How to Be a Dictator and Retain Power Forever

Geniuses are not made; they are born.

In the same way, dictators are not made—they are born.

You must possess certain innate traits to be a dictator.

You cannot learn how to be a dictator.

Every dictator in the world shares these specific traits.

I am certain they did not learn these skills from a book.

Instead, these innate traits are what made them dictators.

I am sure Trump has never even heard of the 16th-century diplomat Niccolò Machiavelli or his famous book, The Prince.

Nevertheless, he exhibits all the traits and tactics of a typical dictator.

The Prince is an 80-page book that served as a kind of resume to secure a job from an Italian ruler.

In fact, Machiavelli dedicated the book to Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici.

(He wrote the book in 1513 and died in 1527. Because the book was only published posthumously in 1532, he never actually secured a job under the Medici.)

This book details exactly how one can attain and retain power.

Some dictators, such as Hitler and Mussolini, are initially elected through a democratic process before seizing absolute power.

Thus, being democratically elected is one of the most viable ways to become a dictator.

What traits do they possess, and how do they act once they come to power?

1. Centralize Power

A dictator’s first instinct is to pull every meaningful lever of power into one set of hands.

Instead of allowing institutions, courts, legislatures, military leaders, or regional authorities to operate independently, he works to make them answer to a single center of command.

The purpose is to eliminate rivals, weaken checks and balances, and ensure that no decision of consequence can be made without his approval.

Over time, the state may still appear to have many offices and officials, but in reality, all authority flows upward to one person, making opposition far more difficult and obedience almost automatic.

2. Control Information

Control the media and its narrative. Get rid of all media outlets that do not support you. China, Russia, and North Korea utilize state-controlled media.

If you cannot control the media, delegitimize or undermine it.

Undermine the press by saying, “The media is the enemy of the people,” or “The media spreads fake news.” Both Trump and Nixon harbored a deep hatred for the media.

3. Cultivate a Cult of Personality

Create an image of yourself as a powerful, benevolent, and god-like figure. Craft a persona as a “man of the people” and a savior of the poor. Suggest that even though you could have lived a life of luxury, you chose to sacrifice your comfort for the sake of the downtrodden.

Be omnipresent; ensure your pictures and statues are everywhere. Exaggerate your potential and abilities, portraying yourself as an omnipotent hero.

4. Use Fear and Terror as Tools

“It is better to be feared than loved, if you cannot be both,” wrote Niccolò Machiavelli. Maintain power by instilling fear in the populace. Establish secret police, surveillance networks, or military forces to monitor and suppress any opposition.

Discourage people from challenging your authority through intimidation and severe punishment. Label your enemies as traitors who must be punished for betraying their country.

5. Manipulate the Legal System

Change laws or disregard them entirely to punish your rivals and dissidents. Ensure that the courts remain loyal to you personally.

6. Suppress Dissent

Actively suppress dissent through imprisonment, exile, and execution. Target prominent critics to make an example for others. If you eliminate a prominent leader, you do not necessarily have to kill thousands of their supporters; they will usually fall in line.

7. Control the Economy

Control the sectors and institutions where there is a possibility of making a significant amount of money. Appoint your loyalists to these positions so they can receive monetary rewards for their allegiance.

8. Promote Nationalism

Stir national pride to unify people under your leadership and behind a common cause. Label the opposition as unpatriotic people who do not care about the country. Make the people believe that you are the sole protector of the nation’s values and identity.

9. Use Divisive Tactics

Use divide-and-conquer tactics. Create enemies and scapegoats to prevent people from criticizing you. Divide groups within society based on ethnicity, religion, race, or economic status.

Foster hatred toward these “other” groups.

If you can direct your supporters’ hatred toward minorities, it is even more effective. Once you have the support of the majority targeting a minority, they will ignore or forget what you are actually doing.

• Trump: Claimed illegal immigrants bring violence to the country.

• Hitler: Blamed Jews for the defeat in World War I and the subsequent economic hardships.

• Idi Amin: Claimed Indians were the cause of economic instability. In 1972, he gave Indians 90 days to leave Uganda, resulting in 60,000 people fleeing to countries like the UK and USA.

Blame all the country’s problems on these groups. Create a “Us vs. Them” mindset among your supporters.

If you cannot find “internal enemies,” find “external enemies,” such as a foreign power or a neighboring country (e.g., Pakistan/India, Palestine/Iran/Israel, North Korea/South Korea).

Blame these external enemies for all societal issues. This keeps the people united under you in their shared hatred.

10. Limit Civil Liberties

Eliminate civil liberties such as freedom of speech, assembly, and the press. By eliminating these, you make it much harder for any resistance to take shape.

For example, the “Arab Spring” of 2011 might have been stopped if authorities had banned Twitter from the beginning. The spread of ideas and opinions is the primary cause of revolution; therefore, you must suppress them.

11. Control Education

You do not want people to think critically. The less educated they are, the more loyal and obedient they will be. Indoctrinate the youth with your ideology.

Brainwash them with your version of history to ensure the future generation remains loyal.

