There are many forms of government. These include presidential and parliamentary democracies, as well as constitution and absolute monarchies. However, one of the most prevalent forms of government is dictatorships. These are authorisation systems of government that place a high degree of centralised power in the hands of a small group of elites, or, more often, just one man.
Many people think dictatorships are mainly a thing of the past, or a system of government that will eventually fade away. They are totally wrong. In fact, it’s incredibly important we understand dictatorships, and here’s why…
1. Dictators Are Often Brutal Leaders
A first reason why dictators are important is because they are often incredibly brutal leaders.
Dictators do not rule through a popular mandate – they are not elected, and have little real accountability to their populations. As a result, in order to stay in power, dictators must use fear and oppression to prevent both popular uprisings against their rule, and coups from other factions that wish to install different dictator.
Throughout history and into the present day, dictators have been among the bloodiest rulers. Stalin is responsible for the deaths of around 20 million people. Adolf Hitler is responsible for the deaths of up to sixteen million people. Pol Pot, who ruled Cambodia from 1976 to 1979, murdered up to two million people.
As well as the mass murders committed by dictators, many are also responsible for overseeing networks of oppression designed to supress decent. Dictators often use a police state in order to silence opposition – which can be responsible for torture, rape, disappearings and other violations of human rights.
A key reason why dictators are important is because of the often-horrific means they use to stay in power.
2. There Are Still Many Dictators In The World
A second reason why dictators are important is because there many countries today still ruled by dictators.
Almost all of the most famous dictators are now figures from history. Chairman Mao, Idi Amin and Stalin all had rules that ended several decades or more ago. Many people think that dictatorships are mainly a thing of the past, and that much of the world is embracing a more representative form of government. However, this is actually far from the case, which is a major reason why dictatorships are so important to understand.
Fifty-two countries in the world today are ruled by dictators. There are well-known dictators, such as Kim Jong-Un in North Korea and Xi Jinping in China. However, many people do not know about, for example, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan or Idriss Deby of Chad. Dictators such as these run brutal regimes that oppress their people, but most people around the world only really know about dictators from the past.
A key factor about modern dictators is that they are becoming better at staying in power. Dictators today are also working together to strengthen their regimes and resist attempts at popular uprisings against them. This means that today dictators are actually getting stronger – an even bigger reason why they are so important.
3. Dictators Have Had A Massive Impact Throughout History
A third reason why dictators are important is because of the enormous impact they have had throughout history.
Many dictators have played a pivotal role in world events. Some dictators have left lasting, and often scarring, effects on the nations that they ruled. Others spread their impact, often destructively, across the region or even the world. The course of human history has been changed many times by the action of dictators, and this a major reason why they are so important.
Probably the most famous dictator to change the course of history is Adolf Hitler. As essentially the main instigator of World War Two, he had perhaps one of the biggest impacts on world history of almost any dictator. However, other dictators, such as Bashar al-Assad of Syria or Fidel Castro of Cuba made massive repercussions on the way global events played out.
The actions of many dictators can be felt decades after they were removed from power – a big reason why they are so important.
4. Sometimes Dictators Do Good Things
Another reason why dictators are important is because they actually sometimes do good things for their countries.
Dictators almost always oversee extremely cruel and brutal regimes. However, the control they often have over the mechanisms of power does, sometimes, allow them to do good.
A commonly cited example of how dictators can use their control to progress their nations is in infrastructure development. Many poorer countries struggle to develop quality infrastructure, however in some countries, such as with Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, the dictator can be credited with massively improving the countries roads, schools, hospital and utilities.
Often dictators are credited with a reduction in corruption. Their brutality and level of control means their regimes can instill fear and reduce the overall level of graft in a country. This is not always the case – and under many dictatorships’ corruption thrives, however there have been examples, such as Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore, where this massively helped a nation.
Overall, dictators are actually less effective at ‘getting stuff done’ than more democratic systems of government. However, they are sometimes credited with making improvements to the nations they rule, and this one reason why they can be important.
5. There Will Likely Be More Dictators In The Future
One reason why dictators are important is because there will likely more dictators in the future.
Many people see dictatorships as a thing of the past. Or, at least, they feel that democracy has proved itself to be a superior model of government. In fact, the opposite is true. Authoritarianism is on the rise. Many countries are abandoning their democracies to become dictatorships, or are installing dictators behind a façade of democratic government. The fact that dictators are far from a thing of the past is a big reason why they are important.
Vladimir Putin in Russia is an example of a dictator who has installed themselves by moving their country away from democracy.
As well as the fact that dictators are here to stay, a reason why they are so important is because many dictatorships are strengthening their positions. Across the world today, many dictators are looking at other authoritarian leaders in recent years who have fallen from power and are developing ever more sophisticated methods for stifling decent and consolidating their power. In the coming years it will be much harder for protest movements, or even coup attempts, to succeed against many dictatorships.
Ali Khamenei in Iran is one example of a dictator who has consistently strengthened their position.
6. We Need To Know How To Prevent Dictators
A further reason why dictators are important is because we need to know how to prevent dictators coming to power.
As we’ve said, dictators are almost always responsible for overseeing some of the most brutal and oppressive regimes in history. Almost all dictators have blood on their hands. Many a responsible for the torture, rape and murder of thousands, or even millions of people. Sadly, as we’ve discussed, dictatorships are not on the retreat, but actually more countries are turning towards authoritarian systems of government.
The democratic countries of the world urgently need to learn how to counter-act this turn towards authoritarianism. The benefits of accountable government need to be promoted – not through the use of force, but through demonstrating and communicating its advantages. Democracy is key to not only protecting people’s human rights, but also often to a nation becoming prosperous.
We cannot let dictatorships continue to thrive, and expand. Therefore, we need to understand their importance in order to counter-act them.
7. We Must Learn Lessons From Dictators
A final reason why dictators are important is because we must learn lessons from them.
If we do not learn the lessons of history, we are bound to repeat them. The last hundred years have seen many of the worst dictators of all time – Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Chairman Mao, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-Il and Hafez al-Assad, to name just a few. Sadly, humanity has not fully learned the lessons from these horrific mass murderers. In fact, many modern dictators actively utilize their methods and even look to them for inspiration.
In order to end brutal authoritarian governments today, and, almost more importantly, to prevent more democratic countries becoming dictatorships, we must learn lessons. Addressing the root causes that lead countries towards authoritarianism before dictatorships can flourish is vital. This is perhaps one of the more vital reasons why dictatorships are important.