Benevolent dictator

The benevolent dictator is a more modern version of the classical "enlightened despot", being an undemocratic or authoritarian leader who exercises his or her political power for the benefit of the people rather than exclusively for his or her own self-interest or benefit, or for the benefit of only a small portion of the people.

Related Topics:
Benevolent dictator - Enlightened despot - Authoritarian

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A benevolent dictator, for example, may focus government priorities on matters of public importance, such as healthcare, education, or general city infastructure. He may be committed to peaceful relations, rather than wars or invasions of other states. He may even allow for some democratic decision-making to exist, such as through public referendums.

Related Topics:
Healthcare - Education - Peace - Referendum

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Most dictators' regimes unfailingly portray themselves as benevolent, and often tend to regard democratic regimes as messy, inefficient, and corrupt. Additionally, many dictators may attempt openly spread misinformation about their benevolence in an attempt to create a Personality cult.

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Like many political classifications, the title of benevolent dictator suffers from its inherent subjectivity. Such leaders as Fidel Castro, Benito Mussolini, Julius Caesar, Oliver Cromwell, Napoleon Bonaparte, Francisco Franco, Vladimir Lenin, Josip Broz Tito, Augusto Pinochet and Anwar Sadat have been characterized by their supporters as benevolent dictators. In all these cases it depends largely on one's point of view as to just how "benevolent" they were or are. In many cases dictators who serve in office for a very lengthy period are more likely to be regarded as benevolent, for the simple reason that they will often be forced to pay some attention to the public's interests in order to remain in power, and more importantly, regarded as politically legitimate. Dictators who hold office for a brief period of time, or are simply members of a rotating dictatorial elite (for example see the Generals) may have less charismatic authority and prove to be forgettable and easier to demonize.

Related Topics:
Fidel Castro - Benito Mussolini - Julius Caesar - Oliver Cromwell - Napoleon Bonaparte - Francisco Franco - Vladimir Lenin - Josip Broz Tito - Augusto Pinochet - Anwar Sadat - Legitimate - The Generals - Charismatic authority

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In the Spanish language, the word dictablanda is sometimes used for a dictatorship conserving some of the liberties and mechanisms of democracy. (The pun is that, in Spanish, dictadura is "dictatorship", dura is "hard" and blanda is "soft").

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