Dictator. How to seize power and stay control. Dumitru Ghereg

must rise again. Soon, Hitler becomes the leader of the party, and it gets a new name – the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, known as the NSDAP. Now, Hitler has a platform to express his outrage and a dedicated group of followers who hang on every word. Many Germans realized: he was saying what they thought in secret but dared not say aloud.

      Why does this work so well? Because you allow people to be themselves. Shared grievance unites people, making it easier for them to come together. They have solidarity, and they have a strong leader – one who leads them against a minority or an external threat. It’s hard to believe that people can so quickly blame others for their misfortune, right? Let’s not pretend that in the 1920s, Germans were worse than we are today. If you genuinely feel that there is an enemy out there, you want your politicians to do something about it. It is very easy to sit back and say: “I would never fall for the charm of a tyrant like Hitler.” But you would fall for it, believe me. However, to achieve absolute power, you need more than just a convincing message. You have to sell the message – and this manual will be your guide.

      LESSON 4. BE FROM THE PEOPLE

      As a dictator, you will become the face of your nation, and how you present that face will depend solely on you. At this early stage, the manual offers specific advice on how to create your image. Show the people that you are one of them. Need examples? Italian dictator Benito Mussolini proudly called himself “a man of the people,” often recalling his humble roots: that he was the son of a blacksmith from a small town. At the beginning of his rule, Idi Amin traveled around Uganda in an open jeep and was famous for happily playing the accordion at public events. Muammar Gaddafi openly demonstrated his Bedouin roots: he dressed in tribal clothing and always lived in a tent, even while traveling.

      Who can better embody the nation’s dreams and transform them into reality than one who feels the same as the people, who dreams the same dreams as the people? A distinctive feature of successful dictators is that they achieve complete unity with their people. They step forward and say, “I am you, you are me, we are one collective organism.” Hitler often said this in his speeches. Now that you’ve become a true man of the people, it’s time to think about the small details. Hitler didn’t dress lavishly – he always wore a uniform. He came out of the trenches of World War I. He believed that war shapes a person. This helped; it attracted the masses and secured their support.

      What about his mustache? Something made him change his appearance. In the notes of writer Alexander Moritz Frey, there’s a description of how Adolf Hitler acquired his characteristic “toothbrush” mustache, which became an inseparable part of his image. According to Frey’s account, during World War I, the future Führer, who was serving in the German army, was ordered to trim his thick Prussian mustache so it wouldn’t interfere with wearing a gas mask. This was something all soldiers had to go through. Mustaches were only allowed for military personnel of certain ranks. Frey’s frontline notes, which he wrote while serving with Hitler during World War I, were included in a new biography of the writer. Its author, Stefan Ernsting, found them in the archive of a small German town, Marbach. These notes had never been published before. Another cultural historian, Ron Rosenbaum, claims that Hitler didn’t wear the “toothbrush” mustache until the end of 1919, despite photographic materials as evidence. Before the “toothbrush” mustache, before World War I, Hitler wore the popular style of mustache at the time, known as the “Kaiser mustache” (which was worn by Wilhelm II, the German Emperor). Maybe Hitler never thought that this would pave his way to immortality, but sometimes a future tyrant just gets lucky. Eventually, the classic small mustache appeared. This style was worn by lower-middle-class men across Europe. What did Hitler show? “I am just like you!”

      Now that you have strengthened your bond with the common people, you feel that a date with destiny is near. But don’t rush. If you want to enter history, you need to reach a deeper level – to penetrate into the subconscious itself.

      LESSON 5. POPULARIZE YOUR MOVEMENT

      The Nazi Party grew quickly, but alongside them, there were dozens of right-wing parties, all vying for power. Like with any product, to make your movement stand out, you need a great marketing strategy – and Hitler was a born advertiser. Hitler understood the power of imagery; he knew the power of branding. You need not just a person – you need symbols that will embody the idea. And when it comes to symbols, you must admit, they are incredibly powerful. There is no more recognizable brand than the swastika in a white circle on a red flag. It’s probably the most powerful symbol that has ever existed on the planet.

      But as convincing as the right symbol may be, your real strength lies in the people, and they must be properly dressed. Hitler read this page of the manual and chose the brown shirt. The very act of having a uniform is important. Now you are part of something bigger than yourself. This was very important, very meaningful for the German psyche. This uniform signified duty, obedience, and loyalty. In other words, when you wear the uniform, you are part of a whole; you’re on a team. And who doesn’t want to be on a team?

      Obedience is undoubtedly one of the main goals that all tyrants strive for. The reason they sometimes succeed is astonishing: they manage to convince their followers that, in reality, it’s not obedience, but unity. Your growing movement gains strength. Soon, it will be impossible to ignore. Hitler actively involved people in this “luxurious” magnificence: the image of the swastika, people marching in uniforms, torches at rallies, passionate speeches – pure temptation.

      “If we want to be together, if we want to participate in this play – let’s join.” It sounds funny, but offering a good show and sharp speeches doesn’t mean your rise to power is close. You need to expand your reach, and this will depend on the right personnel decisions.

      LESSON 6. CREATE A TEAM

      No one rules alone not Idi Amin, nor Louis XIV, who said, “I am the state.” When it comes to seizing power, you’ll need a team you can trust to have your back. Here’s the proof: Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle helped him carry out a coup against the Libyan king and form a government. He would rule for nearly 40 years. Saddam Hussein relied on family members and people from his tribe they formed the core of his support base. Joseph Stalin brought his key allies into the Central Committee. This allowed him to eliminate all rivals and establish full control.

      But when you form a team to protect your power, not everyone can make the cut. Like any leader, you need people with the right skill set to bring your ideas to life: experienced organizers – to effectively manage and expand your movement; ruthless military leaders – to recruit others and follow your orders to the letter; reliable assistants – to stick to your tight schedule and record your speeches for posterity. You also need a true hero – to impress the wealthy. Revolution doesn’t come cheap. And of course, you must keep an eye out for new talents.

      But as the movement grows, some may be tempted to challenge you. Always remember, above all, you need people whose loyalty you can rely on. And Hitler could always count on this guy, who became his most devoted follower. Joseph Goebbels adored Hitler. After hearing a speech by him at some event, he was thrilled and simply said, “Yes, he is the one.” Goebbels understood the power of modern media, cinema, and control over them. He grasped the strength of suggestion and repetition. Goebbels became his Minister of Propaganda. Of course, talent is important, but what truly matters is that your followers always put you first, even when times are tough. Goebbels was truly loyal. In the end of 1945, in the bunker, he and his wife poisoned their six children, and then he poisoned himself because he couldn’t imagine a world without Hitler. That’s loyalty.

      If you followed the playbook to seize power – you defined your divine mission, harnessed the anger of your people, created the image of a common man, and chose a memorable symbol for your movement – now you have a loyal inner circle. But to make the final step toward power, you need the opportunity to take your shot. And when it comes, don’t miss.

      LESSON