The Jordan Harbinger Show 794: Alastair Smith | The Dictator's Handbook Part One
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Feb 14, 2023 Alastair Smith, a political science professor at NYU and co-author of "The Dictator’s Handbook," delves into the dark yet fascinating world of dictators. He discusses how these leaders maintain power, often at the expense of their citizens. Alastair explains the paradox of bad behavior being effective in politics and highlights the detrimental impacts of foreign aid on democratization. He also examines the psychological strategies dictators use to control their populations and questions the potential for reforming our own governments based on these insights.
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Dictator's Power Base
- Dictators maintain power by controlling a small coalition of key supporters, not through popularity.
- These supporters remain loyal due to the benefits they receive and the fear of losing those benefits under a new leader.
The Devil You Know
- In Serbia, many tolerated Milosevic despite disliking his policies, fearing a worse alternative.
- This "devil you know" mentality highlights the fear of instability and potential harm from a new, unknown leader.
Conditional Access vs. Earned Wealth
- In dictatorships, access to resources is granted by the leader and can be revoked, fostering loyalty.
- This differs from democracies where earned wealth is secure, illustrating a key distinction in power dynamics.
