With my dictatorial powers … my first action would be to seize and outlaw extreme wealth. No one would be allowed to own more than $1 million.
All the money collected would be used for government and providing a Universal Basic Income for everyone.
And I’d get a designer to make me a big fancy hat.
Ignore these naysayers. Tell us more about the hat.
The shortest dictatorship in history…
I am behind this 100%
Socialist doesnt know how the economy works
I could BE a benevolent dictator, I could never BECOME a benevolent dictator. The process of getting there would exclude me, because I would reject the power structure needed to form the dictatorship in the first place.
I think there are many people out there who could.
To me, the problem isn’t being a benevolent dictator; it’s getting a benevolent person there in a benevolent way.
Yeah the problem is mostly that benevolent people don’t actually want to be dictators much less do what it takes to become one.
No.
Not because I’m evil, but because I am empathetic and someone evil would absolutely figure out a way to use that to manipulate me.
My Tropico track record says that I absolutely can.
how dare you question my benevolence. to the pits with you.
It is inevitable that an opposition would form against you. You either let the movement continue to gain traction and risk unseating you or you use your power in a corrupt manner to silence them.
In this particular case, it depends what you define as corrupt. If you are truly working towards the betterment of everyone under your power (even those that you are fighting against), then what becomes justifiable to that end?
Anything. Lies and manipulation will always work on the masses.
Not if you preemptively make what would be an opposition ideology illegal when making the country’s constitution
I’d like to think so. When we read 1984 in high school, a friend and I were studying together. I remember saying (in my naïveté), “I loved the book and I get the history but why would you want to be in charge of a place that sucks?” She was like, “You’re just going to have to get used to the fact that a lot of people care about power more than beaches.”
Well, I still think those people are foolish. I’d rather be in charge of my own tiny slice of paradise than rule over some wack ass dictatorship where everyone else is miserable. Not wanting to be in charge is probably the basic pre-requisite for being a benevolent dictator. I like to cook for people and stuff. I’d use my power and wealth to do that.
That being said, I’m a dirtbag. I’d have a cool house somewhere with mountain and ocean views. Probably 3 or 4 beauty queens who also have Ms. Congeniality pageant sashes who are in charge of laughing at my jokes and charming me. No more than one or two rhythmic gymnastics teams that delight us all by throwing ribbons to each other with their feet. (Other apparatuses are cool too. Hula hoop. Clubs. Ball. Variety is the spice of life.)
I wouldn’t be fucking kids and sending goon squads after minorities and into cities to harass my political opponents if that is what you are asking.
The ‘not evil’ bar is currently riding on the same high speed train the Republicans put their goalposts on.
I don’t think I could become dictator at all, no.
Seriously, though, power corrupts. I’m not immune. Nor am I immune to being manipulated by those more evil than I, which is another big problem with concentrating power.
I could be benevolent and part of the population would be still against me (slumlords, libertarians, nazis).
After some attempts to kill me I doubt I couldn’t become aggressive against the population who wronged me.
No because narcissistic psychopathic yes-men would flood my surroundings and I’d probably quickly become paranoid (with reasons to be that).
Except if it was in a Douglas Addams way.
This is explained in the “the rules for rulers” video from cgpgrey, which condenses the book “the dictators handbook”.
Don’t think it’s possible per definition of the word.
If you take into account the wishes of the majority of the population what sets you apart from a constitutional monarchy?
Constitutional monarchy has a formal de jure system that guards against the “monarch” going crazy. If you are an actual “dictator”, you could lose your mind oneday and start doing a genocide.
People demand guard against me going crazy because why would they not. Would I still be benevolent if I refuse them the right even if they don’t bother protesting? And as a practical matter would it be possible to maintain the system without protests growing into a revolution?
From the point of view of “can you hold power and not let your heart of hearts be corrupted?” - Yeah, sure, why not? The problem is that as soon as you have a significant amount of power, someone else is going to want it. Probably someone with fewer scrupals. So you will quickly be forced into utilitarian thinking - you must do whatever is necessary to maintain your position of power, lest you be usurped by someone worse. And what is necessary to maintain power, to a common person, is often corruption, violence, and austerity for the people.
