Ask Lemmy

Being a dictator in and of itself is corrupt. Power and resources should be distributed amongst all equally. Vote for me for dictator.

No

I might still be young enough to pull that off for a few more years yet.

The way I would implement that is to day one set a date for elections of a congress and my own retirement. I'm imagining a Mars Attacks scenario in which the ak ak ak aliens blow up congress and the government of the United States consists of the President's teenage daughter and a mariachi band. If through some set of goofy circumstances no meaningful government exists above me and I am in full command, we're gonna do shit my way for, say, four years, and then we're calling a congress. At which time I retire to a small estate somewhere in the Carolinas with only ceremonial powers, like I reserve the right to throw out first pitches of baseball games.

Yes, but I would try to avoid it as much as possible because that's what we call in Spain "un marrón que te cagas" that only demented people want for themselves.

How many Philosopher Kings do we have here?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher_king

I doubt I would be a benevolent dictator. I am a good person mostly through sheer force of will, not by nature. I abhor cruelty — yet I'd gleefully inflict misery upon those who practice it.

I suspect over time that would erode the thin façade of beneficence within which my rage lies cocooned.

One week after I take power the megaprojects start getting built. Benevolence will be factored into budgetary concerns.

No, because "benevolent dictatorship" can't exist (the only benevolent action of such a dictatorship would be self-abolishment).

Me, yes. 😊

No. No one can.

Depends how you define "evil". And if I was hungry or tired when I got this power.

There's good odds like every Republican official and donor would go directly into a bad time. Some would say that's evil.

Benevolent dictator is an oxymoron. The most benevolent thing a dictator can do is dismantle their dictatorship.

Hael No!

I'd end up making a dystopic country/nation where people are suffering while I get the brightest scientists to work on genetically modifying the human body so I could become closer to looking like my fursona.

That, and having people on the far left and far right being thrown into prison.

Just normal every day things from someone who's a little paranoid.

Yep.

I actually want to see these cultures change.

I would be completely stressed out, like people would wanna kill me and stuff for being a dictator, so I'd just renounce, run away and get a new identity (not sure how one "gets" a new identity though). Also, managing a country by myself? Too hard, what orders am I even meant to give?

Maybe if I had a few years to reorganise myself, and that's a big maybe. I've never much cared for money, power, and I'm empathetic to a fault, but being in different environments causes people to change.

The biggest challenge would be staying in touch with the population. You would need a good team of people that represent the interests of human existence and happiness. At that point it's sounding closer to a democracy anyway.

From there, there's obvious moves. Find the biggest sources of misery and damage, reform or just straight up tear it out and start again. You'd need to move moderately slow, moving quickly destabilizes people too much and that is often not worth the cost. Raise social safety nets, try to turn the system from working to survive into one where working to get nice shit.

I feel like I might bankrupt whichever system I'm put in charge of though. Economics was never my strong suit, and I probably would start ignoring economic realities in favour of human existence.

The trick is to set a reasonable limit for political assassinations and idiotic massive construction projects ahead of time, and then keep to those limits.

Yes. I don't require people's adulation because I'm already proud enough (veering more into arrogance and never into the insecurity that's at the core of every billionaire villain we know), I don't love money because I simply don't like things like that (and would find it shameful if I did, I'm very Diogenes-coded), and I wouldn't overstep my moral limits because 1) I'm a deeply religious man who believes in the Day of Judgment (and I'm not stupid/weak enough to lie to myself to excuse my actions) and 2) I have a lot of experience suffering fools to the point I just pity them and wish them the best even when they insult/dislike/hate me so I wouldn't just emotionally lash out or whatever (that would just make me the more foolish one then and my clarity and pride will not allow that, you can see my comment history if you need confirmation, lol).

It's extremely rare to be in my position, and while there are a myriad of things I could not be because I'm just too incompetent for it, being a benevolent dictator is probably one thing I could be a natural at. I already naturally default to a very paternalistic, therapeutic role in both my friend groups and my family (regardless of age, with even my divorced aunties in their 60s calling me for advice and reassurance!). 👍

Yeah pretty sure all evil deeds start with good intentions. So, no. I would very likely mess up my own head by thinking I’m doing the right thing, and if I’m secure in my position as the leader, I’d have a big load of yes men hovering around enforcing and enabling my every thought and idea, be it good or not. Most likely it’ll tend towards the “not good” side over time, and at some point everything just gets distorted and convoluted and by that point, there’ll be no return. And if I’m not secure in my position, then I’ll be dead and replaced before I can spell out my first decree as the ruler. If I’m to be good, I’ll not be ready for the bad coming my way. If I’m ready for the bad shit, I have to be ready to dispense my own bad shit. And that, then, wraps into my first point.

There’s no way that would work if I was truly benevolent. I don’t believe it’s sustainable or even possible to lead as a dictator that is good or benevolent.

Edit: that’s in practical terms. Let’s not even begin with the ideals — can one really ever be both benevolent or just generally good, and a dictator? I believe not. Sharing the burden and the authority would almost always be the more moral choice, not to mention more plausible in terms of lasting.

Nobody can.

I'll be super chill to hang out with in my palace, while my Grand Vizier takes care of day to day business.

No, but I'll give it the old college try. I've always imagined that the only way to be a benevolent dictator is to do the dictator thing only to install a better form of government to replace you and hope it sticks when you step away. Something more technocratic and with better checks and balances.

I would probably try to make a form of voting system to get myself out of the role as fast as i can

But not before giving trans people rights

Yes!

Sure, for the low price of a lifetime pension I'll benevolently dismantle the oligarchy; ban guns; make cars luxury items; massively expand mass transit; and bring in universal health and education!

Just ignore the claims that I've actually jailed or killed my opposition; held the families of so called "freedom fighters" so they'll turn themselves and their buddies in; made travel outside your area and healthcare impossible without government approval; and completely changed the history everyone learns.

Okay that's obviously pretty extreme. Just a reminder that if you're not careful even well intentioned dictatorships can be very oppressive. And every dictatorship is on a timer to a coup or revolution. And resetting that timer is not pretty. The only way off the treadmill is to have elections again.

One can not be a dictator and benevolent

Yes, and it's because I'm too lazy to do any actual dictator shit.

I guess. I mean the end game of benevolent dictator is no longer being the dictator. Sort of like Atatürk

Nah, that's why you set up a system of checks to determine if you should be assassinated and succession in case of it. Bonus points if your advisors assassinate body doubles to retire you instead.

only if you are somehow affiliated with the military (so they don't off you) and if you are independently wealthy. It's the trap of falling into supporting oppression (military state) or oligarchy (bruce wayne doesn't need to take bribes lol) that wrecks most dictatorships...

oh and lust for complete and unity power against the will of the masses, that's a problem too.

Yes because I will immediately work on making a sustainable democracy, eventually having checks and balances