Characteristics Of Third World Dictators & Their Destinies
Prof Lasantha Pethiyagoda
Most third world dictators tenaciously cling to power and refuse to step down when their beleaguered people get fed up with them. One tell-tale sign is, they somehow get this absurd notion that the country belongs to them, and them alone and their families and future progeny and must rule forever. This delusionary belief of state ownership by dictators is often derived from the feeling that they “liberated” or “saved” their countries, from an enemy either in the form of colonial rule, separatism or insurgency, etc.
It seems most prevalent among the first generations of post-colonial nationalist heroes but has manifested in village strong-man terms in modern times. Having won independence from insurrections or uprisings or provided leadership in ending civil war, they are hailed as heroes and deified. Called “father of the nation,” or “every child’s father”, criticizing them is deemed sacrilegious by followers. Some even take awe-inspiring epithets for themselves such as saviour, people’s leader or redeemer of the nation which, in the local languages, mean an exalted demi-god.
To drill into the docile and awed populace that they are “saviours,” they are present everywhere, in larger than life cut-outs and huge banners. Currencies bear their portraits and their grinning pictures hung in every nook and cranny in the streets of cities and roads of their country. Every monument or building of some significance is named after them: their face is everywhere, from the buttons, t-shirts and caps of “a tomorrow for youth” to the dresses of quasi-national dancers. Highways, stadiums and schools are named after them. National holidays are suggested to honour them. Read More