By Fareed Zakaria
We tend to think of dictators as all-powerful leaders who act with naked cruelty and impunity. Think of Bashar al Assad in Syria. Or, for a celluloid reminder, think of Sacha Baron Cohen as Gen. Admiral Aladeen, a North African despot.
But the film "The Dictator" — and our imagination of dictators — is getting outdated. The new dictator is more evolved and more attuned to how people think.
A new book highlights that trend. It's called "The Dictator's Learning Curve" by William Dobson.
Dictators have gotten smart, Dobson writes, to keep pace with changes in technology. Old-school oppressors like Mao, Pol Pot or Idi Amin could keep their atrocities relatively secret. That's not possible today. If a dictator tried to orchestrate a mass killing and keep it secret, he'd likely fail. It would end up on YouTube.
Uganda's Joseph Kony is now an internet phenomenon. Charles Taylor of Liberia was recently found guilty by the U.N. Special Court for Sierra Leone. Sudan's President Bashir has been indicted.
So today's cleverest dictators have evolved. They allow a certain amount of dissent, as an escape valve.
Consider China. There's a new study out this week by three political scientists at Harvard. They've devised a way to analyze millions of social media posts in China. What's special is that they claim to do this before the Chinese government gets to censor them - so it provides a unique insight not just into what the Chinese people think, but also what the government deems necessary to censor.
What do they find? Contrary to what you'd think, it turns out criticisms of the state are not more likely to get censored. Even vitriolic criticisms are allowed. Instead, the focus is on stopping mass mobilization. Last year Beijing blocked internet searches for Tunisia's "Jasmine Revolution" to prevent discussions about the Arab Spring. Similarly last week searches for the numbers 4/6 were censored - the numbers represented June 4th, the anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square.
The Harvard study shows that Beijing's leaders are making measured concessions. It is said that some 500 protests take place every day across China. But anything that could lead to something larger or more organized is instantly censored and clamped down on.
Another example - Putin's Russia has usually allowed the print media a great deal of freedom, on the theory that what a few tens of thousands of people read in Moscow and St. Petersburg doesn't matter. But the regime has taken over television news completely, so mass opinion is carefully controlled out of the Kremlin.
We're witnessing a trend in China, Russia, Venezeula, and many other countries - even Myanmar. Gone are the days when dictators could completely ignore the demands of their people.
As citizens become more exposed to events around the world, more connected to each other on the internet and social media, dictators will have to make greater concessions. It's a situation that is far better than how things were 10, 20, or 50 years ago. Regimes like those in Syria and North Korea can act with all-out brutality, but they are outliers - they represent a fading order.
The new model is to allow a controlled space for free commerce, for open education, even for dissent. Perhaps people in these countries can use that space to expand the realm of freedom and liberty.
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Quick correction– Charles Taylor was recently convicted by the Specisl Court for Sierra Leone not the International Criminal Court. They are completely separate criminal courts.
I still love the show!!
Andrew
True, this court was backed by the then U.N. General Secretary Kofi Annan at Sierra Leone's request in 2000 and was approved by the Security Council. Charles Taylor was tried in the Hague under jurisdiction of Sierra Leone.
Indeed it's confusing that the International Criminal Court takes on cases relating to DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Sudan, Uganda, Libya, Ivory Coasts etc.and not Rwanda, Ex-Jugoslavia and Sierra Leone, which were dealt with by special courts. The ICC-case of the Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga had been highly criticised: 10 years, one verdict and over $ 900 million.
Fareed, true dictators are oppressors but they are also narcissists. They want to be loved by their citizens as well. So they stick to the carrot and stick policy. They are also realistic and are aware of what technology offers. They know they can't prevent people from communicating with each other and expand the security apparatus.
New dictator 3rd Anti Christ comes and rules world http://www.swastik.org
The mind of Zakiria is controlled by jews lobby in USA, he forget to mentioned every one is changing, but USA is controlling muslim country from freedom, through their army and dictator.
Your Brain is leaking out your ears.
LOL WUT?
Take the nice medicne the nurse gives you, it will make help limit your psychotic ramblings.
he really lives in a bubble !
obama is the worse kind ov dictator.
> The mind of Zakiria is controlled by jews lobby in USA
nope, they just control his wallet and as FZ is a smart person he knows how to keep his pocket full...
Dial back the Stupid.
You have a point don't mind the below sheeps who don't have a clue on whats going on,
Egypt was secular Now it will be controlled by The Muslim Brotherhood.
We need God in our life, the only way forward is for the bad leaders to live the sit.
All dictators should promptly be shot to death. That might end dictatorships and let people live their lives in peace.
The level of discourse here is hilariously low. I hope you're not registered voters. If so, I weep for this country.
All Gods should be shot
In theory, Gods cannot be shot.
I think Becky is trying to make a relevant comparison between the ultimate Dictator(s) – the blustery Old Testament God vs the now more relevant, cuddly & loving God. Or she's just, y'know, another religious waterhead.
Mr. Zakaria you belong to a dictator group
I guess Zakaria forgot about our Dictator in training, Obama,
What will happen, if US doesn't support the Jew, but remain neutral?????
Taylor was found guilty by the Special Court for Sierra Leone's trial chamber, but the proceedings took place at the Hague.
You have typo error in the article – it's Venezuela, not a Venezeula.
Here is a gold star.
Place it on your weener.
hahahahaha
Great observation! Staying in power I the key for the dictators and they'd do anything to sustain that. They may even talk about freedom and democracy from time to time.
