How to Be a Dictator
January 3, 2012 5:31 AM Subscribe
In a few easy steps... 2 NYU political scientists distill academic findings and theory for the public and help you - or anyone - be a dictator.
(Or use Game Theory to predict political events in the future or how to strategize your political survival.)
First, remember that people are self-interested. Then build up a support network and reward your inner circle - but not too much. Tax your citizens. And then the rest is easy!
(Or use Game Theory to predict political events in the future or how to strategize your political survival.)
First, remember that people are self-interested. Then build up a support network and reward your inner circle - but not too much. Tax your citizens. And then the rest is easy!
Sounded pretty interesting until I got to the point:
Then tax very highly. It’s much better to decide who gets to eat than to let the people feed themselves. If you lower taxes people will do more work, but then people will get rewards that aren’t coming through you.
posted by DU at 5:48 AM on January 3, 2012
Then tax very highly. It’s much better to decide who gets to eat than to let the people feed themselves. If you lower taxes people will do more work, but then people will get rewards that aren’t coming through you.
posted by DU at 5:48 AM on January 3, 2012
Then tax very highly. It’s much better to decide who gets to eat than to let the people feed themselves. If you lower taxes people will do more work, but then people will get rewards that aren’t coming through you.
Actually in this theory low taxes and low government provision just mean that the government does not hold the power to reward, and thus power merely transfers to the rich and their own support network.
In an unrelated note, I believe that the lobbying industry does quite well in most Western democracies.
posted by jaduncan at 5:54 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Actually in this theory low taxes and low government provision just mean that the government does not hold the power to reward, and thus power merely transfers to the rich and their own support network.
In an unrelated note, I believe that the lobbying industry does quite well in most Western democracies.
posted by jaduncan at 5:54 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
How did Bueno de Mesquita do on predicting outcomes in Iran? Not so good.
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:57 AM on January 3, 2012
posted by anotherpanacea at 5:57 AM on January 3, 2012
DU, he's talking about African kleptocracies, first, and using a vague analogy to US partisan struggles that ends with the claim that Republicans want high taxes, too, just not on their supporters. This would help to explain why there's such fervor among Republicans to increase income taxes on the lower-middle class, who otherwise are not paying those taxes. I find that sort of an interesting claim, but it's not so cleanly ideological as you seem to suggest.
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:02 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by anotherpanacea at 6:02 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
MACHIAVELLI'S "THE PRINCE," MILLENIUM EDITION
posted by koeselitz at 6:16 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 6:16 AM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Hmmm ...
If you’re working for the common good you didn’t come to power in the first place. If you’re not willing to cheat, steal, murder and bribe then you don’t come to power.
He did not answer the question about Lech Walesa.
Absolutely they are. All corporations are run like this. The bonuses are handed out to the people who determine the fate of the CEO. It’s a tiny number of people—ten to 20. There are very few shareholder revolts that work. Most leaders are deposed internally. This is why corporations pay huge bonuses.
This is worth an FPP in of itself.
posted by zomg at 7:08 AM on January 3, 2012 [6 favorites]
If you’re working for the common good you didn’t come to power in the first place. If you’re not willing to cheat, steal, murder and bribe then you don’t come to power.
He did not answer the question about Lech Walesa.
Absolutely they are. All corporations are run like this. The bonuses are handed out to the people who determine the fate of the CEO. It’s a tiny number of people—ten to 20. There are very few shareholder revolts that work. Most leaders are deposed internally. This is why corporations pay huge bonuses.
This is worth an FPP in of itself.
posted by zomg at 7:08 AM on January 3, 2012 [6 favorites]
There was a comment in a thread a while back on how the Soviet Union was basically run like a multinational corporation with nukes which I thought was pretty spot on.
posted by The Whelk at 7:36 AM on January 3, 2012
posted by The Whelk at 7:36 AM on January 3, 2012
Sounded pretty interesting until I got to the point:
Then tax very highly. It’s much better to decide who gets to eat than to let the people feed themselves. If you lower taxes people will do more work, but then people will get rewards that aren’t coming through you.
DU, you failed to explain why that wasn't interesting to you.
Frankly, it's a relevant point, but IRL a pervasive bribery system, and/or a favoritism system, achieve the same purpose. Bribery may even be more efficient, in fact, if not more moral - it reduces any multi-path government process* to market pressure.
* For instance, if you can bribe any cop to erase your ticket, and not just the one who issued it.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:03 AM on January 3, 2012
Then tax very highly. It’s much better to decide who gets to eat than to let the people feed themselves. If you lower taxes people will do more work, but then people will get rewards that aren’t coming through you.
DU, you failed to explain why that wasn't interesting to you.
Frankly, it's a relevant point, but IRL a pervasive bribery system, and/or a favoritism system, achieve the same purpose. Bribery may even be more efficient, in fact, if not more moral - it reduces any multi-path government process* to market pressure.
* For instance, if you can bribe any cop to erase your ticket, and not just the one who issued it.
posted by IAmBroom at 8:03 AM on January 3, 2012
It's interesting, but it seems a bit glib. Is every organization a dictatorship? It's as if he's saying either "yes, they all are" or "I'm only interested in those that are". It's probably more complicated and harder to say how to get more egalitarian structures working.
Also, Ryszard Kapuściński is definitely worth reading. I can vouch for The Emperor (almost surreal), andShah of Shahs (good background for Iran). Just don't confuse him with Witold Rybczynski, as I did for quite a while.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:47 AM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Also, Ryszard Kapuściński is definitely worth reading. I can vouch for The Emperor (almost surreal), andShah of Shahs (good background for Iran). Just don't confuse him with Witold Rybczynski, as I did for quite a while.
posted by benito.strauss at 8:47 AM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bribery may even be more efficient, in fact, if not more moral - it reduces any multi-path government process* to market pressure.
The inverse of this is the really interesting part to me. Ie, how do you create incentives that attract the right kind of people to participate in a democratic system and then make it financially sustainable?
A look at self-selecting processes for law enforcement jobs is great evidence of how not to do this and at how similar efficiencies to the bribe example work and agglomerate.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:08 AM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
The inverse of this is the really interesting part to me. Ie, how do you create incentives that attract the right kind of people to participate in a democratic system and then make it financially sustainable?
A look at self-selecting processes for law enforcement jobs is great evidence of how not to do this and at how similar efficiencies to the bribe example work and agglomerate.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 9:08 AM on January 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Don't forget this pithy framing
This is my advice to any aspiring dictator; early on in your career, identify and inventory all the self-pitying, bullying shitheads your country has to offer. Anyone with a grievance, a beer belly and enough strength to swing a pickaxe handle will do.
posted by ivancho at 12:34 PM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
This is my advice to any aspiring dictator; early on in your career, identify and inventory all the self-pitying, bullying shitheads your country has to offer. Anyone with a grievance, a beer belly and enough strength to swing a pickaxe handle will do.
posted by ivancho at 12:34 PM on January 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
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posted by anotherpanacea at 5:47 AM on January 3, 2012