Path to Becoming a Tyrant - Part One

Absolute power. Most of the people who live in the world want it. They all wanted this unimaginable power. But the thing is they just do not know how to get it. But if you like it There's a playbook. A series of tactics that history's most infamous tyrants used to achieve Absolute power. They used Each in their own unique way. Now, there is one small thing. This path must involve making some unpleasant choices. But no one said the ruling was easy. want to look inside? But remember this is a one-way trip. If you look inside this book there is no turning back. Let’s begin….

CHAPTER 1 - SEIZE POWER

When I say the word "Tyrant," what comes to mind? a cruel and oppressive ruler. No. Tyranny is government for people who want results. When we look back at human history, freedom is not the norm. We love to be ruled. When you are living in a tough time, there is an appeal to someone who comes up, finds their moment, and says, "I alone can fix it all. "  In history's most successful tyrants do just that,  transforming their societies from top to bottom. By following their path step by step, you can also be a successful tyrant. This playbook shows the path of it. If you want to be a tyrant, you just must do those few things that show in the Playbook.

But before you can do anything, you need to break out from the crowd and grab the reins of power. That is where our story begins,  with the failed landscape artist who reinvented himself into the most powerful man on Earth. His name. Adolf Hitler.

So, how exactly did Adolf Hitler become the Adolf Hitler? And what lessons can you take from him on your path to successful Tyrant?

Hitler in his twenties was a disenchanted, broke, friendless, failed artist. How is it that this man ends up having this charismatic hold all over this incredibly large country in the middle of Europe in the 20th century?

Chapter 1.1 – Believe in Yourself

If you want to rule, you first must believe that you can. Tyrants do have a kind of egocentric confidence in their own abilities. They must have that. They often see themselves as liberators. They are frequently convinced that only they can save the world and make the world a better place. In other words, they are special. And as you will see, Hitler was not the only one who felt that way. According to North Korean legend, now of Kim Jong-Il's birth,  a new glowing star lit up the sky,  a double rainbow appeared, and winter turned into spring. Saddam Hussein claimed that he was anointed by God to rule Iraq forever and pointed to the times he escaped death as proof of his divine favor. While Haitian dictator François Duvalier claimed that he himself was an eternal being whose voodoo powers caused the JFK assassination.

But where might you find yourself? Hitler claimed that he found him in a most unexpected place. The blood-soaked trenches of World War I. One day while on duty, he hears a strange voice with a message, and it said "Move". After a few seconds, there was a blast exactly where he was. Several of his comrades are killed immediately, but Hitler emerges without a scratch. Later, as the war nears its end,  Hitler and his unit fall victim to mustard gas at the Battle of Ypres. While recovering at a nearby hospital,   a pastor gives Hitler the shocking news. World War I is over. Germany has surrendered. He was shocked and, he completely loses his sight. Then from the depths of his despair  springs a grand vision for his nation's future. From this point forward, Hitler never doubted his special purpose. Hitler once said famously, "I walk with the self-assurance of a sleepwalker toward my destiny. " Once he had his mission for Germany, he was on autopilot. Nothing would distract him from that aim.

That is the sort of confidence that any future tyrant needs to get ahead. Although some might use a different term. The potential dictator is usually highly narcissistic. Believe yourselves to be the center of the universe, and everything must happen according to your will. It makes you different from ordinary people. That is not such a dreadful thing. But before you can realize your destiny,  you still have some big challenges to overcome. For one thing, you do not have any followers yet.

Chapter 1.2 – Outrage Sells

To launch your rise to power,  you'll need a message that stirs people's souls, and there is one surefire place to start. In a perfect world,  society would not need to be guided by the firm hand of a tyrant. But look around you. People are angry and looking for someone to blame. The genius is understanding the nature of the resentment that already exists, and presenting yourself as the means to overcome that, as the means to get even with the people that you resent. Do you want to get your people's attention? Show them that their enemies are your enemies and that you are the one who will take them down.

From an early age, future Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gave fiery speeches against the Western-backed monarchy he called "corrupt,"  and was received as a hero when he toppled them in a coup. The father of North Korea, Kim Il-Sung, came to prominence reminding his people of the humiliations they suffered at the hands of the occupying Japanese Army. And as Idi Amin rose to power,  he focused the Ugandan people's frustrations on their former colonial master, Britain. “We see that they are deposed in Uganda, that the British imperialism is over.”