Dictators talking about freedom and democracy is not new. In the 1930's Hitler routinely spoke of freedom and democracy.
What About the Secrecy Law in South Africa? The Machine Gunner Pres Zuma ( Zero Understanding Matters Any ) wants to keep the Association of National Criminals known as african national congress, in power, despite Genociding 5 Million Aids sufferers by refusing them medication!
When Are You Going to Expose That? the poster of the left wing marxists machine gunners?
The mentally challenged for which Michelle Obama demonstarted? When Gorbachov moved away from communism in 1982, and the Chinese moved away from Communism in 1977?
Yes, the communists and gangsters are in power here!
Curious, despite your 5 million "AIDS sufferers", the population of South-Africa has grown about the same number during the last 10 years, an undiminished growth compared to the 10 years before without AIDS. A genocide where nobody dies.
Today people are too quick claiming genocide. It has become fashion somehow.
May be today's dictators have changed, because they are no dictators.
There is no true democracy anywhere in the world. The elites make always sure they stay in power. I wouldn't call them dictators though.
All the children born in SA have aids-from their parents.
There is going to be alot of cheap real estate in about 25 years.
Too big to fail.
Dictators are indeed learning and becoming smart but not the African ones. Ethiopian dictator recently laid out a law which criminalizes skype or any VOIP service with a 15 year prison term effectively scaring away any foreign tourist coming to the country. Dont think a foreign national of western descent gets things easy there as well cause there are a number of Canadian and Swedish journalists and civilians languishing in their jail.
This should not surprise anyone. Africa's only value to the world is its exotic animals, and they're killing those as fast as they can.
How's life in the trailer park?
You are wrong. Africa sustains the world. Africa's abundant natural and human resources revolutionizes Europe and American economies and is still doing so. Right now Asian economy is afloat because of African resources. The time is coming when Africa will utilize its own resources then we will see how the rest will survive.
Your right...and we are the exotic animals, are did you forget about evolution.
Your right...and we are the exotic animals, or did you forget about evolution.
Africa, resources? Right. There are diamonds and gold, and some oil? If their economies developed, there wouldn't be enough for them.
Africa, resources? Right. There are diamonds and gold, and some oil. If their economies developed, there wouldn't be enough for them.
inteeresting... I tend to think of Leni Riefenstahl, not Charlie Chaplin, since there has been NO effective response to Damascus' DisInformation War... something you feel is not important enough to comment on. Best you read Manfred Manwaring and revisit John Kenneth Galbraith's depiction of power
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/50296798/The%20Truth%20War%20Countering%20the%20Assad%20Regime%E2%80%99s%20Disinformation%20Operations.v09Jun12.doc
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/50296798/The%20Truth%20War%20Countering%20the%20Assad%20Regime%E2%80%99s%20Disinformation%20Operations.v09Jun12.doc
Watching the broadcast in China. As expected, the majority of this WITW segment was blocked out by the censors.
This article is more about censorship than dictatorship.
In which case I say look to the UK to see sophisticated censorship at work.
Censorship is alive and well here in the U.S., it's just corporate minders doing it in the name of 'Free Enterprise...and ownership has it's priveleges' instead of the government...which coincidentally the U.S. Government doesn't operate the media outlets the corporations do.
The government keeps its hands clean and is not involved in the censorship but everyone looks the otherway including the government when the corporations are responsible for it.
How utterly convenient, how totally tragic.
Soon these dictators will get really wise and realize that if they simply replace their media news programs with reality TV entertainment then their population will quickly ignore the illegal and immoral actions of their leaders and become more concerned over which bachelor will be going home on tonight's program. It's a system that works well in the US!
News and Information manipulated at "Western" countries even MORE than at countries mentioned by Fareed.
Let me remind:
Iraq WMD's turned to be blatant lie – media does not worry much and noone responcioble
"Damascus activist " turned to be blatant lie used by newsmakers for their purpose......noone worry
"Damascus girl" turned to be blatant lie used by newsmakers for their purpose......noone worry
"Children killed by Assad" turned to be blatant lie used by newsmakers for their purpose......noone worry
"Russian helicopters" turned to be blatant lie used by US state department and newsmakers for their purpose......noone worry
Just recently, "Russian ship with weapons" turned to be blatant lie used by newsmakers for their purpose......noone worry
You can not have this BOTH WAYS nowadays. If you wish others to not LIE to their people......do not LIE oneself.
Otherwise US is same dictatorship
My words exactly. Couldnt have framed better. But can add......
Greece quitting Euro and Euro Zone breaking but turns out they decided to stay back.
Russian Elections not fair but turn out Obama sending private messages to Putin to wait for his second term.
Russian helicopters did NOT turn out to be a lie. The Russians denying through spin it does not make it untrue. Note that Russia does not deny sending attack helicopters...they only deny sending helicopters for the purpose of attacking civilians. Which they have no control over.
It's YOU who need to wake up.
Even if the western politicians will tell that Jesus the dictator...... that the western mass media so will make the work...... that the majority of people some months later will furiously shout..... Kill him.... kill the dictator... kill Jesus.... Kill..... And looking on the TV at Jesus blood-stained body with a smile upon the face WOW cool will tell....
Zombiing through mass media.... million zombies.... can't think, can't analyze.... can listen and submit only.... Go blindly to execute team and the order with the hands extended forward.... Dictator... Dictator... give those blood of the dictator... give still the dictator.... we want to eat...
