# What leaders need to get and stay in power #permanentnote ## Source - [[book - The dictator's handbook]] ## Keywords (topics and howto) - [[topic - simplification]] - [[topic - leading and managing]] - [[topic - politics and power]] ## Relevant notes - [[zt - what leaders want]] This is about how to get what leaders want ## Notes In [[book - The dictator's handbook]], there is an interesting definition of what is needed for leaders to gain and stay in power. And the interesting bit is that this applies to dictators and to democratically elected leaders. First concept: Every leader needs the support of others. You MUST buy their political loyalty, with the minimum amount of effort and money. For a leader to gain power and stay in power they need a group of people, these are the Essentials. Without them, you cannot get into power or stay in power. That group of Essentials will come from a pool of Influentials, people who have say and might be essentials. The Influentials come from a pool of Interchangeable, a group of people that may or may not be influential in the leader getting and staying in power. Let's see who belongs to these groups in a dictatorship and a democracy ## In a dictatorship - the population is interchangeable - the elite and asset owners are influential - the army and a few others are essential to stay in powers As a dictator you need to keep your influentials close, give them enough money to keep you in power, yet always remind them that at any point you (as the dictator) can get rid of them and have someone else from the influential. In the same way, it is important to keep the influentials in line by reminding them that their status depends on you; you have the power to send them back to the interchangeable pool. ## In a democracy - everyone having the right to vote is Interchangeable - anyone who votes is Influential - the minimum number of voters voting for you to get or stay in power is essential As a democratically elected leader, you need to keep your voters happy. As there are many voters, you cannot bribe them, so you do policies that will positively impact your voter more than anyone else. The problems of your voters are also the main problems you need to focus on. A democracy is the best system: to please your electorate you need to create policies that will positively impact a large number of people. ## In a Monarchy - the aristocrats are interchangeable (the non-aristocrats can mostly be ignored) - the royal family members and most powerful nobles are your influential - you need a good part of the royal family (to avoid knives in the back) plus the army as Essentials As an absolute ruler, you are in a better position than a dictator as you got there by 'right', by being born to be the ruler. Still, history is full of civil wars, fights, murder and imprisonments, so better be sure that in case of death (yours) others in the family would suffer catastrophic consequences. ## In a business - The shareholders are interchangeable - The influentials are the voting shareholders - The essentials are the shareholders with real voting rights, often represented by the board. As a leader of a company, you should not be afraid of being killed, yet staying in power is hard. Employees cannot be forced, cannot be sacked too easily, and the share price of the company is not always logical.