Deanna C. answered • 05/01/19
Certified High School Teacher with experience
Great question! Unfortunately, it doesn't have a simple answer. Oftentimes, people who are classified as authoritarian, such as Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and Adolf Hitler take advantage of a country that is divided. For example, Joseph Stalin seized power in Russia after the Bolshevik revolution, which ended rule by Czar's. He moved up the ranks before he was ultimately able to completely take control. While in power, he modernized Russia and improved the infrastructure greatly. However, he did this by essentially enslaving his people and putting them in gulags. Anyone who spoke out against him, was killed.
Benito Mussolini seized power in a similar way. Italy was in chaos after WWI and Mussolini and his army of black-shirts, seized power, saying they were the only one's who could save Italy and restore order.
Adolf Hitler capitalized on the anti-Semitic views of many people in his country to gain power. After WWI, Germany was in a lot of debt and the infrastructure was destroyed. People were starving in the streets and inflation was so bad, that people burned money to keep warm rather than use it to buy food because it was so worthless, and Hitler blamed the Jewish people for starting WWI and for putting Germany in such an awful position. As Hitler slowly rose through the ranks of the NAZI party, he gained more followers and supporters (he was a very charismatic speaker). The Nazi party gained seats in the Reichstag (German Parliament) and at this time, President Hindenburg appointed Hitler, who was the face of the Nazi Party, to chancellor. Once Hitler was Chancellor he set to work, getting things such as the enabling act passed, which essentially gave him unlimited power to pass laws without going through the democratic process of the Reichstag.
The big takeaway from this is that dictators and authoritarian regimes capitalize on the devastation and chaos of their country to promise a better future, before becoming corrupt or making their true ideals known. Hope this helps!