Destroying to obtain energy is unsustainable.
There is censorship and media manipulation the world over....its just that west is more adept and skilful in doing it
We need to lie to keep world in order.
That is biggest and most dangerous DICTATOR – one which sit inside brainwashed brains
You are the most ignorant islamist on this blog.
Dont understand , for what you put this article?
you now support dictatored cnn?
Why is there no mention of the dictators that have ruled the People's Republic of Chicago (Daley and Emanuel) and Illinois (Madigan)? These are officials who are de facto dictators, defying the United States of America.
Yeah! It's not like they were elected or anything. Oh wait...
Ed, you must not be acquainted witih the Chicago Machine...
Mow.
Ron.
1/2 of these people posting don't know what a true dictator is.
Where is Fidel & Raul Castro in this story? 53 years in power.
Do you know what a dictator is? Have you lived under martial rule?
Why does US not talk about its own dictatorship here in USA? For one, Government makes us all buy health insurance. And if you think this media is not censored(CNN) then you are a fool. Try to start E-mailing or talking about weapons or bombs, FBI will listening to all of your conversations and you will be watched closely.
With the uprising in other countries where people are not happy with their governments do you think uprising like that would be possible in USA, the government would stop it in its tracks, just like they did to a "occupy wall street" protesters. Invented a joke for an excuse and stopped it, yet if it were occurring in other country, US would say it is NOT DEMOCRATIC.
everyone uses health care. so to pay in is your duty so that everyone has the "right" to it. kind of like everyone uses the roads. we all pay for the roads. just because you don't own a car doesn't mean you don't have to pay for them. at some point you are going to use the roads like when your house is burning down and the fire department drives to your house to put out the flames and takes you to the hospital so you can be cared for. but I am sure you want both services but don't' want to pay for either!
Heather, I don't provide you with a car nor do I pay for your drivers license. Don't want to pay the tolls, don't drive, its not a right.........Everyone uses healthcare? No, heathcare is not a 'use', its the responsibility of each individual. Please tell mewhere it is "MY" duty to support you own personal healthcare and health issues. As for a "right', please tell me where and who specifies healthcare as a Right. Soryy Heather, its neither a right nor a duty for someone else to pay for your own responsibilities.
Cobra- everyone needs health care at some point and if they do not have a plan the insurance companies pass it along to the government which you will end up paying more for in the long run. please learn how the system works before you try to fit it. also your taxes are being used for mass transit which is you paying for other people to get around. we are a country which means we are only strong as our weakest link and we need to help those that cant them selves for the better of the entire country
Dictatorship ?
Here in America, if we dont like our president, we vote for another one.
You be idiot ?
Sure, but you don't really have a choice of who to elect because the possible candidates are selected for you by a very rich elite. It's not really your choice, you are just made to think that it is. Our whole so-called democracy has been subverted by money and it is nothing but a sham now. That is one of the reasons we have an unsolvable debt problem. Guess who benefits from our debt? The banks that own the Federal Reserve. We are their cash cow and they won't allow that to change. Nobody that you can elect will change it because your choices for candidates have already been filtered.
"So today's cleverest dictators have evolved. They allow a certain amount of dissent, as an escape valve." What do you think the US with its First Amendment has been doing for years? Our rights are always taken away when they really truly matter–during wars and race riots and so on. They're there to blow off steam, and nothing else.
Fareed, Dont try to sell stories which are biased. All your stories project that USA is the GOD and rest are Dictators/Socialist. Usa economy is doing good while Euro Zone will break. USA elections were never ridged and where ever there is a president who is not a puppet of USA, the elections were mass fraud.
Wow. If you're any older than 12, I feel sorry for your lack of comprehension. Where specifically in this article, or in any other, does Fareed depict the US as God?
Right On, Brother. That Square must be tripping.
What do you expect? The guy has to make a living. If he writes something ugly and negative about Ted Turner or the USA, he will most likely get fired and blacklisted. If you expect independent reporting, go to the blogs of people who don't report for a living. Link TV, on satellite, is also a more independent source.
Does it apply to American supported dictators?
as usual a bull cr@p article from a m@r@n
His bowel movements are probably more insightful than you.
And I would presume them to be better looking also
Fareed is the only sane person in the room, I assure you.
I do not believe dictators ever give up any ground while they rule. There may be the perception that they do offer some limited freedom from time to time but its only a gimic employed to control the limited number of people who might otherwise become unruly.
Correct, just look at Cuba.
u miss one name prime minister meels zenawi , he copied exactly china's way but smartly upto misleading obama. very recently barrak give credit to this dictatorwhile many journalists are in jail.
Headline: How dictators have evolved.
There is a quick way to know this. Look no further than Wisconsin.
Good one.
You do realize don't you that there was an election in Wisconsin? It just didn't turn out the way you wanted it to.
The conventional wisdom is that the "best" government is a benevolent dictator! There is an obvious problem, namely that benevolent thing; but given the utter corruption, the sheer incompetence, the abysmal capability to govern...the US style "democracy" is an even worse failure! And with the growing corporatocracy formerly known as fascism, becoming not only global but with enhanced capbilities to control and manipulate both "voters" and governments..this may all become mute!
You write: "Dictators have gotten smart, Dobson writes, to keep pace with changes in technology."
You're absolutely SPOT ON! Obama is keeping up with changes in technology!
At least Obama can spell his own name.
That last clod had to winny three times like his horse.
