The Little Tyrants Ponder Tyrants.

[Karin]

Fri Apr 26, 2013, 10:05 AM
TimberValley (306 posts)

Is a good dictatorship possible for an extended period of time?
It has been said by some that the best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.


I think that such dictatorships are either rare or highly improbable, but that they could be doable if:


1. The dictator has the bests interests of his countrymen, and his nation, at heart, AND

2. The dictator does not allow power to get to his head, AND

3. The dictator appoints many people - administrators, lower-level officials, etc., who are also of high integrity and selflessness.

And even then I don't think this would or could last longer than a few decades.

But consider the benefits. There would be no legislative deadlock. Such a dictator could plan for the long-term benefit of the nation, instead of having to pander to voters for short-term gain.

clffrdjk (136 posts)
4. As long as we are talking fantisy

Can it rain chocolate? Please!!

So  you're saying a dictatorship is a good thing.

spin (14,672 posts)
5. The problem is to first find a benevolent dictator. ...

Such individuals are rare and there is no guarantee that once one was in power, he might not turn into a tyrant. Power corrupts and there is always the possibility of a good leader developing insanity.

Of course, even if the dictator was a excellent leader during his lifetime, he would eventually die. What type of person would replace him?
 

As long as he's benevolent, that'd be just fine. 

TimberValley (306 posts)
8. I guess he would have to establish a democracy right before he dies.

A good dictator might decide not to let his successor be a dictator, but rather, put elections in place.

  "It's the big one, Elizabeth!  I'm comin for ya!  Wait.  We're a democracy now.  OK, ready to go."

Response to TimberValley (Reply #8)
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 10:32 AM
 spin (14,672 posts)
12. That makes sense. (n/t)

Don't know if that was sarcasm or not.  No dripping smiley.

Response to TimberValley (Original post)
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 10:18 AM
 Nye Bevan (10,505 posts)
7. It would definitely work if the dictator was me.

Not sure I would trust anyone else, though.

Response to TimberValley (Original post)
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 10:25 AM
 geek tragedy (24,647 posts)
10. The closest we've seen is someone like Marshall Tito in Yugoslavia.

Maybe the Jordanian royal family.

Castro isn't bad as far as dictators are concerned.

To paraphrase Snugs, some people do not deserve self-governance.  Nowhere on that thread did I see something like "Not only NO, HELL NO!" 

DUmp Link

[Dori]

Talk about wishful thinking.  These zombies had to have been brainwashed.   

[JohnnyReb]

Castro isn't bad as far as dictators are concerned. ....but dictators aren't concerned.....especially Castro. 

[FlippyDoo]

I, the benevolent FlippyDoo the 1st, do hereby declare myself dictator for life of the DU. From this day forward 50% of all your government checks and other earnings are to be paid to me via a Paypal account. I will, in all of my benevolence, then redistribute the funds as I, with my benevolent and fictional spirit-guide wisdom, see fit.

[DumbAss Tanker]

The unrealized problem with that idea is that even under the best possible circumstances, the dictator's vision of what's "Good for the country" is going to be really bad for a certain significant percentage of the population.  DUmmies would be in real trouble under about any scenario here.

[USA4ME]

There is a King of Kings that is extremely benevolent, but you fools have already told God to take a hike. I'm pretty sure you're on your own now.

.

[DLR Pyro]

So  you're saying a dictatorship is a good thing.

in the DUmmies minds, yes,a dictatorship is a good thing as long as the dictator is a democrat.

[DLR Pyro]

There is a King of Kings that is extremely benevolent, but you fools have already told God to take a hike. I'm pretty sure you're on your own now.

.

they have barack obama as their lord and savior. Just ask jamie foxx.

[Doc Savage]

Response to TimberValley (Original post)
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 10:25 AM
 geek tragedy (24,647 posts)
10. The closest we've seen is someone like Marshall Tito in Yugoslavia.

Maybe the Jordanian royal family.

Castro isn't bad as far as dictators are concerned.

My live in's father met Tito during WWII.  The way he tells it, Tito was not that nice of a guy.  Of course they were all in the business of killing Nazi's, and "business was a boomin", but he did his fair share of getting rid of the internal competition also.  Her dad told me he always slept with one eye open, his toops were a little on the questionable side too.  

[I_B_Perky]

Theoretically a benevolent dictatorship is the way to go. Just like theoretically communism is a good form of government. But like all theories... it runs into this little nasty thing called reality.

The dummies have this wet dream of a dictatorship form of government here in the US. Unfortunately, said benevolent dictatorship would promptly exterminate said dummies as not being good for the country. Same thing with communism.

Been proven over and over and over again throughout history... and they call us brainwashed.   

[Duke Nukum]

I, the benevolent FlippyDoo the 1st, do hereby declare myself dictator for life of the DU. From this day forward 50% of all your government checks and other earnings are to be paid to me via a Paypal account. I will, in all of my benevolence, then redistribute the funds as I, with my benevolent and fictional spirit-guide wisdom, see fit.

If you're a spirit guide isn't "dictator for life" over before it begins?

[FlippyDoo]

If you're a spirit guide isn't "dictator for life" over before it begins?

No. That's the beauty of it. Since I'm already in the fictional spirit-guide stage I can be their benevolent ruler exactly as long as dead people can vote democrat.

[Aristotelian]

TimberValley (306 posts)
8. I guess he would have to establish a democracy right before he dies.

A good dictator might decide not to let his successor be a dictator, but rather, put elections in place.

I can only think of two instances where a dictator chose to be replaced with a democracy. In Spain, Gen. Franco appointed King Juan Carlos I as his successor; and in Chile Gen. Pinochet held elections leading to a peaceful transfer of power. Can anybody name a case where a leftist dictator has peacefully passed power to a restored democratic government?

[JohnnyReb]

I can only think of two instances where a dictator chose to be replaced with a democracy. In Spain, Gen. Franco appointed King Juan Carlos I as his successor; and in Chile Gen. Pinochet held elections leading to a peaceful transfer of power. Can anybody name a case where a leftist dictator has peacefully passed power to a restored democratic government?

Stalin and Hitler.......they both were at peace with the world when they transferred power......might not have been at peace in the next world but they were at peace with this one..... Dead.... can't get any more peaceful than that.

A Stalin or a Hitler is exactly what the DUmmies want and need.....they would slaughter all the DUmmies.

[franksolich]

I can only think of two instances where a dictator chose to be replaced with a democracy. In Spain, Gen. Franco appointed King Juan Carlos I as his successor; and in Chile Gen. Pinochet held elections leading to a peaceful transfer of power. Can anybody name a case where a leftist dictator has peacefully passed power to a restored democratic government?

That's very true, and I've been asking this question since, well, forever.

There's many instances of a "right-wing" (quotation marks intentional) system peacefully evolving into a democracy.

I'm stumped however, to recall even one instance of a left-wing dictatorship transitioning to democracy without violence and bloodshed.

[Dori]

If this country ever became a dictatorship, I know one side that wouldn't allow it to stand without an insurection.

[98ZJUSMC]

It has been said by some that the best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.

Sez the leather upholstered academic who has never stepped foot on foreign soil and has absolutely zero actual experience under nor real life knowledge of a dictatorship..

....other then CBS or NBC.  Why?

Because they can always come back here and bitch and moan and cry about nonexistent problems or those created by...... themselves.   

[marv]

There's many instances of a "right-wing" (quotation marks intentional) system peacefully evolving into a democracy.

I'm stumped however, to recall even one instance of a left-wing dictatorship transitioning to democracy without violence and bloodshed.

That is the essence of the difference between the "Right" and the "Left".