Origin, Development, and End of Tyranny – A Psychological Perspective

Introduction

The invasion of a sovereign country by another has been the feast of the news media lately. No day passes by without any update given by newscasters or bloggers about what is currently happening geopolitically.

The news catching event reminds me of other human stories, although with either none or lesser coverage: the grabbing of a piece of land by a ruling politician owned by a helpless citizen; the physical and verbal abuse hurled by a dominant spouse to a partner; or the bullying of a child by a schoolmate in the presence of ingratiating cheerleaders.

The preceding has caused me to reflect upon what drives tyranny of such massive nature. Are there common ingredients present in the psyche of people who become tyrants or dictators? This article is an attempt to answer the question. 

What is tyranny? The basic definition offered is – the cruel use of power. (Encarta Webster College Dictionary, 2^nd Ed, Bloomsbury, 2005). People who demonstrate tyranny are called tyrants.

In tyranny, tyrants practice cruelty and injustice in exercising authority over others. There is a pattern of oppression in a tyrannical system. The word dictator is a synonym of a tyrant and will be used to mean the same person in this article. 

There are many facets of tyranny. A combination of the elements presented here will promote the development of tyranny on a social level.

Take note that when reflected upon individually, tyrants possibly meet criteria for personality disorder, particularly narcissism, while still maintaining a certain degree of functionality. 

Six Ingredients that often promote tyranny both at the social and individual levels

1. Hunger for Power

The 20th-century mathematician and philosopher Bertrand Russell defined power as “the production of intended effects.” (Bertrand Russel, The Psychology of Power – How to Dethrone Tyrants, Video transcript, Academy of Ideas, https://academyofideas.com/2020/07/the-psychology-of-power-how-to-dethrone-tyrants/ Retrieved 19 March 2022).

Power, taken by itself, is neither moral nor immoral; neither religious nor irreligious. It can be utilized for the greater good or the destruction of a community or nation. 

What makes hunger for power a breeding ground for tyranny to bloom is when power is exercised only for the good of the self or for one’s inner circle regardless of the impact upon others.

When power is exerted to satisfy one’s perceived needs and desires at any cost, it becomes destructive. In this context, using force or coercion can become a norm for self-gratification. 

The ability to accomplish results is inherent in power. The reality of life informs that accomplishment of whatever result that is intended often comes with the assistance of others.

In tyrannical authority, people who assist are being used for the self-centered purpose of the tyrant. Whether these individuals are hurt or feel oppressed in the process is not addressed.

Another critical element in exercising tyrannical power is the aggressive response to anyone who may question or express a dissenting opinion.

In religious circles, a tyrant would easily invoke that God anoints him, and therefore those below are to obey or adhere to his pronouncement. Expressing dissent is an act of disobedience to God, on whose behalf the authoritarian leader speaks.  

2.  Need to Control

The second ingredient (need to control) travels alongside the first (hunger for power). Once the tyrant has reached the level of authority where he can practice unhindered, absolute power over others, the need to control becomes even more dominant.

This need to control reminds me of a statement by an English historian, politician, and writer John Dalberg-Acton (1834-1902), better known as Lord Acton, which has become quite famous. In his letter to an Anglican Bishop, he remarked,

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men….”  

John Dalberg-Acton, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dalberg-Acton, 1st_Baron_Acton, retrieved 23 March 2022

Power is quite seductive. The experience of being in control makes its seduction even more alluring.  History informs that the pattern of tyrants of many nations usually starts with a genuine sense of concern for the common people. After all, many of them come from such humble beginnings.

Consequently, they can offer initial empathy. Thus, at the start, their political propaganda is often full of promises for the greater good. And the vulnerable in society take their promises with the strong hope of being fulfilled as promised.

Then, such tyrants experience the seductive comfort of being in authority. The taste of making a statement or affixing one’s signature that moves others to act becomes quite satisfying. Soon, the lure of this process, like an addiction, becomes so intrinsically ecstatic that the tyrant wants more.  

