MODERN DICTATORS UNDER DEMOCRATIC AND SOCIALIST REGIMES

Under the deceptive shields of socialism and democracy, several presidents and prime ministers in many countries have firmly established themselves as dictators or autocratic rulers.

Prominent examples are Putin of Russia, Xi Jinping of China, Lukashenko of Belarus, Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Erdogan of Turkey, Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba, and Maduro of Venezuela.

Putting on the dictatorial robe is India’s Modi. And if Trump were elected the US president, he would advance his autocratic idiosyncrasy.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been Iran’s supreme leader for over 40 years, firmly holds his power as a despotic ruler.

And there are many more totalitarians across continents.

Common Traits of Modern Autocrats

In their emergence as powerful leaders, most have in common their nefarious promises of public security and meeting basic needs.

They propagate a corrupt-free and disciplined society through stringent laws and punishments while arousing sentiments of nationalism and patriotism and presenting themselves as protectors of the nation.

These “public servants,” as they prefer to call themselves in public, segregate the population into majority, minority, class and caste factions. Immigration, race, and religion are wielded as tools to disrupt societal cohesion.

Manipulation of Political Systems

Fascist rulers engage in shrewd or cunning manipulations of the political system, often laced with charismatic oratory and pledges of good days ahead—for instance, Modi’s “Achche din,” (good days).

Once in the power seat, the pseudo-leaders corrupt the political structure to their advantage, ensuring they elect and re-elect themselves with significant margins. This pattern is seen in the cases of Maduro, Lukashenko, Putin, Xi Ping, Orban and others.

Constitutional Adjustments and Suppression

The chiefs adjust and reshape the constitutions according to their temperament and long-run agenda. In that mission, they crush opposition, tame the media, silence dissent, establish a judicial system with crony judges, and create an atmosphere of fear through state terrorism, a characteristic feature of many supposed democratic or socialist regimes.

Propaganda and Information Control

The propaganda machinery in the fraudulent democracies and fake socialist nations churn out false news and information, boasting about outstanding but fake achievements for domestic and international consumption.

Social media and AI are extensively used to brainwash the Janata, influencing and converting the latter. The proselytization is so effective that reality is vigorously denied. The unreal looks authentic. And the real becomes fake for the blind and ardent followers.

Long-Term Power Retention

Once elected through unethical and devious means, these shrewd presidents, prime ministers, autocrats, dictators, tyrants, and even narcissists stick to the seats of power for a long time. While they still cover themselves under one or the other political umbrella. This is seen in the cases of leaders like Maduro, Lukashenko, Putin, Xi Jinping, and others.

The Illusion of Ideals

Orwell was correct “Totalitarianism could be found on the political Right or Left, in Nazism and Communism.”

Human Psychology and Power

The idealism of socialism or communism for an egalitarian society and the promises of democracy for wealth and prosperity get hijacked to satisfy the ruling leaders’ personal choices, temperament and interests.

Human psychology is the primary factor governing or misgoverning the current political systems of socialism, democracy, or even a combination of the two, called democratic socialism.

The bottom line is the hunger for power, which corrupts even the most empathetic, promising, and passionate leaders—examples include Fidel Castro of Cuba and Rubert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

The Power Bug

In their greed for power, the Left, Right, socialists, and Democrat-turned-autocrats often become infected with the power bug. Nelson Mandela of South Africa stands out as a rare exception, a statesman who did not succumb to the lure of prolonged power.

-Promod Puri