Daniel Chirot

Modern Tyrants (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

Along with its much vaunted progress in scientific and economic realms, our century has witnessed the rise of the most brutal and oppressive regimes in the history of mankind. Even with the collapse of Marxism, current references to ethnic cleansing remind us that tyranny persists in our own age and shows no sign of abating. Daniel Chirot offers an important and timely study of modern tyrants, both revealing the forces which allow them to come to power and helping us to predict where they may arise in the future.

Tyrannical rule typically begins in an economically depressed and unstable society with no real tradition of democratic government. Under such circumstances, a self-pitying nationalism often arises along with a widespread popular perception among the citizenry that grave injustices have been committed against them. When a charismatic leader is able to exploit this situation, he may sanction unspeakable atrocities while claiming to uphold cherished national myths.

Chriot analyzes the careers and characters of notorious dictators such as Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and Saddam, as well as lesser known tyrants such as Kim II Sung of North Korea, Ne Win of Burma, Argentina's Peron, the Dominican Republic's Trujillo, Pol Pot, Duvalier, and others. He demonstrates how they can survive the rise and fall of particular ideologies and reveals the frightening new marriages between nationalism and a host of local concerns. The lesson drawn is stark and disturbing: the age of modern tyranny is upon us, and unlikely to fade soon.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Simon + Schuster LLC
• Seitenzahl: 496
• Erscheinungstermin: 7. Februar 1994
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781439105917
• Artikelnr.: 49187317

Autorenporträt

Daniel Chirot is the Herbert J. Ellison Professor of Russian and Eurasian Studies at the University of Washington. Chirot is also the founder of the journal East European Politics and Societies, and has written and edited many books and articles.

Inhaltsangabe

Preface
Acknowledgments
1
On Modern Tyranny
1
2
Moderation Abandoned
25
3
In the Beginning Was the Word
71
4
Death, Lies, and Decay
121
5
A Typological Map of Tyranny
167
6
Imagined Egalitarian Hells: Maoism and the Khmer Rouge
175
7
Little Stalins? Socialist Corporatism at the Service of the Nation and
the Leader
231
8
Little Hitlers? Elite Fantasies in Argentina and Iraq, and Their
Realization
267
9
An Inadvertent Catastrophe: Burma's Confrontation with Colonialism,
Modern Nationalism, and Ne Win
309
10
Race aud Corruption on the Island of Hispaniola: Two Caribbean
Nightmares
341
11
Colonialism, Resentment, and Chaos: Two African Studies
373
12
Some Propositions, Lessons, and Predictions about Tyranny
403
Notes
429
Bibliography
457
Index
479

Rezensionen

Chirot's approach is both useful and unusual, as it isn't driven by ideology.... His book should be of lasting value as a quick reference to many of the worst regimes of our century.... Chirot's conclusions ... [are] clearly stated and intelligent.