The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics
Sep 2011 · Sold by PublicAffairs
4.7star
43 reviews
Ebook
352
Pages
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About this ebook
A groundbreaking new theory of the real rules of politics: leaders do whatever keeps them in power, regardless of the national interest.
As featured on the viral video Rules for Rulers, which has been viewed over 3 million times.
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith's canonical book on political science turned conventional wisdom on its head. They started from a single assertion: Leaders do whatever keeps them in power. They don't care about the "national interest"-or even their subjects-unless they have to.
This clever and accessible book shows that democracy is essentially just a convenient fiction. Governments do not differ in kind but only in the number of essential supporters, or backs that need scratching. The size of this group determines almost everything about politics: what leaders can get away with, and the quality of life or misery under them. The picture the authors paint is not pretty. But it just may be the truth, which is a good starting point for anyone seeking to improve human governance.
As featured on the viral video Rules for Rulers, which has been viewed over 3 million times.
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith's canonical book on political science turned conventional wisdom on its head. They started from a single assertion: Leaders do whatever keeps them in power. They don't care about the "national interest"-or even their subjects-unless they have to.
This clever and accessible book shows that democracy is essentially just a convenient fiction. Governments do not differ in kind but only in the number of essential supporters, or backs that need scratching. The size of this group determines almost everything about politics: what leaders can get away with, and the quality of life or misery under them. The picture the authors paint is not pretty. But it just may be the truth, which is a good starting point for anyone seeking to improve human governance.
Ratings and reviews
4.7
43 reviews
Mochammad Santaka
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November 2, 2018
I lived through half my life through a dictatorship (that the book mentioned to be the creme-De-la-creme of dictators) and so many arguments in this book makes so much sense to me. Absolutely one of my top 10 books of all time for me.
2 people found this review helpful
Lorenz Kiraly
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March 22, 2017
I would highly recommend this book as it brings a new perspective on questions that are dominating our world: Why a nation that has sheer endless valuable ground resources lets its citizens starve to their death? How do petty dictatorships stay in power, with a population that has no access to the basic goods? Why are people who live with the most oppressive regimes so calm, while in other places revolutions happen after (seemingly) only a tiny spark have been caused? How does international financial aid affect those autocratic states? Why do the established democracies actually have a vital interest in maintaining dictatorships, rather than really pushing for democratic reforms?
20 people found this review helpful
Lukw Wright
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February 15, 2018
An amazing book, one which doesn't waste your time with filler,but seems in every way to broaden your perspective on politics. An excellent primer for anyone who wants to know politics.
9 people found this review helpful
About the author
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita is the Julius Silver Professor of Politics and director of the Alexander Hamilton Center for Political Economy at New York University. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Predictioneer's Game.
Alastair Smith is professor of politics at New York University. The recipient of three grants from the National Science Foundation and author of three books, he was chosen as the 2005 Karl Deutsch Award winner, given biennially to the best international relations scholar under the age of forty. They are also the authors of The Spoils of War: Greed, Power, and the Conflicts That Made Our Greatest Presidents.
Alastair Smith is professor of politics at New York University. The recipient of three grants from the National Science Foundation and author of three books, he was chosen as the 2005 Karl Deutsch Award winner, given biennially to the best international relations scholar under the age of forty. They are also the authors of The Spoils of War: Greed, Power, and the Conflicts That Made Our Greatest Presidents.
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