And this is when Lord Acton’s statement of “absolute power corrupts absolutely” comes to reality. Eventually, such tyrants hold on to the seductive and comforting presence of absolute power and its perks (huge mansion, numerous servants, luxury cars, unhindered travel, celebrity friends, and foreign bank accounts) that they do not want to let go.

Upon the dictator’s decree, constitutional reform or martial law is initiated on the pretext of a threat, either internal or external. Of course, the primary motive, which is to extend the hold of such absolute power, is never publicly aired. The need to be in control is well-embedded, and tyranny is now recognized as the norm of the land. 

In fairness to tyrants, this writer does not believe that one starts his leadership authority one day with the intent of becoming a tyrant someday.

He is no different from an alcoholic who did not plan to be addicted to alcohol when he had his first beer!  But the seduction of power is genuinely addictive for someone already predisposed to this need to control!

3.  Lack of Accountability

Any serious student of history will look at the stories of tyrants among the nations of the world and will find this: absence or utter lack of accountability. You put this ingredient alongside hunger for power and the need to control, and you have the garden of tyranny very well fertilized. 

Accountability suggests that one should be responsible to someone else or a group for his actions. It further suggests that a consequence will be applied if the action is unjustifiable. Financial auditing is a classic example of an exercise of accountability.

The primary goal of such an exercise is to ensure the group’s financial resources are well managed and well-regulated. Otherwise, the same resources will be wasted to the detriment of all concerned.

Can you imagine a corporation that does not do financial auditing? It becomes the breeding ground of corruption and lawsuits, aside from potential punishment for tax evasion!

Nobody is all-knowing. Like every car ever manufactured, every well-intentioned leader has a blind spot. The presence of an accountability group will ensure that some will act as mirrors for the leader to comprehensively see the whole picture and thus travel safely.

The capacity to look at the whole picture provides a more adequate perspective upon which every action shall be done. In other words, the presence of accountability assures that the concern for the greater good is pursued.

Tyrants do not like accountability. They will perceive someone who will question their action as a hindrance to their leadership. Worst, they can interpret someone who asks for them to be responsible as interested in their position and, therefore, threatens their stability.

Recall that tyrants want absolute power! Due to this absoluteness of authority, accountability is not desired.   

4. Profound Insecurity

This ingredient is the bottom line of a tyrannical mindset on an individual level. Contrary to the public appearance of over-confidence, a tyrannical leader is fundamentally insecure. This insecurity is grounded upon a childhood development that often lacks validation from primary caregivers. 

The profound lack of validation causes a tremendous amount of shame grounded upon a received message by the child, which is no different from this: “Something is lacking in me” or “Something is wrong with me.” 

As a direct consequence of this shame-based upbringing, the child learns to become performance-oriented so he can receive positive comments from parents. The same child will explore these areas for performance: academics, sports and athletics, and fine arts.

As the child grows older, the capacity to earn money becomes an area for performance to be strengthened. With performance excellence, more validation is received, not just from caregivers but also from peers and the community at large.  

Then, the growing child finds himself attracted to leadership roles. You see, the performance of these roles puts the growing child at the forefront. Being at the center stage meets the need for validation by the insecure child, even if the meeting of such needs is only fleeting. Meanwhile, the pain of shame is set aside. 

Specific areas in societal life offer these leadership roles. Classic examples are ideology, politics, militia, and religion. The insecure child who is now a full-blown adult is exposed to the lure of such a leadership role that constantly puts him at the front and regularly receives the applause of others. Without his conscious knowledge, this grown child is now becoming a potential tyrant given all the necessary ingredients. 

Earlier mentioned, the power’s seduction and its perks, inherent in these leadership roles, are solidified in the beginning tyrant’s psyche. Indeed, the specific areas mentioned are now providing the soils where tyranny often grows. Every tyrannical leader in these areas shares similar profound insecurity that is pacified by performance. 

An unintended result of numbing one’s pain is the utter inability to feel the pain of others. This is where the absence of empathy sets in. Tyrants can make decisions that will destroy people, property, and relationships and still function at the break of the day.

