Ask Lemmy

One can not be a dictator and benevolent

Yes because I will immediately work on making a sustainable democracy, eventually having checks and balances

No, but I'll give it the old college try. I've always imagined that the only way to be a benevolent dictator is to do the dictator thing only to install a better form of government to replace you and hope it sticks when you step away. Something more technocratic and with better checks and balances.

I guess. I mean the end game of benevolent dictator is no longer being the dictator. Sort of like Atatürk

I'd be a watchdog, not a dictator. I think that's the better use of that power. And if I had an idea then I'd take it to the same process as the rest of the laws and have a vote on it.

Yea! I can't get corrupted or turn evil if I already start out corrupt and evil!

only if you are somehow affiliated with the military (so they don't off you) and if you are independently wealthy. It's the trap of falling into supporting oppression (military state) or oligarchy (bruce wayne doesn't need to take bribes lol) that wrecks most dictatorships...

oh and lust for complete and unity power against the will of the masses, that's a problem too.

Sure, for the low price of a lifetime pension I'll benevolently dismantle the oligarchy; ban guns; make cars luxury items; massively expand mass transit; and bring in universal health and education!

Just ignore the claims that I've actually jailed or killed my opposition; held the families of so called "freedom fighters" so they'll turn themselves and their buddies in; made travel outside your area and healthcare impossible without government approval; and completely changed the history everyone learns.

Okay that's obviously pretty extreme. Just a reminder that if you're not careful even well intentioned dictatorships can be very oppressive. And every dictatorship is on a timer to a coup or revolution. And resetting that timer is not pretty. The only way off the treadmill is to have elections again.

no, nobody can... nobody

Yes.

Fascism is the alternative people turn to when they can't cope with their own inadequacies.

I don't have that problem.

No

Its possible but unlikely and gets even more problematic with after dictator times. Best chance would be setting up a system and then using the dictator powers to tweak or fix things till you die.

Nah, that's why you set up a system of checks to determine if you should be assassinated and succession in case of it. Bonus points if your advisors assassinate body doubles to retire you instead.

Yes.

seems contradictory, dictators are almost never benevolent. They wouldn't be a dictator if they were benevolent. the only thing they do is immediately cede power to a " council or a elected persons. unless you mean something like diety that is benevolent, ruling from the "shadows" through another leader.