A Book on How People Gain and Keep Power

       

        Are you an ambitious ruler willing to make your nation a better place? Are you frustrated at the seeming ineptitude of your leaders, ignoring the good of the people to serve their own cronies and supporters? Perhaps you think that if you were in charge, you would work for the people, and watch your nation with pride as it prospers with you at the head. Or you may have more sinister ideas for your power, such as enriching yourself, your friends, and your family, without a care for the ordinary people suffering outside the door. Before you act on your ambitions however, it is important that you understand the position of leadership you're striving for, and what it requires. And The Dictator's Handbook is just the right book to learn about how to secure and use your power. 

        Written by two political scientists named Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith, The Dictator's Handbook outlines the basic concepts which guide any successful leader's decisions. It explains a large majority of the political world with the power of a simple statement: the first goal of a leader is to survive in power, while all other ambitions are secondary. If you are someone curious about political maneuvering, or even want to become involved in the world of politics, this will be an intriguing and engaging educational book for you to read. 

        One of the great parts of the book is the fact that almost all of its content focuses on a basic concept: the need for a leader to stay in power. After all, the leadership role comes with a lot of power, and losing that position would be an extreme setback to your ambitions. The only way to secure power is to have people who are content in keeping you at the helm, and have the power to do so. The book dubs these people as "essential supporters" who are part of the leaders "winning coalition." Depending on the system of governance, these people may be different. For example, in an ideal democracy, this "winning coalition" is 50% of the voting population, while in a dictatorship, it would be a handful of powerful individuals, usually coming down to security forces and important ministers. Leaders have to satiate their needs and interests, lest they revolt and get in the way of your own ambitions. This book hones in on this concept again and again, using these basic concepts to explain tendencies of leaders, and contrasting autocratic and democratic societies with these explanations. 

        The number of questions answered with these basic concepts is astounding. The ideas presented include why some leaders create and extensive and efficient welfare system while others do not, why some tax heavily and others do not, and why some leaders turn a blind eye to corruption while others do not. The rules of politics aren't limited to domestic policy either. The book also highlights several ways in which international relations, such as aid, alliances, and war are influenced by the need for a leader to survive in office. 

        The Dictator's Handbook also does not hesitate to bring examples of these concepts up, by highlighting specific instances in which a behavior is present in leaders, and comparing countries with different political systems and analyzing how these systems affected their development. Of course, this all is done through the lens of a leader focused on political survival. 

        This book is one of the most interesting nonfiction reads that you will ever encounter. The amount of information, anecdotes, and concepts introduced is quite large, making their arguments more intriguing and convincing. If you have any interest in politics and history, or are just generally interested in new ideas and concepts, I definitely recommend you read this book. It's generally a great read, and perhaps one day, you will have a nation in your grasp, and you will turn to these author's writings as your very own dictator's handbook.