Vladimir Putin Has Fallen Into the Dictator Trap

Brian Klaas writes for The Atlantic: ‘In the span of a couple of weeks, Vladimir Putin—a man recently described by Donald Trump as a strategic “genius”—managed to revitalize NATO, unify a splintered West, turn Ukraine’s little-known president into a global hero, wreck Russia’s economy, and solidify his legacy as a murderous war criminal. How did he miscalculate so badly? To answer that question, you have to understand the power and information ecosystems around dictators. I’ve studied and interviewed despots across the globe for more than a decade. In my research, I’ve persistently encountered a stubborn myth—of the savvy strongman, the rational, calculating despot who can play the long game because he (and it’s typically a he) doesn’t have to worry about pesky polls or angry voters. Our elected leaders, this view suggests, are no match for the tyrant who gazes into the next decade rather than fretting about next year’s election.’

Read the full article here.

Brian Klaas

Dr. Brian Klaas is an Associate Professor in Global Politics at University College London and a columnist for The Washington Post. Klaas is also a frequent television commentator and political consultant. He is also the author of the forthcoming book CORRUPTIBLE: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us and host of the Power Corrupts podcast. Dr. Klaas is an expert on democracy, authoritarianism, US foreign policy, American politics more generally, political violence, and elections. He has previously authored three books: ‘The Despot's Apprentice: Donald Trump's Attack on Democracy’ (Hurst & Co, November 2017); ‘The Despot's Accomplice: How the West is Aiding & Abetting the Decline of Democracy’ (Oxford University Press, December 2016); and ‘How to Rig an Election’ (Yale University Press, co-authored with Professor Nic Cheeseman; May 2018).

https://brianpklaas.com/
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