They evolve because the people in these countries are stupid.
How dictators have evolved? Well, they lie to the UN, the world community and the American people about bogus and nonexistent WMD's in Iraq and invade, destabilize and murder 1 million Iraqi civilians in cold blood with no repercussions! Hey, don't blame Assad, GWB has murdered more civilians than Assad and he continue to do so today! That is how dictators evolve Fareed!
Give assad time – and Iranian /Russian Weapons and I bet that ol boy and his receeding hairline will break all records for genocide – at least on a per capita basis as nobody will ever break Stalin or Hitler's absolute count of carnage. GWB is definitely not even in the running with Iraq and Afghanistan although he gave it his best shot – now if Cheney had been running the show I'm sure he'd have the body counts he could brag about at his neighborhood Craker Barrel
Oh no, they can rise very insidiously, a wolf in sheeps clothing. It is going on today, in the presidency of the USA
Hi, it is so easy to show the dictator whose names are in the internet or youtube. I d like to know those who steal you , take you life and cheat you with promises. Here in Brazil our dictators take another name. Politicians, men of the pop and they are never unveild. We live a life disguised and nobody is punished. We need to stop making these kind of wrong things, cause in the future we will live a EGIPTIAN, SYRIA, LIBIA AND OTHERS. As says a philosopher, in this world, there are no profit or harmful, there are only consequences.
The mind of Zakiria is controlled by jews lobby in USA, he forget to mentioned every one is changing, but USA is controlling muslims country from freedom, through their army and dictator.
Nothing a few drones cant take care of.
Fareed Zakaria's article seems biased. There is an assumption directly infered that lead antagonists of the USA are all dictatorships, such as China and Russia. These 2 countries allow thier citizens to come and go as they please, and to immigrate if desired. I know Russia has democratic elections. Syria has a history of short lived democracy, but coups, including US backed coups changed that. What this article does is target antaganists of washinton DC and claim a severe moral inferiority of the target. What this article does NOT do is inlcude the severe moral imperfections of the US govt. These imperfections include practically no real non-aligned political or anti-govt. movements to form, and stifling any attempt of the "little people" to act in any way contrary to the dictates of the all-mighty US govt. This is why there is no anti-war movement in the US of any substance. Any attempt to make a real anti-war movement is immediately quashed by a network of pro-government idiots (shock troops) and possibly being set-up in some legal problems. Just like in a dictatorship. One advantage the Chinese, Russians and other alleged victims of world dictatorships have over US citizens, is that when they leave thier contry, they are free. The US citizen can be hunted down by his goverment and if in the wrong country, sent back to the USA for a "fair trial" for you name it.
God bless!
Well, we are witnessing the evolution of the worlds next dictator-his name is Barack Obama...think I'm crazy??? Just stayed tuned! If we don't remove him, we are crazy. If we do, he'll go to his home African country and be a dictator there. But you can be sure-a dictator, he will be!
You are crazy. Stop breathing please. You are wasting this planet's precious oxygen.
I'm no Obama fan, but you are just like the guys that hang out at the post office with pictures of obama in the hitler mustache. For every person you convince to go with you you convince two more that obama is better than the alternative you preach.
Therefore, I must come to the conclusion that you are actually pro-obama as you actually do more to help him than to hurt him..
Be gone with you.
You pooped yourself again.
So Joseph Kony has been upgraded from a guerrilla fighter to a dictator, I am sure the Ugandans will love that considering they are sick and tired of being portrayed as weak. How is Joseph Kony any different than the former guerrilla of a president Uganda currently has? He keeps giving himself term extensions...sounds like sensationalizing the Kony story will leave Uganda divided on foreign powers, and a Dictator president with a US trained royal guard, nice. Not the first time this has happened, won't be the last...
Funny that this article comes with a photo of Joseph Cony on CNN's front page. The guy was never a head of state, let along a dictator. But to stupid Americans he remains the only familiar modern African figure. This is so depressing.
Fareed calls Joseph Kony a dictator (he isn't) but neglects to mention Yoweri Museveni the "President for Life" of Uganda. Quality analysis here...
The mind of Zakiria is controlled by jews lobby in USA
Then you better send him your tin foil hat.
ahahaha..
Its all about Population Growth and intolerance for values of others..... Africa will always be just Africa... Tribal alliance and religion divide the populace making it ungouvernable.....Where there is no compromise there is no way to govern... Make Peace and leave the tribal mentality behind...... Charles Bowen Solomon Stone
interesting perspective!
Evil people exists. That's a fact. When they get power, they already have a heart of abuse and horror. Seems they have friends who have the cash (as in drug dealers and countries with weapons) so it's very easy to make the connection with the cash and the evil. Then they exploit, terrorize, and kill. But once they kill a person, they can't kill them again. The Devil and his demons enter a person and escalate the evil.
If you take off the "D" in Devil, you have evil.
There it is.
That works in English, but if you take the 'd' off diablo you only get iablo. Likewise, take the 't' of teufel and you only get eufel.
nd if you take the whatever in الشيطان, you end up with something anti world, anti semitic, anti everything.
This text is a piece of garbage, as is usually the case with Fareed's writing. No matter whether writing for an academic readership in Foreign Affairs or for the general public on your blog, he always messes up the facts, mix up the names (mentioning Kony in an article about the evolution of dictators?) and roots his analysis in gross generalities.
dic·ta·tor/ˈdiktātər/
Noun:
1.A ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained power by force.
