Benevolent dictatorship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section has multiple issues. Please help improve the article or discuss these issues on the talk page.
|
The benevolent dictator is a more modern version of enlightened absolutism[citation needed], 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. A benevolent dictator, for example, may focus government priorities on matters of public importance, such as healthcare, education, population control, or general city infrastructure. According to the Donella Meadows Archive former prime minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew was a benevolent dictator.[1] He or she may be committed to peaceful relations, rather than wars or invasions of other states, and may even allow for some democratic decision-making to exist, such as through public referendums.
[edit] Characteristics
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 to openly spread misinformation about their benevolence in an attempt to create a personality cult.
Like many political classifications, the title of benevolent dictator suffers from its inherent subjectivity. Such leaders as Napoleon Bonaparte, Fidel Castro, Benito Mussolini (at least until the war against Ethiopia), António Salazar, Francisco Franco, Isaias Afwerki, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Augusto Pinochet, Lee Kuan Yew, Deng Xiaoping, Caterina de' Medici, Pervez Musharraf, the Medici dynasty, and others have been characterized by some as benevolent dictators. In all these cases it depends largely on one's point of view as to just how "benevolent" or "dictatorial" they were or are.[2] 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, to be 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, some juntas) may have less charismatic authority and prove to be forgettable and easier to demonize.[citation needed]
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").[citation needed]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Singapore Leads the Good Life Under a Benevolent Dictator The Donella Meadows Archive Voice of a Global Citizen. The Sustainability Institute.
- ^ Google Answers. Subject: Re: LIST OF BENEVOLENT DICTATORS (aka ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS) THROUGH HISTORY. kriswrite-ga on 01 Mar 2004
|
|||||||||||
