Donald Trump will soon become the latest dictator we have failed to stop

Robert Novoski

If Donald Trump wins the American presidency next month, does he intend to lead the United States to dictatorship? There are, of course, many Americans who fear that is exactly what he will do. They say he openly expressed his desire to become dictator from the first day of his second term.

The reality is just the opposite. Referring to a conversation with US television broadcaster Sean Hannity, Trump recalled: “He said, ‘You’re not going to be a dictator, are you?’ I said, ‘No, no, no, apart from the first day. We closed the borders, and we drilled, drilled, drilled. After that, I’m not a dictator.’”

So Trump just wants to be a dictator for one day; can we all rest more easily in our beds?

Yes, not quite right.

I spent the last two years researching the entire concept of dictatorship while editing a new book, Dictators: Warnings From History. This is a collection of 64 essays on 64 dictators from ancient times, to Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Bashar al-Assad, and Mohammed bin Salman.

It is sad to realize that 70 percent of the world’s population lives under dictatorship. While the reigns of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao and Franco may be behind us, democracy is extinct for all but 30 percent of the world’s population, with 52 countries still ruled by a dictator, and the situation is not getting any better.

Increasing criticism of democracy and its institutions, including by individuals seeking to once again lead the free world, makes authoritarianism seem more attractive to more people. Those who believe that their country will be destroyed often look for strong people.

The changes taking place in the world show that it is very important for us to truly heed this historical warning. One of my conclusions is that Donald Trump has all the traits of a would-be dictator and this should worry us all.

Luckily the US Constitution has many protections, but there are many other democratic countries in the world that have fallen to dictators and there is no law that says the US won’t be next.

Professor Ian Robertson wrote about the psychology of tyrants: “All dictators hate constitutions, laws and judges and will always try to overthrow them. But usually this happens gradually over time, gradually removing anything that might limit their omnipotence.

“What’s really worrying about Donald Trump is that he started this very early in his presidency.”

I certainly don’t predict that Trump, if re-elected, will turn into the stereotypical evil Hitler, or Stalin-like dictator. However, there are different types of dictators, ranging from genocidal ones to benevolent ones.

For centuries, we have been fascinated by strong leaders, both authoritarian personalities and downright dictators. They are the ones who determine the political weather in the country they lead, even though the country will definitely be hit by storms. No dictator lives a quiet life, or wants to. Very few took power without bloodshed and even fewer died of natural causes in their own beds.

The stereotypical dictator wears a military uniform, regardless of background. They are almost always men. Only one female dictator makes it into my book – Wu Zetian, the former empress of China.

Of course there are different types of dictators. Some are downright evil and have been so from the start. Others become evil as time goes by. There are those who start well but then turn into authoritarianism.

Margaret Thatcher once said: “When you stop a dictator, there are always risks. But there are greater risks in not stopping a dictator.” Democracies must fight dictators. This may seem obvious, but time and time again, we fail to heed history’s warnings.

Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement contributed to Hitler’s consolidation of power. NATO’s ambivalence toward Putin over his invasions of Georgia in 2008 and Crimea in 2014 prompted the Russian dictator to invade Ukraine. Obama set a red line for Syria regarding chemical weapons in 2013, then allowed Bashar al-Assad to cross it with impunity.

Modern dictators have reached the conclusion that the West is often weak. The consequences were dire. In the short term, Putin and his associates will continue to dominate much of the planet. Looking to the future, as the world begins to support authoritarian governments amid growing discouragement of democracy, dictatorships could become commonplace.

Dictators: 64 Dictators, 64 Writers, 64 Warnings from History, by Iain Dale (Hodder, £30) is out now

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