2.A person who tells people what to do in an autocratic way or who determines behavior in a particular sphere.
Zakaria is right on.
"Evolved" seems to be the word of the day for dictators and Obama!
Are you Republicans still devolving ?
Dear CNN, Poor choice of words. Now you will get every Re-Bible-can jumping on this article to compare Kony with Obama on his "evolving" view points. You also will start an argument of Pro/Anti-Evolution which will completely distract everyone from the story. Nice work. Maybe try to keep up with current events better.
News Flash: Obama says he will help out the homeless. Next Weeks CNN Headline: Most Global Dictators are Homeless.
News flash:
You are a moron.
Seek help.
I know you are a Muslim, Fareed, but are you a socialist? Can the two exist in one being as a philosophy of life?
When the evil power is super power what you can expect as world peace
what you can expect?
Yes, but how about the U.S.'s dictatorship? why are we censored from it? In other words, why do we always trash talk about other countries yet never conjure up the composure to talk about our own problems in such objective tone? Zakaria we could direly use some of this to crack down our media (CNN included).
Wonder how Dictator Obama would respond if US Citizens began a tax revolt to protest his unilateral amnesty fiat.
Its not amnesty, its a good idea.
Go back to Fox, all your friends are there.
It IS amnesty and a BAD idea.
So, why do you peddle lies, freep?
Why don't you go back to watching Ed Schultz and touching yourself in an impure manner.
citizen- you mean you dont d i d d l e?
Impure manner – hahahahaha!
Americans soldier behind the ISAF umberalla. play vieo game by killing 26 soldiers of Pakistan army.
Great article Mr. Z. Very innovative take on an interesting topic. It is difficult to watch someof the things that go on in the owrld today and not want an immediate change and certainly failure happens regularly from this perspective, on the other hand improvements do happen and we must keep pressing for change, it sometimes comes from unexpected places.
Why NO mentionn of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain??? Oh thats right WE prefer to do business with " cooperative " Dictators ...
We have one evolving right here in America.
You are right.
His name is Romney.
Keep him out of the white house.
I clicked on the headline thinking this might be about Obama....
if the USA had a dictator he would look like Obama
How so?
We used to be shocked when we would see dictatorial countries try to control the internet, control media, put up posters of their leader on buildings, sing songs about them, have programs to turn in your neighbors for not agreeing with the party, take over private companies, bypass political procedure, etc. Now all we have to do is look at this administration to see all that and more.
American president call for CHANGE in election campaign? But the change went ZERO against Jews lobby policy for USA. What a great election WIN Jews Dictator for the American tax payer..
Zakaria forgot to put the USA, Rwanda, Uganda, Israel, UK among the most violent dictatorships of the World. Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Museveni of Uganda helped by USA-UK-Israel have killed 8 millions congolese but CNN doesn't call them dictators. Shame on you!
Dictators do not evolve. They dictate and opress at ALL times. There is no exception. They are not stupid and they are in tune to whatever it takes to be in charge. The only way to remove is by violent uprising or military force period. Sometimes Dictators are worth keeping in place for a little while until the time is right for them to be killed. There are too many trouble spots in the world....
By they way...Obama's act is unilateral...He may be on the right track sympathetically...it's not the way to do it. He has the post british clonial mentality he can't shake...He has to go...The problem is the Senate is a do nothing Senate. Alot of the leadership there doesnot agree with eachother. It is too left of center. The Democrats are split because they forced the Healthcare issue down peoples throats in a very dictatorial way...
The Democtratic leadership also forced the banking rules that we are living with today. They are forcing the bank fees to rise. They are making banks not lend on purpose. The regular small business or individual who wants to start a 2 or 3 person compnay can't anymore. It's not allowed. The regulations make it so it's better not to refi. It's better to forclose because that way the FDIC doesn't see it as a problem loan. They see it as outstanding issues being resolved instead of how it should be which is triying to help people. The Democreats think the way to fix something... is to take it away, when the going gets tough the Democrats look like Dictators...at least the Rpublicans let you fend for yourself instead of puting obstacles.
Very true, atleast americans now understand that there is true Jews agenda behind all policy of SLAVE United states of America.
Fareed Zakaria is a hard core socialist, anti-semite, and born YES man. I would take everything he says as self promotion for his own personal agenda and nothing more.
100% agreed
What did Fareed say that was anti-isemitic?
for all your sensitive academia – at the end of the day a human rights crisis is still a human rights crisis – big or small
More bull from the media. Dictators can not exist with out a strong support group and they have tobe centrist in the group. The whole problem is thatevery body wants to believe this lie that it is only one man causing the problem and that why revelutions fail to corect the problem.
Joseph Kony is not a dictator. He has never been the leader of Uganda or any other country.
Yes strong support group and the alliance or control of the military. In Egypt for example, the military knows that Mubarak is too old and the son is not the one to follow...In North Korea, the son is the one too follow. In Cuba there were two brothers in synche. In Syria, there is nobody to follow, it will be a bloodbath.
Dear Fareed,
But where are the evaluations of your dear friend Barack? Certainly you must admit that sweet Barack has demonstrated more tendencies suggesting dictatorial tendencies than the Americans that have preceded him as President of The United States... You have presented Africa, Russia, China and Argentina as models of countries under dictatorial control – yet, to my very great surprise, you haven't mentioned a single Islamic leader? Why is that? And, come to think of it, you seem to neglect an evaluation of how your Imams assume utter and absolute control over all aspects of life in Islamic nations – but that isn't dictatorial control? My, my... I do believe I find you less than intellectually honest.
