The Psychology of Dictatorship: Why Gaddafi Clings to Power
By John Cloud, TIME
| May 27, 2011 Muammar Gaddafi continues to hold tightly to power even In Yemen, President Ali Abdullah Saleh has refused to step down despite months of unrest Pride often bows to avarice, but dictators seem to have a There are at least three explanations for dictatorial 1. Dictators are psychopaths. This is the simplest and most seductive psychological It’s difficult to think of a dictator who hasn’t But true psychopaths — think of serial killer John Wayne Gacy — are not only liars and remorseless killers, but Scott Atran is a University of Atran’s main conclusion is that an impulse 2. Dictators are paranoid narcissists. Most non-dictatorial leaders employ subordinates who are Dictators also lose their ability to see themselves and But there is a neurological cost to ignoring the Saddam Hussein is a good example, according to Renana Brooks, a Washington psychologist who specializes in 3. Dictators are more or less normal people who develop Zimbabwe’s despot, Robert Mugabe, was apparently a polite In a new paper called “How Power Corrupts,” a Typically, immoral behavior — even routine sins like But because they have lower levels of cortisol, “the None of this means we can excuse dictators for their
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