 After the First World War, Germany has hyperinflation and mass unemployment, and people are taking bucketloads of money to buy a loaf of bread. And among Germany's disillusioned masses is 30-year-old Adolf Hitler,  who was about to take a fateful step on his path to power. In 1919 Adolf Hitler an unemployed artist lived in Munich with just a few coins in his pocket and strong opinions about where everything went wrong  and who to blame. Hitler gets a job as an army intelligence officer. His first assignment was observing a meeting  of an anti-Semitic right-wing group called ‘The German Workers Party.’ Hitler's bosses expect him to lay low,  take notes, and report back to headquarters. But Hitler was never great at taking orders. Years of rage and frustration pour out. He rails against the Jewish-led conspiracy holding the proud German people down.

Now before we go on, let us get clear about the conspiracy theory Hitler was selling. Hitler says that the financiers of Wall Street and the Communists in Moscow are all one part of the same Jewish plot. And it seems absurd, but that is what Hitler convinces the German people.

Absurd or not, Hitler's words strike a chord. Now a party member,  Hitler obsessively perfects his performance. The content of his speeches was a lot of it was hatefulness. Of the need to cleanse Germany of Jews. It was a vendetta against Germany being humiliated. It was national pride,  that Germany needed to rise again. Before long, Hitler is named leader of the party,   which takes on a new name. ‘The National Socialist German Workers' Party,’   otherwise known as "the Nazis". Hitler now has a platform to vent his outrage and a loyal group of followers hanging on his every word. Many Germans found that he was saying what they thought secretly but had never been able to express. Why does this work so well? It is because you are giving people permission to be themselves. Common grievance brings people together, and it feels incredibly good because you have solidarity, and you have a strong leader leading you against that minority or that threat from the outside. Hard to believe people would be so quick to blame others for their misfortune, right? Let us not try and make out that German people in the '20s are worse people than we are today. If you feel genuinely that there is an enemy within, then you would want your politicians to do something about it. It is very easy for us to sit back and go, "I would never, fall for the seductive charms of a tyrant like Hitler. " But I promise you would.

Chapter 1.3 – Be a man of the people.

To achieve absolute power,  you'll need more than a compelling message. You also must sell the messenger. As a tyrant, yours will become the face of your nation,  and how you present that face will be all up to you. But at this early stage of your journey, the playbook offers very specific advice on how to fashion your image. Show your people you are one of them. Need some examples?

 Italian dictator Benito Mussolini proudly referred to himself as a "man of the people,"  frequently playing up his humble roots as the son of a small-town blacksmith. At the start of his reign,  Idi Amin drove himself around Uganda in an open Jeep and was known for showing off his accordion skills in public events. While Muammar Gaddafi publicly stayed in touch with his Bedouin roots by dressing in tribal robes and demanding to stay in a tent when he traveled.

Who better to make a nation's dreams come true than somebody who feels what they feel,   dreams what they dream? It is a hallmark of successful tyrants that they achieve this fusion between themselves and the masses. They come forward and say, "I am you. You are me. We're a kind of collective organism." Hitler often used to say this in his speeches. “I am only interested in the German people alone. I only belong to them alone. For these German people, I give of myself.” Now when you are setting yourself up as a "man of the people,"  it's the little things that make all the difference. Hitler did not dress up in a lavish fashion. He always wore a uniform. The fact that he came out of the trenches in the First World War believing that war makes a man, you realize it was important for wooing the masses and solidifying his support. What is the first thing you are reminded of called Hitler? Yes, you are right. The Famous Mustache.

The mustache metamorphosizes from this very sort of long thing in earlier images of Hitler. Something compelled him to change his look. One theory is that he trimmed his deluxe Kaiser Wilhelm during the war to fit under a gas mask. Another is that he was using his razor to copy a contemporary German hero,  Hans Koeppen. Hitler was not thinking about shaving his way into immortality. But sometimes, a future tyrant just gets lucky. It ends up becoming the classic toothbrush mustache, which was used by lower-middle-class men throughout Europe. So what Hitler was showing was, "I am from this kind of background."