I am reading to the right the Twitter and Farred even says it himseld without knowing...He cites an article that says in China it's OK to criticize but when to mnany people sart to feel the same way then its OK to kill people...remember that's what they do...let's see what the Chnese do with 'that' politician in custody...
I'm sorry, But I think most of you miss the point. This is a brilliant article that really portends to the evolution of the nation state in the context of history. I am not always a fan of the author for opinions. At the same time I feel his commentary is succinct and to the point. Always well written. Unlike your silly complaints over meaningless trivial facts, he creates a beautiful big picture as to a mural of history looking forward. I commend you Mr. Zakaria for a job well done!
Remember how cool Bush was about all the protests...the marches and all that.
Kony is now a head of state? This guy is a bad ass.
we have a richard tater in the whitehouse here.
I'd rather be a dictator than a pig like Zakaria who does the work of the Jews.
that is such a stupid comment i dont even know where to start tearing it apart.... so you would rather be a dictator that rules a country than a journalist for cnn? wow tough decision their you mong
What? You mean dictators are people who exist in the same ever-changing time as the rest of us? I thought dictators were trapped in a world where they rode around on chariots.
This is nothing new at all. During the Park Chung-hee regime in South Korea, small numbers of opposition party members were encouraged to sit in parliament to show that the was descent but to give the appearance that the majority of people supported the regime. It also allowed the South Korean government to claim to western powers that it was a democracy, even though in actuality the opposition members had no power and the elections were rigged enough to ensure the ruling parties would stay in power.
This article is suppose to make me feel better about voting for Obama for a 2nd term? Nice try I could see thru this article like a clear window..
Thanks for the article. I'm sure it's a comfort to the millions of people brutally oppressed by dictators to know that we care so much about them. In fact, would all the people who demanded America invade Iraq because we just had to get an evil dictator out of power please send your regards to the people of Syria and such places where I guess their dictators just aren't as bad a Saddam was.
Ah once again the left bring us Iraq. Your forgot to mention the dems, EU and the UN were banging the war drums long before W arrived.
And are you that stupid to believe that Assad's army is doing all that killing in Syria?--There is absolutely no benefit for his army to be killing all of those ole soooooooo innocent civilians--my guess is it is ALQ, boots from Iran and the muslim brohood--look at the great time Egypt is still having -–
I bet you think those UN peacekeepers in Africa are doing a great job-lets see, they have rob, rapped , burned and murdered innocent civilians-but since they wear the blue helments, that is ok with your kind
I swear that man in the front page photo looks like little barry's daddy-
So why does CNN consider this news to be worthy of the front page-–maybe for the birdcage
The taliban are are totally on wrong track in Killing other peoples..When you read QURAN you can convert whole USA to ISLAM IN PEACEFUL manner. not at all the JEWS. very truly
truly, I no lie about islam telling us to kill, murder, abuse, lie...
http://www.Hear-The-Truth.com
Ahh, we are on the cusp of a new Generation the "Kinder Gentler Dictator"...
its simply amazing to me how easy it is to figure out which people that comment listen/watch Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Shaun Hannity. you people need to get your head out of the sand and actually stop listening/watching those hate mongers. please i would be better for our country
The taliban are totally on wrong track in Killing other peoples..When you read QURAN you can convert whole USA to ISLAM IN PEACEFUL manner. not at all the JEWS. very truly
When you have QURAN? You do not need miracle like Mosses and Jesus has to show their peoples.
When you have Q'ran, you have death in the most nastiest way.
What about Hussein B. Obama. He's the biggest dictator of them all.
How so??
Where there are Resources; diamonds, gold, oil, copper and many other valuable minerals there are wars', the Continent of Africa has them all. So don't fool yourself, every country is trying to steal and take control by any means necessary and only a few enjoy the wealth that's stolen.
If you carefully study dictators that have came to power in the past 30 years you will see the CIA had a hand in their rise to power. When things get bad and fall apart, well we arrest or execute them. Check it out at your local library.
Eritrean dictator does not allow any room for descent at all and he did not even make it to your article. You chose and picked the dictators that fit your point to write your article and you did not put into account the populations that are silently suffering only because they are poor and no supper power country is interested enough in it. Not fair! for Eritreans deserve a voice.
USA is nothing else but hindu criminal democracy, based not on truth by founders of the country but of democracy based on hindu Judaism, filthy self center ism, secularism,in opposition to truth absolute enshrined in con–st–itut–ion of USA. Any one thinking otherwise is none but a hindu, fool, believing hinduism of Jew's, criminality of secular s any thing other than hindu criminal dictatorship.
You forgot the corporations. And George Soros and the Koch Brothers. And Aliens. And Elvis' cousing Bigfoot
Study hindu sanatan ism, filthy goon ism, hindu criminal dictatorship stems from hinduism, racism, way of hindu's ignorant s, hindu filthy Pharaoh's were man god's of hindu's, ignorant s and so were their hindu pot head priest, hindu, filthy divide of truth absolute between 2 hindu's, criminals, called trinity, justified by hindu Judaism, filthy secularism, denial of truth absolute by hindu Jew's, filthy secular s to make humanity their gentile, slaves. hindu Obama is nothing but another gentile, slave of hindu criminal Jew's sacrificing American blood and wealth to please his hindu sanatan Jew's , filthy shaman man god secular s.