After a generation, they won’t even understand what “freedom of speech” is because they have never experienced it.

Learning to read and write is sufficient for them to perform menial jobs for you.

You must avoid a well-educated population that can produce rivals. Stalin famously purged scientists, writers, and intellectuals for this very reason.

12. Maintain a Loyal Inner Circle

Surround yourself with loyal friends and family members. Purge any advisors or officials who show any sign of disloyalty. Expect unconditional loyalty from those who work for you.

Loyalty is a one-way street; you do not need to be loyal to them. Use them and discard them as needed.

If there is an uprising against your atrocities, distance yourself and absolve yourself of the crimes by blaming subordinates.

Stalin carried out the “Great Purge” from 1936 to 1938, killing 1.2 million people. Nikolai Yezhov, the leader of the NKVD, carried out these orders.

To distance himself from the bloodshed, Stalin eventually accused Yezhov of treason and had him executed in 1940.

13. Ban Political Alternatives

Outlaw or undermine all other political parties. Make elections a mere formality or a controlled process. Better yet, extend your term limits indefinitely or change them to “forever.”

China utilizes a one-party system. Russia holds “show elections” where opponents are imprisoned.

North Korea features only one name on the ballot; everyone must vote, and turnout is 100%. If you do not vote, the regime considers you treasonous.

14. Cultivate a Network of Informants

Encourage citizens to report on each other to create a culture of distrust. This suppresses opposition, as people fear their own friends or family might turn them in. This keeps the population in a state of constant paranoia.

15. Exploit Media and Technology

Use the internet, social media, and telecommunications to spy on citizens, prevent dissent, and spread propaganda. Use these channels to portray only favorable news about the regime.

16. Use Divide-and-Conquer Among the Elite

Prevent high-ranking officials or military leaders from forming alliances that could threaten you. Promote rivalry and jealousy among them to prevent a unified opposition.

Let them fight among themselves to keep your position secure. The less united they are, the safer your authority is.

Hitler often gave the same responsibility to multiple people so they would fight for his favor.

Ensure no one becomes more popular than you; if someone gains popularity, remove them—fire them, demote them, or eliminate them.

Trump had a “revolving door” of officials; Jayalalitha’s ministry also changed frequently.

17. Exploit Patriarchal or Traditional Values

Use traditional or patriarchal values to control social behavior and justify oppression. Frame your rule as a “return to values” or a “moral revival.”

Position yourself as the only person who can solve the country’s problems. Claim the country is ruined and only you can “Make It Great Again.”

Simplify complex problems and promise to solve them instantly. Trump claimed he could end the Russia-Ukraine war in one day and defeat ISIS in one day.

Promise the sky and the moon; you do not need to keep those promises. “The promise given was a necessity of the past; the word broken is a necessity of the present,” as Machiavelli said.

18. Project Military Power in Public

Regularly showcase military power through parades and exercises to intimidate citizens and remind them of your control over the armed forces.

19. Stage “Public Support” Events

Stage massive rallies and parades to display popular support and create the illusion of a nationwide mandate. Fill these events with supporters who treat you like a hero or a god.

20. Start a War and Expand Your Territory

Invade other countries to expand your power and make your empire appear undefeatable. The larger the empire, the harder it is to collapse. War also unites people against a common foreign enemy.

• Xi Jinping: Pressuring Taiwan, Tibet, and India.

• Putin: Invaded Ukraine and Chechnya.

• Hitler: Invaded Poland, France, and Norway.

• Saddam Hussein: Invaded Kuwait.

• Idi Amin: Invaded Tanzania.

21. Make Friends with Other Dictators

Create bonds with other dictators for mutual support and protection. You can assist each other during times of hardship.

The leaders of North Korea, Russia, China, and Iran are currently aligned in this manner.

22. Create Paramilitary Groups

Establish armed civilian paramilitary groups separate from the official military. This provides a backup force that reports directly to you.

Use these groups to control civil unrest and intimidate opponents. Examples include Hitler’s SS, Mussolini’s OVRA, Stalin’s NKVD, and Idi Amin’s State Research Bureau.

23. Create Symbols and Imagery

Create symbols that forge a strong visual association between the nation and your rule (e.g., flags, hats, slogans).

Examples include the Nazi Swastika or the MAGA hat. Regularly display images of yourself to remind the public of your constant presence.

24. Be Ruthless and Deceptive

Be ruthless, violent, and cruel toward enemies and “traitors.” Nothing is off-limits when it comes to retaining power.

Saddam Hussein had his daughters marry two brothers. He initially liked his sons-in-law, even making one the head of the nuclear program.

However, Saddam’s son, Uday, grew jealous and planned to kill them. The families fled to Jordan seeking asylum and intended to speak to the CIA.

Saddam promised them safety if they returned. Once they returned to Iraq, he forced his daughters to divorce them and sent an assassin squad led by Uday to kill both men.

They tied the dead bodies to a car and dragged them through the city.

Any sign of kindness or compassion will be perceived as weakness. You cannot afford to be honest, ethical, or moral.