Now that you have cemented your bond with the common people,  you might be feeling like your date with destiny is at hand,   but not so fast. If you want to make history,  you'll need to grab people at an even deeper level. Their subconscious.

Chapter 1.4 – Brand Your Movement

Coming out of these beer halls in the 1920s, the Nazi party is growing, but there were dozens of these right-wing parties vying for control. Like with any product,  for your budding movement to break from the pack,   you'll need a great marketing strategy. And Hitler was a natural-born ad man. Hitler knew the power of the image. He recognized the power of branding. You did not just have to have the man, but you also had to have the iconography to go with it. And when it comes to symbols, you must admit this one is powerful. There is almost no more famous brand than the swastika in a white circle on a red banner. It is still the most potent icon that has ever existed on this planet. But as compelling as the right symbol can be,  your real power is your people,  and they need to be dressed for your success. Hitler put this page of the playbook into action with his brown-shirt militia. That very act of obtaining the uniform and being part of something greater than yourself, being part of a movement, was very significant in the kind of German psyche. That uniform meant sacrifice, which meant duty, which meant obedience, and loyalty. In other words, when you are wearing a uniform,   it means you are on the team. And who does not want to be on the team? Conformity is definitely one of the chief goals that tyrants strive for. The reason they sometimes succeed, shockingly, is that they can convince their followers that this is not really conformity, it is unity. By branding and unifying your growing movement,   it will soon become impossible to ignore. Hitler draws people in through that political pageantry. With swastikas, marching people in uniforms, torch-lit rallies, and powerful speeches, you are going to be tempted. If we are all going to be in it together and we are all going to take part in this play, let us join in. Sounds fun. But just because you are offering a good show and a sharp look doesn't mean your rise to power is at hand. You are going to need to scale up your operation. And the right staffing decisions will make all the difference.

Chapter 1.5 – Build your squad.

Remember this nobody governs alone. Not Idi Amin, not Louis XIV who said "  L'etat c'est moi," - "I am the state. "- Nobody rules alone. When it comes to seizing power, you will need a team you can trust to amplify your message and watch your back.

To prove my point,  Moammar Gaddafi's inner circle of fellow army officers helped him launch his coup against the Libyan King and form the government he would run for over 40 years. Saddam Hussein relied on direct family members or members of his tribe as his main base of support  throughout his reign. Joseph Stalin elevated key supporters inside the Soviet Central Committee,  which allowed him to eventually purge his rivals and seize total control. But when you are building a team to secure power in the first place,   not just anyone will fit the bill. Like every leader, you need people with a diverse skill set who can bring your vision to life. Like Heinrich Himmler (The Organizer), An expert organizer to help run and expand your movement efficiently. Ernst Rohm aka The Stormtrooper A ruthless military man who can enlist others to violently enforce your whims. Rudolf Hess (The Assistant) A trusty assistant to maintain your busy schedule and record your pearls of wisdom for posterity,  and Hermann Goering (The War Hero) a decorated hero to help you impress the deep-pocketed elites. Because revolution is not cheap. And, of course, you always must keep your eyes open for new talent. But as your movement grows,  some might be tempted to challenge your authority. So never forget the one requirement that stands above all. What you want is people who you can count on to be loyal.

And for that, Hitler could always count on this guy,   who became his most loyal follower of all Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels adored Hitler. He heard Hitler speak at an event and became enamored and just said, "Okay. He is the one." Goebbels understood the power of modern media, of cinema, of controlling the media, and he understood the power of just hammering and repetition. Joseph Goebbels became his propaganda chief. Sure, talent is great. But what really matters is that your followers always put you first, even when things get bad. Goebbels was such a true believer. At the end in a bunker in 1945, he and his wife poisoned their own six children, and then he poisoned himself because he could not imagine a world without Hitler. Now, that is called real loyalty. If you have been following the playbook's guide to seizing power,  you've identified your divine mission, tapped into your people's anger,  crafted an "every man" image,  and branded an unforgettable identity for your movement. And now you have a loyal inner circle rarin' to go. But to take that final step of power,  you still need an opening to take your shot. And when it does arrive, you better not miss it.

