47 pages • 1 hour read
The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
The Dictator’s Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics is a 2012 nonfiction book by political scientists Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith. In it, the authors, who are both professors at New York University, explore the pathologies of politics. In doing so, they demonstrate how leaders of all systems, including governments, businesses, and families, follow the same set of rules, known as the rules to rule by or The Dictator’s Handbook. They follow these rules for one reason: to stay in power, often at the cost of good governance. Personal political survival over national interests drives leaders in politics. Using insights from history, businesses, and present-day politics, the authors help readers understand the essentials of ruling. Their hope is that once we understand the political world, we can begin to assess how to use the rules to rule for the better.
Summary
The Introduction and Chapter 1 outline the foundations of ruling. Each subsequent chapter probes a specific feature or pathology of politics. In the Introduction and Chapter 1, Bueno de Mesquita and Smith describe how leaders need to navigate three groups of people: the nominal selectorate (interchangeables), or the pool of potential people who could support the ruler; the Unlock all 47 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
