are usually supported by a specific symbol
that embodies one of the elements of the dominant ideology. For example the hammer and
sickle of the Communist Russia represented ordinary workers and peasants where as swastika
of the Fascist Germany symbolized some its ancient tribal or Arian relationship or at least that
is what Nazis wished to be linked to. No matter what the symbol is, its purpose is to give
concrete form and focus to an object. In others words, even a person with no clear conception
of the movement, such as poor or uneducated peasant, can relate to a specific ideology and the
general movement simply by knowing the symbols and what it stands for.
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Chapter 13: Education
With successful media control and propaganda measures you should focus on education
of your people, especially from very young age. Employing educational system in order
to install that love for the country and generate the degree of loyalty is present in many
political societies and is not an exclusive area of dictatorships. After all, an effective
cooperation is required from all the members of the society in order to sustain a particular
political regime. However, the issue of using educational system in dictatorships is taken
into a higher level where manipulation of school and university curriculum is taken on to
such a scale that it simply becomes an instrument in the hands of the regime. It is very
important to focus on this issue as the underlying idea is to transform educational process
into a school for the particular type of ideology that would help maintain it with the
young generation. Education should be used as a method of channeling the brains and
manpower for the benefit of sustaining your regime and requirements of the State.
Starting from the elementary school all the way to the university level education, the
curriculum should be in line and responsive to the propaganda and the reigning ideology.
Depending on the situation it might be necessary to make considerable changes in the text
books and learning materials of the pupils overall, target the changes within the Ministry
of Education. The results of your changes will not yield immediate results as it is only
with time that changes will be noticeable. Specifically with regards to the profession of
teachers, it could be said that it will experience profound transformation.80 Teachers in a
democratic State cannot be even compared to their colleagues in dictatorships as
dictatorships alter the meaning of many key terms and thus, these alterations have to be
accepted by these teachers. Apart from accepting these modifications, the absolute,
invisible goal of the teachers becomes the indoctrination in the long run which suppresses
student intellectually to a specific doctrine for the rest of their lives. You should be
willing to accept that the changes you will implement within the educational system
might have effect on the way science in general will be perceived in your country. It is
widely believed that in totalitarian regimes science is influenced in three ways:
80 Brzezinski and Friedrich, p. 116, Totalitarian Dictatorship and Autocracy
49
The ruling ideology is considered superior to worldviews prevailing in the
scientific community at a time
Members of suppressed races, groups, nations are excluded from the research or
the membership of the scientific community.
Domestic science develops apart from the world scientific community81
Therefore, it can be concluded that it is in fact necessary to modify education in order for
it to fit the overall ideology and dictatorial rule. However, the extent to which those
changes take place can permanently affect the way science develops in your country and
how it is perceived by the society.
81 Juray Sebesta & Rudolf Zajac, p. 225-226, Science and Education in Totalitarian Regimes 82 Juray Sebesta & Rudolf Zajac, p. 225-226, Science and Education in Totalitarian Regimes
50
Chapter 14: Propaganda
Propaganda is the most modern of weapons. Addressing people’s emotions rather then
their reasons or understanding, it strives for long term effect, although it can be just as
affective in the short term. It is a tool to mold the nature and thinking of an individual or
a whole group, influence social behavior and can raise the moral of a nation.83 It is
essential for you to win over the population. A good politician can achieve very little if
he or she faces a pessimistic crowd, which is not moved by his words and actions.
Therefore propaganda is essential at times. But more importantly it is essential and
meaningful if it can elevate and show positive results and create optimism in its
audience84. Propaganda cannot be neglected as a tool, as it is used often in politics. Just
as you cannot escape to have at least some connection to politics on your path to
becoming a dictator, even if you are a man of the military, propaganda cannot be separate
from politics. “Without politics there is no propaganda and without propaganda there is
no politics.”85 Neutrality has no place in politics in relation to propaganda.
It is March 15, 1933. Joseph Goebbels, the official machinery behind the propaganda in
Hitler’s Germany is at a press conference86; “It is not enough for people to be more or
less reconciled to our regime, to be persuaded to adopt a neutral attitude towards us;
rather we want to work on people until they have capitulated to us until they grasp
ideologically that what is happening in Germany today not only must be accepted but
83 Wechsungen, S., Political Propaganda (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/polprop.htm) 84 Wechsungen, S., Political Propaganda (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/polprop.htm) 85 Wechsungen, S., Political Propaganda (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/cas/gpa/polprop.htm) 86 Kershaw, I., p108, The Nazi Dictatorship,.
It is March 15, 1933. Joseph Goebbels, the official machinery behind the propaganda in
Hitler’s Germany is at a press conference1; “It is not enough for people to be more or less
reconciled to our regime, to be persuaded to adopt a neutral attitude towards us; rather we
want to work on people until they have capitulated to us until they grasp ideologically that
what is happening in Germany today not only must be accepted but also can be accepted”.
Having made it clear that the Nazi regime wanted indoctrinate its population, Goebbels further
mentioned the importance of propaganda ranking it in first place among the arts with which
one rules a people and highlights that there “exists no sector of public life which can escape
its influence.”1 As Minister of People’s Enlightenment and Propaganda, Goebbels made use of
propaganda in the press, radio, theatre, film and music as well as in public speech.
51
also can be accepted”. Having made it clear that the Nazi regime wanted indoctrinate its
population, Goebbels further mentioned the importance of propaganda ranking it in first
place among the arts with which one rules a people and highlights that there “exists no
sector of public life which can escape its influence.”87 As Minister of People’s
Enlightenment and Propaganda, Goebbels made use of propaganda in the press, radio,
theatre, film and music as well as in public speech.