Chapter 1.6 – Choose when to strike.

 As pressure mounts to seize your moment, timing is everything. You must have cobra-like patience before you pounce. The ability to play a long game, to wait. Believe me, your patience will be rewarded.

When Saddam Hussein was Iraq's vice president,  he spent a decade building a secret service loyal to him before using it to help seize power from his boss. Joseph Stalin spent seven long years cozying up to Lenin before the father of Russia finally put him in charge. Uganda's Idi Amin patiently stacked the army with members of his tribe, the Kakwa,   who then helped him topple the president.

Hitler almost blew his shot by ignoring this lesson and jumping the gun. ‘The Beer Hall Putsch.’ Hitler mounts this kind of crazy, half-baked coup, tries to lead the mob of Nazis down the streets of Munich, and tries to seize Bavarian political leaders, hold them hostage, and force them to relinquish power. But there is lots of miscommunication. They eventually leave the beer hall, and then they are fired upon by the police. It is a huge error. Hitler gets sent to Landsberg Prison. He is written off by the press all around the world. There is this classic cutting in the  New York Times,  which says, "It is expected that Herr Hitler will shortly retire from public life." And so, he does, never to be heard from again.

He is there with one of his most loyal acolytes, Rudolf Hess. And it is Hess who convinced him to start getting down his kind of manifesto. And this manifesto becomes a book called “Mein Kampf” - "My Struggle."  And yet setting his goals to paper and getting released from jail after nine months did not at once turn around Hitler's fortunes. Things got worse.

The Roaring '20s was a time of free expression and opportunities. The way people were dressing and their lifestyles and women were more liberated. The last thing you want as an aspiring tyrant is a happy population. The '20s were quiet years for Hitler. It was a political struggle. But luckily, the good times do not last forever. In October 1929, the US Stock Exchange crashes,  and markets around the world follow suit. Shortly after the Depression hit, that is when the Nazi party took off. Before the Great Depression, it was not a foregone conclusion that they were going to be the dominant party. July '32 was the peak moment of the popularity of the Nazi party at 37%, so Hitler is appointed chancellor. Hitler's seizure of power when he comes into office as chancellor is not absolute. He is not head of state. There is still a president above him. He must start taking opportunities that are going to strengthen his grip on power. Nothing says opportunity like a good crisis.

27^th February 1933 The Reichstag fire enabled him to pounce. What could be worse than seeing the heart of your government burning to the ground? Yet when Hitler arrives on the scene, he seems less shocked than oddly inspired. "You're now witnessing the beginning of a new era in German history,"   he tells a reporter. He speeds to the offices of the Nazi party's official newspaper  and works until dawn. The next day, Hitler's headline blames communists for the Reichstag arson. Some have a different theory of what happened. They believe that it was Nazi operatives answering to Hitler himself who set the blaze to increase sympathies for their cause.

Ignoring the whispers, Hitler demands the government ministers sign an emergency decree he is cooked up,   turning Germany into a police state under Nazi control,  then takes it to President Paul von Hindenburg. Von Hindenburg is no match for Hitler's will or the swirling national crisis. The official decree gives Hitler sweeping power to imprison opponents,  dissolve every political party but the Nazis, and muzzles the press. Hitler was looking for an opportunity to end civil liberties and crush the opposition, and he found it. Potential dictators instinctively know that when people are threatened, they look for strong authoritarian leadership and support a strong man. The stage is set, and now it is only a matter of time. Seventeen months later, von Hindenburg dies,  and Adolf Hitler becomes both chancellor and president of Germany,  just 16 years after realizing his destiny in the trenches of World War I,  and he is just getting started.

 

To those who have made it this far, congratulations! You have built a movement and seized the reins of power. But now for the bad news. You are not the underdog anymore. You are the man,  and that means there is a giant target on your back. So how do you consolidate power and keep your rivals in check? How do you keep the wolves at bay?

let Saddam Hussein answer that question.

See you in chapter 2.

 

(Based on the How to Become a Tyrant Television documentary released by Netflix. All credit goes to them.)

Kasun Sapumohotti