Did you know dictators used to have term limits? (1 Viewer)

[Ahsoka]

Dictator used to be a position in the Roman Republic (before the Roman Empire). Typically, the Republic would have 2 consuls, who would be elected for a year term. They shared power between themselves, along with the Roman senate. However, if Rome was in a huge crisis, this could be overruled by the election of a dictator. This position came with near absolute power, in hopes that the consolidation of power under one person would solve the crisis. However, the dictator was limited to 6 months with this power. But over time, towards the end of the Roman Republic, some rulers would use their dictatorial powers to extend the term limit. Most notably, Julius Caesar proclaimed himself “dictator for life”, to differentiate between the original role of dictator with a term limit. This did not go over well, and he became the last dictator by name after his assassination, which started the Roman Empire. Realistically, the ruler of the empire had even more power than the dictators of the past, but he would never be called such by the Romans because the term dictator had become associated with tyranny.

 

[Ahsoka]

History tag:
@Lexie @Nyaz @Dreamer_of_Songs @Nina @velvet @AuGamer1987 @ChuuAntics @alo @sick

 

[MyLovelyLove]

Interesting!

 

[centen]

I'm not sure Julius's plan to be dictator for life really worked in his favor.

 

[Ahsoka]

I'm not sure Julius's plan to be dictator for life really worked in his favor.

Well he was dictator for the rest of his life

 

[centen]

Well he was dictator for the rest of his life

Technically correct! The best kind of correct!

 

[Selfmate]

I'm not sure Julius's plan to be dictator for life really worked in his favor.

Well he was dictator for the rest of his life

an interesting question would be how many dictators manage to "retire" instead of being ousted or outright murdered

 

[Ahsoka]

an interesting question would be how many dictators manage to "retire" instead of being ousted or outright murdered

Problem with being harsh in methods to quell dissent means that you’ve just made it clear that using those methods in general is okay. Not to mention how global politics plays into it, just look at all the Cold War dictators propped up by the US and USSR that became liabilities just a couple decades, to the point they were at the receiving end of revolutionaries supported by their previous allies. That said, if we count natural deaths as retiring even while the dictator was a dictator to the end then there's definitely some, but if it’s an actual retirement that’s probably way lower. Especially because many dictators don’t want to hand down their power even at the end, so they don’t choose to retire

 

[Selfmate]

Problem with being harsh in methods to quell dissent means that you’ve just made it clear that using those methods in general is okay. Not to mention how global politics plays into it, just look at all the Cold War dictators propped up by the US and USSR that became liabilities just a couple decades, to the point they were at the receiving end of revolutionaries supported by their previous allies. That said, if we count natural deaths as retiring even while the dictator was a dictator to the end then there's definitely some, but if it’s an actual retirement that’s probably way lower. Especially because many dictators don’t want to hand down their power even at the end, so they don’t choose to retire

what a shitty job being a dictator...you can't even retire properly
you'd think after all the greed and corruption and subjection and murder and stuff that the least one can do is abscond and retire to some island somewhere with one's ill gotten gains...

 

[Ahsoka]

what a shitty job being a dictator...you can't even retire properly
you'd think after all the greed and corruption and subjection and murder and stuff that the least one can do is abscond and retire to some island somewhere with one's ill gotten gains...

Ngl I can’t even think of any that actually retired. Closest that comes to mind is Francisco Franco giving up the position of prime minister in his latest years, but he was still head of state. There must be at least one out there, but they’re not coming to mind

Edit: Fidel Castro. Thought of him right after

 

[Selfmate]

Ngl I can’t even think of any that actually retired. Closest that comes to mind is Francisco Franco giving up the position of prime minister in his latest years, but he was still head of state. There must be at least one out there, but they’re not coming to mind

Edit: Fidel Castro. Thought of him right after

So much for Trump being like Putin - he should be more like Fidel!!!
but alas there are different categories of dictators!!!

 

[Chohee_nyang]

Fidel castro and Kim jong un dictators of now....

 

[dark_tranquility]

did not know this.
fascinating