Last week, during a Fox News town hall event, former President Donald Trump expressed his admiration for China’s leader, Xi Jinping, referring to him as a “brilliant” individual who governs 1.4 billion people with unwavering authority. Trump’s sentiments are not unique, as many people in the United States and around the world are drawn to the idea of a powerful leader who can get things done without the constraints of Congress and elections.
This fascination with authoritarian rule is particularly prevalent in countries where governments are failing to meet the expectations of their citizens. When democracy succeeds in delivering results, the appeal of dictatorship diminishes. Only a small percentage of Germans and Swedes, for example, are swayed by the allure of strongmen.
There exists a harmful misconception, which I call the “myth of benevolent dictatorship,” that forms the basis of admiration for autocracy. This myth rests on three weak pillars: the belief that dictators can achieve stronger economic growth than their democratic counterparts, the notion that dictators possess long-term strategic thinking abilities due to their detachment from public opinion, and the idea that dictators bring stability while democracies breed chaos.
However, recent events and research have debunked this long-standing myth. All three pillars have crumbled under scrutiny. The truth is that democracies, despite their flaws, are still the best form of government available. Let’s examine each pillar and its fallacies.
First, the notion that dictatorships produce superior economic growth is based on cherry-picked examples. While there have been cases where despots oversaw remarkable economic transformations, a comprehensive assessment reveals that democratic regimes are just as capable of achieving stable, long-term growth. Inclusive political institutions, a hallmark of democracy, have been shown to be crucial in fostering economic prosperity.
Even when autocracies do experience economic success, it often comes at a significant cost. Historically, booming dictatorships have been prone to catastrophic downturns. China, for example, has witnessed both famine and economic growth within a short span of time. The supposed marginal advantages in economic growth offered by autocracies are overshadowed by the risk of economic collapse.
Furthermore, dictators have manipulated their economic data to present a false image of success. Democracies have checks and balances that ensure accurate reporting, while dictatorships lack these safeguards. Recent research using satellite imagery to track nighttime illumination, a reliable indicator of economic activity, has revealed a significant disparity between reported growth rates and actual growth rates in autocratic regimes.
The second pillar, which suggests that dictators possess superior long-term strategic thinking, fails to understand the realities of most dictatorships. Decisions made by despots are often based on distorted information and the desire to maintain power at all costs. Dissent is crushed, propaganda distorts reality, and leaders become ensnared in their own lies. This inability to hear the truth leads to disastrous consequences, as seen in Vladimir Putin’s ill-fated actions in Ukraine.
Finally, the idea that dictators bring stability while democracies breed chaos ignores the inherent flaws of autocracy. Dictatorships suppress dissent and stifle innovation, hindering long-term progress. Economic growth in autocratic countries often relies heavily on manufacturing products invented in democratic societies or exporting goods to wealthy democracies. Dictatorships depend on the innovation and consumer wealth of democracies for their success.
In conclusion, the myth of benevolent dictatorship has been shattered by empirical evidence and research. Dictatorships do not outperform democracies in economic growth, long-term strategy, or stability. While democracies may have their own shortcomings, they remain the best form of government, as Winston Churchill famously remarked. It is crucial to debunk this myth and recognize the value of democratic institutions in promoting freedom, prosperity, and progress.
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