This guy looks like his is squuzing one out.
and you know that look–dont you!
It also blurs the line on what freedom actually is. Coupled with the report from Google about cencorship requests from Western Democracies, it appears that the Internet is not only moving some despotic societies towards freedom, but is also inching 'free' societies towards a 1984 style big brother state
Take a good look at Obama and his gang
Bunch of hind's, gangsters to please their hindu criminal god father's, hindu Jew's, criminal secular s to impose hindu criminal dictator ship around the globe..
Good point, Susanna...
Make sure you vote in November.
Muslims – the more they repeat things, the more they believe it.
Try this:
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
Chocolate is vanilla
...
They basically are stealing these ideas from us. We get to say whatever we want but if you go to far, they'll be burning you out of your log cabin and running your kids over with APC's. Actually, I can't think of a country that is way overdue for a revolution than the USA. Our political system is irretrievably broken and every politician is on the take in one form or another. I literally get nauseous every time I hear politics in the news. Save your breaths! I can't hear you anymore!
Who is "us"
Fareed there is still the external propaganda that non friendlys label heads of state that do not cooperate.
There are the internal conditions that the citizens and residents live with. Is it better now than before?
We people tend to tolerate general peace and prosperity; even if the head of state is a dufuss and a menace to cultural and national non friendlys.
American consti–tution is based on republic, with fundamentals enshrined in truth absolute, but have been moved to hindu, fundamental less democracy of hindu, fundamental less British democracy, hindu, criminal Pharaoh, other wise known as king, dictator man god, the truth absolute in violation of fundamental of truth, enshrined as God by the founding fathers., hindu criminal Democracy is a brain child of hindu criminal Pharisees, Jew's, secular's, denier of truth absolute, a word invented to hind, fool humanity.
Obama is a dictator.
and a hindu, terrorist, living and spreading hindu Judaism, filthy self center ism, secularism by hinduism, terrorism around the globe.
Wow! You folks have such keen intellect!
Perhaps they learn well from us,how to spread garbage propaganda,such as Gaddafi giving Viagra to his troops,by the way what pharmaceutical company did he place that order.
Didn't Obama just evolve too?
Once again, FZ thinks he is qualified to comment on any topic, but he cannot possibly be knowledgeable enough to be a serious commentator on anything. (And CNN exploits him in this regard...CNN...do you know what this really means? I doubt it!). So, as I have said before, I have stopped reading anything that is published by him on CNN.
CNN, you'll do anything to protect Obama, including posting this piece on how great tyrants are so that we will feel better about our own dictator. Amazing.
These guys wipe themselves with rocks and leaves. To defeat them is not an accomplishment. It happens to be something that is long overdue.
What about Saudi Arabia? Why CNN don't write about them?
And, of course, no discussion of the world's dictators can be truly complete without mentioning the five Republican dictators in Michigan.
"ello People"
This reporter is so blind ! and death !
dose he not use the internet, to find "Fact's" how much dose he get paid a year ? he is quick to moan about other country's ! but never dose he tell the truth about the USA, UK, Isreal and all the truly bad crap that these countrys corse !
i hope mr Zakiria read's these post's and start's to feel some shame about the word's he writes !!! "PEACE"
This Halloween I'm going to put a potato on my dick and go as a "Dictator"! Hahahahahahahaha
example of dictator:
General Zia-ul-Haq - Pakistan 1976 – 1988
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia 2005-present[1]
Idi Amin - Uganda 1971 – 1979
Hafez al-Assad - Syria 1970 – 2000
Bashar Assad - Syria 2000-present
Fulgencio Batista - Cuba 1952 – 1959
Jean-Bédel Bokassa - Central African Republic 1966 – 1979
Omar Bongo - Gabon 1967-present
Leonid Brezhnev - USSR 1968-1982
Fidel Castro - Cuba 1959 – 2008
Nicolae Ceausescu - Romania 1967 – 1989
Blaise Compaoré - Burkina Faso 1987-present
Chiang Kai-shek - China, Taiwan
Porfirio Diaz - Mexico 1876 – 1911
Engelbert Dollfuss - Austria 1933-34
You forgot Obama!
You forgot the corrupted CEO in the Wall Street, the falling medias.