VAL GONZALES

5. Diminished Self-worth

The accompanying ingredient alongside profound insecurity is a damaged self that often diminishes self-worth. Very low esteem for self is often masked by arrogance and over self-confidence. There is a need to show off and convince the world that one is the best and everyone is far second. This mindset is quite rampant among tyrants and dictators.

For observers, there are at least five clues to detect damaged self-worth. They are an inflated view of personal importance, inability to empathize, constant desire to prove correctness, suspiciousness of others’ motives, and the frequent need for approval.

It is essential to look at these clues as compensating mechanisms to hide the true nature of the inner self of a tyrant.

(a) Inflated view of personal importance.

A glaring clue to detecting damaged self-worth is an inflated view of one’s unique importance. The dictator or tyrant will announce this quite often. The common message is this: “If not for me, those people will be suffering.”

Unfortunately, because of his tyrannical behavior, many are indeed suffering. And yet, the tyrant has convinced himself that he is the only hope.

In religious language, this inflated perspective of one’s importance is comparable to a messianic syndrome, wherein one sees himself as the savior of others. The primary problem of this syndrome is the tyrant lives a life quite the opposite of those who suffer.

He and his inner circle enjoy material affluence and demonstrate wasteful living to the dismay of many. There is no evidence that this messianic individual is suffering. In other words, there is no integrity in the pronouncement of being the source of people’s hope. 

(b) Inability to empathize.

The tyrant has learned to numb his pain to survive. A common way to do this is to take alcohol regularly or use drugs to sedate the senses. Mind-altering substances can prevent the experience of the gravity of unresolved pain. They also become an antidote to insomnia, a common malaise among dictators.  

An unintended result of numbing one’s pain is the utter inability to feel the pain of others. This is where the absence of empathy sets in. Tyrants can make decisions that will destroy people, property, and relationships and still function at the break of the day.

To the ordinary observer, this functionality is proof that the same tyrant is resilient. Sadly, they do not sense that the numbing of pain can only last for a while. Eventually, the tyrant will implode, especially when circumstances no longer occur as expected. 

(c) Constant desire to prove correctness.

It is rather difficult to reason with someone who has damaged self-worth. In their minds, they are always correct and will let others know about this repeatedly. Any differing opinion could result in arguments.

And when arguments are not settled by mutual agreement based on the principle that opinions vary and people can agree to disagree, they will use force.

In tyranny, force and coercion are manipulative strategies for dictators to convince others to submit to their wishes. Otherwise, continuing dissent will be perceived as betrayal and responded to with cruel aggression. 

(d) Suspiciousness of others’ motives.

Recall that deep within the individual with diminished self-worth is a profound sense of suspiciousness regarding his own abilities. Inside is deep uncertainty about his person.

Therefore, in relating with others, especially once he is in a leadership role, the ease to project his suspiciousness of self to others is common. This behavior could be an unconscious mechanism, but this is observable to the keen student of human behavior. 

A sense of suspiciousness will often emerge whenever someone makes a differing statement. Often the tyrant will conclude that the same individual is actually after his position or rank. Thus he will do anything to curtail this dissent, even employ force cruelly.

History teaches that tyrants will not hesitate to destroy friends and family members due to sheer non-validated suspiciousness. It is not unusual for the tyrant’s family members to be split to the point of mutual destruction due to this suspiciousness. 

(e) Need for frequent approval.

Recall that the foundation of damaged self-worth is the absence or lack of validation growing up. Now, into adulthood, this same individual who has developed an authoritarian attitude and behavior carries along this need to be validated through expressed desire for constant approval.

One can see the glow on the tyrant’s face whenever approval is given. Of course, this often comes from his inner circle which has learned to ingratiate themselves so that they will maintain their status of being favored. I will expound on this more on the last ingredient – The Presence of Ingratiating Squad. 

The need for approval can be comprehensive. It could include the desire for validation of the tyrant’s physical appearance, cognitive abilities, creative giftedness, speaking eloquence, and behavioral finesse.

The need for approval can also include constant repetition of the glorious past, which embellishes the tyrant’s credentials and accomplishments.

The tyrant indeed likes to savor the glory of the past constantly. This recall of the glorious past can also be a manipulative strategy for the subjects to continue supporting him and his policies. 

