Dictator. How to seize power and stay control

Now you know how Saddam came to power. Let’s talk about how he kept it. And let’s begin with the first critical period for any tyrant – when you must show that there is a new sheriff in town.

LESSON 8. ESTABLISH DOMINANCE

Dictatorships have certain rhythms. Immediately after seizing power, their position is very unstable. To remain in power, you must always be on guard. You must ensure that any potential rival is under strict control and knows their place. Rivals will include some of your earliest and closest allies with dangerous ambitions. Any weakness you show is always a signal to your rivals: “Yes, this guy is vulnerable!” These friends, who once supported you in good times, now wait for their moment to overthrow you. Don’t give them a chance. These guys didn’t give them a chance. All the generals of the Great March of Mao were dead within a few years. Almost all those who fought alongside Fidel Castro during the Cuban revolution were gone within two years. And what about Joseph Stalin’s first comrades in the USSR? They all disappeared rather quickly. But Saddam outdid them all. He made an unexpected move. One of Saddam’s friends told him that there were people who were grumbling. They were unhappy about the removal of al-Bakr from power. So Saddam invited all members of the Ba’ath Party to attend a congress. Saddam showed up with his famous cigar and announced, “There are people in this room who are against my leadership.” Then a man named Mashadi, a high-ranking Ba’ath Party member whom everyone held in high regard, stood up. He delivered a rehearsed speech. In this speech, Mashadi confessed that he was plotting a coup or conspiracy against the leadership of Iraq, including Saddam Hussein.

The conspiracy was entirely fabricated. Mashadi was tortured. Saddam brought Mashadi’s wife and daughters into prison and told him that he had a choice: either sit and watch as the guards first rape his wife and daughters and then kill them, or confess. Mashadi chose the latter. Mashadi began to list the names of Ba’ath Party members who, according to him, were also part of the conspiracy. A man would immediately approach these people, dressed in civilian clothes from the security service, and escort them out of the room. Some of the men begged, “Please, no, no!” It was a strange sight: pretended loyalty mixed with fear. Fear could be seen in the eyes of many of these people. They knew that their name could be called at any moment. Beyond the conference room, party members learned their fate. More than 20 people were sentenced to death, while others were sent to prison. They thought they were lucky – until they were forced to execute their comrades themselves. Was it the action of a sadist? Perhaps. But people had no more doubts: the new leader of Iraq was willing to do anything to protect his power. And just in case someone still hadn’t understood, the video of this session was sent out to the world – sent to all Iraqi embassies abroad. The message was clear: Look at what happens to those who betray the regime and their leader. This is the end that awaits them. What could be better to start a new era? Now that your rivals know what you’re capable of, they will have no choice but to accept it. But how will you ensure that you’ve won?

LESSON 9. BE EVERYWHERE

To survive as a tyrant, you need eyes, ears, and muscles you can rely on everywhere. To prevent any threat to your power, the dictator has only one effective method: to observe, lurking in the shadows. That is why every dictator’s best friend is an efficient and ruthless secret police.

During the “Great Terror” of the late 1930s, Joseph Stalin’s secret police, the NKVD, arrested and executed millions of so-called “enemies of the people.” They were accused of opposing Stalin and his regime. In Uganda, Idi Amin secured loyalty through his State Research Bureau. It was staffed by members of his tribe, as well as local criminals and foreign mercenaries. Haitian dictator “Papa Doc” Duvalier earned the nickname “Tonton Macoute,” or “Boogeyman.” This character from local folklore kidnaps and eats disobedient children. The idea of creating a secret police force emerged in Iraq in 1964 when Saddam helped establish the “Jihaz Hanin” – the security service. After becoming president, Saddam created a special department: a secret police force entirely made up of his family members and those close to them. They were all connected by blood and a vow of loyalty to Saddam Hussein. In Iraq during the 1970s, everyone knew these people. They drove similar cars, wore similar clothes, and even had matching mustaches. That was the entire secret part. But no matter how much power your secret police have, you’ll need something else to show that there’s nowhere to hide: a reliable network of informants. In Iraq, Saddam’s surveillance was everywhere! Everyone spied on each other. The Ba’ath Party spied on you.

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