Dr. Marcel Dirsus

So usually dictators do something that is often called crew-proofing. There are multiple elements to this. You want to promote for loyalty. You want to make sure that generals are not too competent and so forth. But the other thing that you want to do is look at the structure of your security services. Democracies often have a unified chain of command.

So usually dictators do something that is often called crew-proofing. There are multiple elements to this. You want to promote for loyalty. You want to make sure that generals are not too competent and so forth. But the other thing that you want to do is look at the structure of your security services. Democracies often have a unified chain of command.

So usually dictators do something that is often called crew-proofing. There are multiple elements to this. You want to promote for loyalty. You want to make sure that generals are not too competent and so forth. But the other thing that you want to do is look at the structure of your security services. Democracies often have a unified chain of command.

They have one military, and that military is designed to fight wars. In dictatorships, what you want to do is you want to split those security services into multiple smaller parts. So you don't just want to have your regular military, but you also want to have some sort of parallel military. Perhaps you also have a militarized palace guard. Perhaps you have a large militia as well.

They have one military, and that military is designed to fight wars. In dictatorships, what you want to do is you want to split those security services into multiple smaller parts. So you don't just want to have your regular military, but you also want to have some sort of parallel military. Perhaps you also have a militarized palace guard. Perhaps you have a large militia as well.

They have one military, and that military is designed to fight wars. In dictatorships, what you want to do is you want to split those security services into multiple smaller parts. So you don't just want to have your regular military, but you also want to have some sort of parallel military. Perhaps you also have a militarized palace guard. Perhaps you have a large militia as well.

And the reason why you want to do this is because you want to make it impossible for that one general that you just mentioned to decide that he should rather be in charge. You want that general to think, if I try, I'm going to have to go through this parallel militia organization. I'm going to have to go through these militias.

And the reason why you want to do this is because you want to make it impossible for that one general that you just mentioned to decide that he should rather be in charge. You want that general to think, if I try, I'm going to have to go through this parallel militia organization. I'm going to have to go through these militias.

And the reason why you want to do this is because you want to make it impossible for that one general that you just mentioned to decide that he should rather be in charge. You want that general to think, if I try, I'm going to have to go through this parallel militia organization. I'm going to have to go through these militias.

And you're hoping that this makes it less likely that they will actually try. over and over again. Let's take, for example, Russia. In the case of Russia, when Prigozhin was marching the wrong way towards Moscow, this is an example of that. So in the Russian system, you had these mercenaries because they were a counterweight to the regular military.

And you're hoping that this makes it less likely that they will actually try. over and over again. Let's take, for example, Russia. In the case of Russia, when Prigozhin was marching the wrong way towards Moscow, this is an example of that. So in the Russian system, you had these mercenaries because they were a counterweight to the regular military.

And you're hoping that this makes it less likely that they will actually try. over and over again. Let's take, for example, Russia. In the case of Russia, when Prigozhin was marching the wrong way towards Moscow, this is an example of that. So in the Russian system, you had these mercenaries because they were a counterweight to the regular military.

But it also shows the trade-off because as you structure your security forces this way, they become less effective at actually fighting war, which is their core job. And you may also create a monster that can come back to bite you. And in the case of Russia, you know, both have happened. They've been less effective than they could have been. And Putin could have easily lost power.

But it also shows the trade-off because as you structure your security forces this way, they become less effective at actually fighting war, which is their core job. And you may also create a monster that can come back to bite you. And in the case of Russia, you know, both have happened. They've been less effective than they could have been. And Putin could have easily lost power.

But it also shows the trade-off because as you structure your security forces this way, they become less effective at actually fighting war, which is their core job. And you may also create a monster that can come back to bite you. And in the case of Russia, you know, both have happened. They've been less effective than they could have been. And Putin could have easily lost power.

Yeah, and I think Sudan actually shows perfectly the sort of succession problem that we were talking about earlier. People thought that when the last dictator was toppled, okay, now the way is clear, the country is going to transition towards a democracy.

Yeah, and I think Sudan actually shows perfectly the sort of succession problem that we were talking about earlier. People thought that when the last dictator was toppled, okay, now the way is clear, the country is going to transition towards a democracy.

Yeah, and I think Sudan actually shows perfectly the sort of succession problem that we were talking about earlier. People thought that when the last dictator was toppled, okay, now the way is clear, the country is going to transition towards a democracy.

But the problem that you had is that now there wasn't one man that was a problem, but now you had multiple men in camouflage wanting to become the leader. And this type of fighting has escalated to such a degree that you're now looking at a civil war where millions and millions of people have fled.

But the problem that you had is that now there wasn't one man that was a problem, but now you had multiple men in camouflage wanting to become the leader. And this type of fighting has escalated to such a degree that you're now looking at a civil war where millions and millions of people have fled.