6.  The Presence of Ingratiating Squad.

To ingratiate is to bring oneself into favor with someone by trying to please or flatter.

https://www.yourdictionary.com/ingratiate accessed  24 March 2022

The individual who ingratiates intentionally wishes to be in the other person’s good graces. 

In tyranny, the small group of ingratiators often belongs to the inner circle of family and close friends. In a political setting, this squad could be composed of cabinet members or ministers with specific critical designations that the tyrant himself often delegates.

These cabinet members are also often the close friends with some historical narrative involving the past welfare of the tyrant and who have now been favored with formal political roles, of course at the tyrant’s behest.  This act of gratitude makes ingratiators loyal to the tyrant. 

The ingratiating squad could be equivalent to the cheerleaders of the tyrant. In cheerleading, usually, it’s the sports team being cheered at. In tyranny, only the tyrant receives the cheer.

In a broken world, the potential for ingratiators is ever-present. An author would refer to them as the entourage whose primary goal is to announce what the tyrant wishes to hear if simply to tickle his fancy. (Chuck De Groat, When Narcissism Comes to Church, IVP, 2020). 

As the entourage offers flattery to please the tyrant, the latter only hears what they say and not what indeed is the reality. The fear of cruel consequences prevents the entourage from speaking the truth.

In tyranny, communication is often for the purpose solely of pleasing the tyrant at the expense of truth. Eventually, what develops is a circle and process of perpetuating deceit. As the tyrant becomes more and more detached from reality, his thoughts and actions become irrelevant for the greater good.  

Conclusion

The huge question before us is this: How does tyranny come to an end? There is no easy recipe to bring tyranny to stop.

On an individual level, the potential to stop a tyrant is suggested by author Carl Jung.

“Every individual needs revolution, inner division, overthrow of the existing order, and renewal, but not by forcing them upon his neighbours under the hypocritical cloak of . . .the sense of social responsibility or any of the other beautiful euphemisms for unconscious urges to personal power. Individual self-reflection, return of the individual to the ground of human nature, to his own deepest being with its individual and social destiny – here is the beginning of a cure for that blindness which reigns at the present hour.”

(Carl Jung, Two Essays on Analytical Psychology, The Psychology of Power – How to Dethrone Tyrants, Video Transcript, Academy of Ideas, https://academyofideas.com/2020/07/the-psychology-of-power-how-to-dethrone-tyrants/ , retrieved 19 March 2022).

The sad reality is that many tyrants or potential tyrants do not reflect upon the seriousness of their tyrannical acts. It is often due to a crisis experience in life that directly affects the tyrant’s personal health or the welfare of close family members that the need for help will be sought. 

Until they find someone with whom they can consult to see the direction of their self-centered lifestyle, they will continue to pursue a destructive journey.

On a social level, tyrants who have become dictators without accountability would only cease to pursue their tyrannical pilgrimage when their inner circle starts to express dissent after the conquest of their fear of consequences.

Also, defections from the inner circle occur so that the tyrant will eventually become desperate and helpless. This is when the military coup d’état would come in.

History reminds us that powerful dictators who have become helpless have died as ordinary peasants hiding in small holes meant only for vagrants.  It also informs that some of them have faced deadly execution by the military who used to protect them. 

Perhaps, a more significant lesson to be learned from this article is preemptive in nature. This means educating ourselves with practical clues observable in potential tyrants so that we can spot them and prevent tyranny’s total development.

Once we have identified the clues, we can strengthen our relationship with the young individual so that he will not resist our gentle intrusion in his life.

Through this gentle intrusiveness, we can encourage participation in an accountability group along with encouragement to develop empathy for others.  The same young individual will be encouraged to learn the principle that self-worth is not derived from performance but from a solid connection with the divine that celebrates one’s personhood. 

After you have read this article, I trust that your mind has been stimulated to consider how tyranny develops.

After which, reflect upon your inherent capacity to prevent its full development through your relationship with the young person you have identified with strong tyrannical potential!

And don’t be surprised: they are found in all the soils of the garden called human life!