François Duvalier - "Papa Doc" – Haiti
Jean Claude Duvalier - "Baby Doc" – Haiti
Francisco Franco Bahamonde - Spain 1939 – 1975
Alberto Fujimori - Peru 1990 – 2000
Klement Gottwald - Czechoslovakia 1948 – 1953
Adolf Hitler - Germany 1933 – 1945
Enver Hoxha - Albania 1944-1985
Ho Chi Minh - North Vietnam 1954 – 1969
Erich Honecker - German Democratic Republic 1971 – 1989
Hu Jintao - Peoples Republic of China 2002-present
Saddam Hussein - Iraq 1979 – 2003
Kim Il-Sung - North Korea 1948 – 1994
Wojciech Jaruzelski - Poland 1981-1989
Kim Jong Il - North Korea 1994 –
Islom Karimov – Uzbekistan 1991-present
Ayatollah Khomeini - Iran 1979 – 1989
Vladimir Lenin - USSR 1917 – 1924
Alexander Lukashenko - Belarus 1994-present
Mao Zedong - China 1949 – 1976
Ferdinand Marcos - Philippines 1972 – 1986
Mengistu Haile Mariam - Ethiopia 1977 – 1991
Ioannis Metaxas - Greece 1936-1941
Hosni Mubarak - Egypt 1981-present
Robert Mugabe - Zimbabwe 1980-present
Pervez Musharraf - Pakistan 1998-2008
Benito Mussolini - Italy 1922 – 1943
Miklos Horthy de Nagybánya - Hungary 1920-1944
Francisco Macías Nguema - Equatorial Guinea 1968 – 1979
Teodoro Obiang Nguema - Equatorial Guinea 1979-present
Denis Sassou Nguesso - Republic of the Congo 1979-present
Manuel Noriega - Panama 1983 – 1989
Juan Carlos Onganía - Argentina 1966 – 1973
Henri Philippe Pétain - France 1940 – 1944
Simon Petlyura - Ukraine
Józef Pilsudski - Poland 1926 – 1935
Augusto Pinochet - Chile 1973 – 1990
Pol Pot - Cambodia 1975 – 1978
Miguel Primo de Rivera - Spain 1923 – 1930
Efraín Ríos Montt - Guatemala 1982 – 1983
Gustavo Rojas Pinilla - Colombia 1953 – 1957
Muammar Abu Minyar al-Qadhafi - Libya 1969 –
Vidkun Quisling - Norway 1940 – 1945
António de Oliveira Salazar - Portugal 1932 – 1968
Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna - Mexico
Mobutu Sese Seko - Zaire 1967 – 1997
Anastasio Somoza Debayle - Nicaragua
Anastasio Somoza García - Nicaragua
Luis Somoza Debayle - Nicaragua
There are many more.
They come in all sizes and all colours. There is no real differentiation except for the mindset.
A lack of education is a great place for them to evolve.
They left out our dear leader... Obama??
You notice they are all male.
Maybe, just maybe, it is time for females to go men how leadership can be positive if you listen to the people.
Of course, there must be an extensive global education program first.
I noticed that Mr Fareed Zakaria named Chavez as a dictator, well like it or not the guy has been elected democratically by his people.Jimmy Carter and others dignitaries when to every Venezuelan elections and they were satisfied on its fairness. So, he is not a dictator he is an elected president. You don't like him, too bad. I am glad that Nina made a list of famous dictators who polluted this planet with their presence. I can add that most of those dictators were protegees of the US. Surprise.
Good article but I think it missed the most important new tactic dictators employ.. trying to keep their army and police in the back rows and arming civilian thugs instead to do the dirty work for them.. claiming u have no control over these groups and it's just loyalists and opposition sorting things out
The Jewish are the main obstacles of peace, between US and the rest of the World.
In reality, you don't need to be against Jewish, to stop their evil activities: examples; they got access in US 'Nuclear Bombs and they stole the ideas and sold it to Middle East and China,
They used European passports, to murder others,....
So, it's better to change their Mind by setting-up and applying new rules. Either they have to obey or face the consequences.
They should know that, America and its allies suffered a lot because of supporting Jews.
The Jewish keep telling the World,"Jewish are smart". So, why they weren't smart during Roman Empire and Nazzi era?
How about, if US not supporting and not against Jewish, what will be the consequences of Jewish?????
Jew means self centered, a hindu, denier of truth absolute, also propagated to hind humanity as Judaism, Hobo's, self centered, with quality of a pig, self centered, pretending to be Israelite, but hindu's, pagans of Egypt and Persia.
The greatest dictatorships of all are those that disguise themselves as democracy. That is the kind that we have in America. It is a system where an elite group of rich guys calls the shots and makes us think that we are actually in control. The media is controlled and information is filtered/fed to us to manipulate our opinions. The choice of candidates that we can elect is controlled by very rich people. The courts and politicians always favor the very rich and the big corporations. People from our highest levels of government are tied to big corporations and they migrate back and forth between executive corporate positions and government positions. All the money in our economy is backed by debt to the Fed, a private corporation owned by banks. Laws are passed to force people to purchase products from big corporations, for example, mandatory insurance laws. The list goes on and on. We need not look far to find a dictatorship.
Way of hindu Jew's, criminal self centered, secular s to hind, fool Americans in their hindu Judaism, filthy secularism.
Come on Zakaria! You are dancing the tango by yourself and it is making you dizzy. You speak of dictators and how they came to evolve?!?!? Can you explain Egypt and the power grids of the American financed and Israeli controlled Egyptian Army with their generals who have most of the economy in their hands? You said evolving dictators?!?! shouldn't it be western evolved dictators?!?!
The best dictators are those who provide an illusion of hope or a diversion to the masses.
There are dictators who saw real concern and compassion to their people. A good exampe is former President Jean Claude Duvalier of Haiti who thanks to him gave Haiti universal health care and education. Look at the country today. He truly was Haitis greatest president.
There are numerous writers who warned us years ahead of the fact about dictators and their penchant for cunning, baffling and manipulative uses of technology. Kafka, Orwell, Koestler come to mind. Gunpowder, the Catherine While, the Iron Maiden, the guillotine, the gallows, the firing squad and even the coliseum are technologies used by dictators. Maybe the most vile are taxes, usury and the credit report. The recent dictators compete against their enemies who for a moment use wireless communications and the other technologies so called industrialized democracies made available in the marketplace when it suited them. The dictators have often all been able to shut it down with the cooperation of the providers. Google caves in to China or other nations. Look how Burma or Singapore uses technology against its people as both are one party rule states. We classify one a dictatorship and one not.
Who decide who’re the dictators ? The answer is another dictator.