Why do we call authoritarians such as President Xi of China or Vladimir Putin “strongmen”? Putin seeks to reconstruct the old Soviet Union with his invasion of Ukraine as he looks beyond to the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. President Xi has kneecapped Hong Kong’s economic vitality since China tightened its grip over the region in 2020. Xi now has his sights set on “reunification” with Taiwan. If Putin really wanted to construct a “new” stronger Soviet Union why not make Russia so economically dynamic, prosperous, and culturally enticing that such countries actually want to rejoin or, at least, form alliances? Ditto with Xi. China was an economic dynamo somehow pulling off amazing GDP growth year after year within a socialist framework. But the growth has slowed, and the government now intervenes in business and industry scaring both capital and talent out of the country. Enticing Taiwan to freely rejoin China was always a long shot, but the heavy hand in Hong Kong ended that. Since Putin nor Xi have the leadership skills to remake their countries for the better, they play the military card. Using the military to invade a country is not a sign of strength, it is the mark of desperation. It demonstrates a ruler with no more options to achieve a goal, than to spill blood and destroy the civilization of a country they want to own. Are these the actions of strength? Or weakness?
Authoritarians through history follow a familiar playbook. They work to pull independent institutions under their control. First, by verbal attacks like “deep state,” then by replacing organizational leaders with their own people. So-called “strongmen” surround themselves with sycophants so spineless that their head sits upon their ass. Second, they replace truth with lies. Mussolini is given credit for recognizing that people will eventually come to believe lies as facts if they are repeated enough. Third, they consolidate power at the executive level and weaken existing checks and balances. Fourth, they do not tolerate criticism or dissent. Russian citizens are imprisoned for simply criticizing the Ukrainian offensive. Fifth, they employ identity politics to create a “us versus them” paranoia and marginalize everyone else. Sixth, they corrupt the election process to stay in power. Xi is now ‘president for life’ and Putin’s elections are frauds. Finally, they stoke violence when politically useful.
