On October 28, 1922, Italy stood at a crossroads. The First World War had left the nation battered and disillusioned, its economy shattered, its people restless, and its politics fractured. In the vacuum of chaos, Benito Mussolini—a fiery journalist turned political agitator—saw his chance. With his paramilitary Blackshirts, he launched what became known as the …
The contrast between being ruled and being governed goes beyond mere semantics. It hinges on the manner in which authority is wielded and the extent of control imposed on individuals within a society. When we speak of being ruled, we’re referring to a scenario where a single entity or individual wields absolute power and control …
Across the street from Tiananmen Square is the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. This chapter is straight out of the dictatorship playbook to put a leader’s body to rest in a mausoleum. Mao was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party from 1935 until his death in 1976. He was part of the movement to abandon …
