Why would someone choose to be a demagogue?
Paul White's nationally distributed syndicated column, “Why would someone choose to be a demagogue?” is published in 22 publications across seven states. This includes the following newspapers and digital publications: Midland Daily News (MI), SFGate (CA), Seattle PI (WA), Connecticut Post (CT), Laredo Morning Times (TX), Huron Daily Tribune (MI), The Telegraph (IL), and more. In this week's article, Paul offers a lesson in demagoguery and how we can learn from the most famous demagogues’ mistakes and strive to build a better world together.
When I asked my AI chatbot to list the ten most famous demagogues in history, the chatbot took all three seconds to provide the list. Here it is:
1. Adolf Hitler
2. Joseph Stalin
3. Benito Mussolini
4. Julius Caesar
5. Vladimir Lenin
6. Mao Zedong
7. Saddam Hussein
8. Muammar al-Gaddafi
9. Kim Jong-un
10. Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Since "demagogue" may be a word you’re unfamiliar with, here’s a description: A demagogue is a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires, prejudices, and emotions rather than just reasoning and rational arguments. Demagogues often use their charisma and strong rhetoric to manipulate people and gain power rather than seeking to govern in the best interests of the people they represent. They may also use propaganda, misinformation, and other manipulative tactics to gain and maintain support.
But that's not a perfect description because it begins by identifying a demagogue as a political leader. My personal experience suggests you can also include religious leaders, news reporters, parents of athletes sitting in the stands, financial investors, economists, professors, community members, and more. In all of those groups, demagogues tend to represent an insignificant percentage of the whole, but they secure a lion’s share of the public’s attention. It’s sad that more 99% of any group that falls on the side of good can have their goodness tarnished by a few.
If you take any time to study the ten most famous demagogues, you’ll find they left a path of death and destruction behind them. You’ll also realize that their primary motivations were completely selfish but hidden behind a mask of caring for what’s best for others.
The opinion page in every newspaper includes people who have this strange desire to be part of the problem rather than part of the solution. Why? Well, frankly, it’s a lot easier to generalize and pick something apart than to assess, have an open discussion where your opinions may be debated, and be part of a group that works together for the good of all. Demagoguery doesn’t require telling the truth. You can say whatever you want and force others to determine its validity.
I’d like to go back up to the beginning of this article, where I list the ten most famous demagogues in history. Wouldn’t that list deter anyone from attempting to follow the demagogue strategy that each of them mastered? I cringed just reading each of their names based on my fundamental knowledge of them - except number ten.
The name Recep Tayyip Erdogan was not familiar to me. So, I looked him up. It turns out Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the current president of Turkey. He’s seeking re-election, as you read this. He’s been in power since 2014 and was previously the prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014.
Erdogan has often been criticized for his authoritarian tendencies and the government's suppression of political opposition and human rights abuses. However, he also enjoys a strong base of support among conservative and nationalist voters in Turkey because of his successful economic policies and emphasis on Turkish nationalism.
Another of the top ten currently living is Kim Jong-un, the current supreme leader of North Korea. Kim has been known for his strict and oppressive leadership style, including tight control over the country's media, harsh treatment of political dissidents and defectors, and a focus on nuclear weapons development. Again, if you study them, you would never want to be like them.
You’ll notice I haven’t claimed that being a demagogue is always a failed strategy. I claim that demagoguery succeeds ONLY in furthering the selfish interests of the one utilizing it. It occurs when any of us tosses out an opinion that tears down another person or thought process that we don’t agree with for no other purpose than to manipulate others' opinions of us and gain personal power.
The fact is, demagogues tear down, leaders build up! So, where's the lesson in all of this talk of demagoguery?
The lesson is for each of us to develop an analysis strategy that seeks the good, the possible, and the potential success of any thought process or idea we encounter. Remove the initial impulse to tear something down and destroy it before it even has a chance to hatch.
If you want to share an opinion you have, make sure that you’ve put adequate time into forming that opinion. Have your own personal debate, which allows you to consider other opinions that may not align with yours so you can adequately explain your thoughts without tearing down someone else’s.
Develop a mindset that allows you to be part of the creation and implementation of something that benefits the entire community, state, country, and world. Bring the good that resides in your heart and brain to the table and share that good for solutions within your family, your community, at work, and with every interaction you experience with others. It’s there that you will discover consistent joy and happiness in life. GiddyUp!
In addition to being a nationally syndicated columnist, Paul White is an author, motivational and inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, and life coach located in Midland, Michigan. He offers self-help and culture development to start your journey towards consistent growth and joy. If you’re interested in getting in touch with Paul, please submit an inquiry via our Contact Page.