For instance, you disregard the president’s history of questionable business tactics. His guilty verdict in New York, sexual harassment of women… E. Jean Carroll v. Donald J. Trump case involves two related lawsuits where Carroll accused Trump of sexual assault. A jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll in a department store in 1996 and awarded her $5 million for battery and defamation.
The jury concluded that Trump defamed Carroll in his statements in 2022, and the total damages awarded to Carroll across both cases amounted to $88.3 million. The cases are currently under appeal, which shows how he refuses to accept blame for anything he has done.
Yet here we are with a president who has a history of taking advantage of business owners he hired and refusing to pay them. And here we are, witnessing the president’s loyal cabinet slowly transforming this country into an autocratic nation at his request.
Let’s be clear, throughout history, dictators have emerged across different continents, often leaving an indelible mark on their nations and the world.
This blog post explores how some of the most notorious dictators came into power, analyzing the circumstances and tactics they used to seize control.
1. Adolf Hitler – Germany
Rise to Power: The Treaty of Versailles and the economic turmoil of the Weimar Republic created fertile ground for radical ideologies. Hitler joined the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) and quickly rose through the ranks, using charismatic oratory propaganda and promises of national rejuvenation.
The failed Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 landed him in prison, where he wrote “Mein Kampf.” 1933, he established a totalitarian regime by leveraging the Reichstag Fire and Enabling Act.
2. Joseph Stalin – Soviet Union
Rise to Power: After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the subsequent civil war, Stalin maneuvered through the ranks of the Bolshevik Party.
Stalin consolidated power by outmaneuvering political rivals like Trotsky and using his position as General Secretary. Through purges, show trials, and a cult of personality, he transformed the Soviet Union into a dictatorship by the late 1920s.
3. Benito Mussolini – Italy
Rise to Power: Post-World War I, economic hardships, and social unrest set the stage for Mussolini’s ascent. He founded the Fascist Party in 1919 and capitalized on nationalist sentiments.
Mussolini’s Blackshirts conducted violent campaigns against opponents, and the 1922 March on Rome pressured King Victor Emmanuel III to appoint him as Prime Minister.
Mussolini gradually dismantled democratic institutions, establishing a fascist dictatorship.
4. Mao Zedong – China
Rise to Power: During the Chinese Civil War, Mao Zedong emerged as a prominent leader within the Communist Party. His innovative strategies, including guerrilla warfare and land reforms, garnered substantial support from the peasantry.
Following his triumphant victory over the Nationalists in 1949, Mao established the People’s Republic of China. He consolidated his power through political campaigns, notably the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
5. Kim Il-sung – North Korea
Rise to Power Following Korea’s liberation from Japanese rule in 1945, Kim Il-sung gained support from the Soviet Union. He became the Premier of North Korea and utilized propaganda, purges, and the Korean War to solidify his rule. His regime established a dynastic dictatorship that persists to this day, with power passing to his son and grandson.
Conclusion
The rise of dictators often involves a combination of charismatic leadership, exploitation of socio-political instability, and strategic use of violence and propaganda.
You’d better think, watch, and understand how dictators plot to gain power. This can help us recognize and counteract the warning signs of authoritarianism in the modern world. Project 2025 is the playbook, especially right now.
September 9, 2021
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Well, I entered this world in 1955, I've journeyed through it, I've experienced loads of discomfort, taken a few tumbles, even had a butt-breaking incident, and encountered a TBI. In addition, I struggle with feelings of depression and anxiety. But hey, at least I can laugh about it all!