Propaganda has different techniques that can be employed in various situations and each
has its own effect. Techniques such as; ‘name-calling’; ‘glittering generalities’; and
‘euphemisms’ rely on the play of words. Name-calling relies on continuous use of
negative symbols or words and linking them to a person, idea or a group. Use this
technique to associate an idea or an enemy with negative connotations. Glittering
generalities are generally the opposite of name-calling. It seeks to make us approve and
accept terms, ideas, or meanings without examining nor requiring the need for evidence.
Previous dictatorships have all used this method to glorify their own regimes with
positive ideas that did not necessarily have substantial proof of them being true. The third
technique, euphemism tries to replace ideas, words, or concepts with bland and
euphemistic words. This can be used to make certain organizations, or agencies seem less
threatening or hide their true function or purpose. 88 Besides the word games, there are
two more categories. The second one is false connections.
False connections have two main techniques, namely, transfer, and testimonial. Transfer
is the use of connecting or transferring the reputation of one thing over to another which
may be viewed in a more positive light. In a religious crowd you may opt to try to make a
connection to religion or religious virtues to your speech and the various points you make
in it. This would win over more support, as even if the people do not fully connect,
understand or agree with your arguments, they will relate and believe it more due to the
religious connection they feel. False connections is, as the name suggests, connecting an
argument, fact or finding with someone who may not be qualified nor have any expertise
87 Lee, Stephen, J., p. 179, European Dictatorships. 88 Delwiche, A., Propaganda PAGES
52
with the argument at hand. Never-the-less, the audience may connect with the person or it
may be a person they idolize and automatically believe that the argument at hand must be
true because it is supported or comes from that specific person. You should use such
techniques if you have access to persons that the public has positive opinions about.89
The third category is known as special appeals. The main and crucial technique here is
fear. This technique on itself can and is used together with other techniques, which are
mentioned above. The creation of fear uses four elements; a threat; a recommended
manner of how the audience should behave; the perception that if the recommended
action is taken that the threat will be addressed; and creating the belief that the audience
is capable of performing the recommended behavior. If you are successful in performing
each of the four steps you will successfully create the fear appeal you wish for. This
technique is by far the most used technique you will have to rely on in terms of use of
propaganda. It will help you implement and make use of the various techniques and
methods of rule laid out in the parts in the earlier parts of the guide.
89 Delwiche, A., Propaganda
53
Reflection
Having read the guide its purpose is to guide a reader through a process of transforming a
State from one political regime into another, namely from a democracy into a
dictatorships. Even though this might seem striking to anyone that someone would try to
transform a democratic State into a dictatorship, especially with the contemporary regard
to dictatorships as being evil and something negative, what we in fact tried is to present a
reader with as thorough as possible overview of trends and events that take place within a
State that is in the period of transition. There seems to be a coherent pattern that dictators
or leaders with dictatorial tendencies implement in order to enforce their rule or justify
their action. This guide tried to reflect upon those methods in order to give logical
explanation as to how and why certain actions are taken. In order to make this guide more
accessible to an everyday reader we tried to simplify the terms and the language and tried
to make it more interactive with inclusion of various historical examples that would
provide practical approach and support our arguments. It is clear that building a
democracy can be a tedious and hard road with many obstacles, whereas its destruction
can be achieved within weeks through revolutions or military coups. As history shows,
hunger of man for power and his greed will stop at nothing when trying to achieve that
power. Thus, ending this guide we would like to warn any future political leaders of the
path they embark on in their political career as its effects can be irreversible and would
consequently leave a permanent mark on the society in general.
54
Glossary90
Absolute majority: a number of votes totaling over 50 per cent, such as the total number of
votes that beats the combined opposition.
Cabinet: is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive
branch
Civil servant: civilian employee working for a government department.
Communism: the political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a
profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means
of production and the natural resources of the society.
Constitution: the body of doctrines and practices that form the fundamental organizing principle
of a political state
Dictator: A ruler, leader of a state, who has absolute authority and jurisdiction over the
government of the state.
Dictatorship: is the general term used to describe a political regime in which democracy, liberal
individual rights and genuine parliamentary rule are absent.
Doctrine: a code of beliefs or instructions.
Fascism: political ideology and mass movement that dominated many parts of central, southern,
and eastern Europe between 1919 and 1945
Government: the political system by which a country or a community is administered and
regulated.
Head of Government: is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often
presiding over a cabinet.
Head of State: this is the generic terms for the individual or collective office that serves as the
chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth
or any other political state.
Ideology: the collective ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group,
culture or whole society
Law: discipline and a profession concerned with the customs, practices, and rules of conduct that
are recognized as binding by the community.
90 All the definitions in the glossary have been taken from Britannica online encyclopedia
(www.britannica.com/)
55
Nazism: Ideologies and policies of Adolf Hitler and his political party; the National
Socialist German Worker’s Party.
Policy: a deliberate plan of action to guide decisions and achieve rationale outcome.
Propaganda: manipulation of information to influence public opinion.
Revolution: a sudden, radical, or complete change, in this sense a fundamental change in
political organization, namely the overthrow or renunciation of one government or ruler and the
substitution of another by the governed.
Simple Majority: a group that is more than half of the entire group, the minimum is thus, 51 per
cent of the total group
State: a political association with effective association with effective sovereignty over a
geographical area.
State of Emergency: a governmental declaration that may suspend certain normal functions of
government.
Super Majority: a two-thirds majority, this means that a number of votes for must exceed or be
equal twice the number of votes against it.
56
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