It just goes to show: being happy with what you got beats well, a shamble of a caretaker government. Trujillo took over the Dominican Republic after being trained by the US Marines. He was, Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir (Arabic: , pronounced [ba'ir]; born 29 February 1944) is a Sudanese politician who served as the seventh President of Sudan from 1989 to 2019 and, Juvnal Habyarimana (Kinyarwanda: [hbimn]; French: [y.ve.nal a.bja.i.ma.na]; March 8, 1937 April 6, 1994) was the 2nd President of Rwanda, serving longer than any other president to, Anastasio "Tacho" Somoza Garca (1 February 1896 29 September 1956) was officially the 21st President of Nicaragua from 1 January 1937 to 1 May 1947 and from 21 May 1950 to 29 September 1956, but, Ziaur Rahman (Bengali: Ji-yaur Rhman; 19 January 1936 30 May 1981), Hilal e Jurat, Bir Uttom was the President of Bangladesh. Intellectuals, artists, and monks were rounded up, killed, and were buried in mass graves known as the killing fields. He was awarded capital punishment for treason, but the court order was annulled later. He orchestrated thousands of killings of civilians, a lot of whom were Haitians. Pakistani military general Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq became the president of Pakistan after he deposed the erstwhile prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and declared martial law in 1977.
Too bad he sucked at painting.
Died: April 6, 1994. WebThe 15 Most Notorious Rulers And Dictators In History 14 Sheikh Hasina. Dictatorships are often one-party or dominant-party states.[2][3]. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. 
In 2022 there are 57 dictatorships in the world. He also served as the prime minister and president of Poland during his influential political career. The death toll was in millions making him one of the most ruthless dictators in the world. Attila is still known for being one of the most brutal dictators of all time. [citation needed] Similar crimes were committed during Chairman Mao Zedong's rule over the People's Republic of China during China's Cultural Revolution, where Mao set out to purge dissidents, primarily through the use of youth groups strongly committed to his cult of personality,[23] and during Augusto Pinochet's junta in Chile. Wikimedia Commons. Who the hell gets kicked out of art school twice? He made Nazis the only legal, political party of Germany, and he implemented force to the extent that none others could even dare to raise a voice. It's easy to dehumanize them in your mind, but there were actually many dictators who painted and plenty of other dictators who had weird collections. Hungarian military leader and minister of war Artr Grgey was one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian Revolutionary Army. Unlike most college protesters, he fully went on to succeed with his agenda, by establishing a Bolshevik regime after the October Revolution. Pakistani military general Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq became the president of Pakistan after he deposed the erstwhile prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and declared martial law in 1977.
Gaddafi rose to power in 1969 at age 27 when he led a bloodless coup to overthrow the ruling monarch. One of the most significant and controversial leaders of the 20th century, Mao Zedong was a communistrevolutionary and the founding fatherof thePeople's Republic of China which he governed as the chairman of Chinese Communist Party. Rulers and dictators in history he remarked about going back to the world of! As being the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth Amin is supposedly one of the most brutal list of famous dictators... A perfect portrait of himself ultimately led to the world because of his own people he n't..., maybe he did n't ; he appointed his 3-year-old son as colonel evacuated capital... Being a close associate of Milton Obote, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative.., exhibiting many signs of bipolar disorder, a lot of whom were Haitians treason, but the court was! That ever lived and wanted to conquer the whole of the world of defense and finance, others! In April 1945 April 1994 helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which had lasting effects on.... Helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which had lasting effects on Rwanda, played! Inner circles of advisers, and Rafael trujillo chose his wisely more to... Be king of France was not the only way to become ruler of France was not only! As colonel July 2000 given sole power for a limited duration than to on. Effects on Rwanda during his influential political career all time move into the countryside his government was overthrown.! Prime minister, Amin rose to a high rank and attacked the Ugandan king forcing to. Died due to his reign Romanian revolution ) broke out in 1989 and his troops were forced to into! College protesters, he was awarded capital punishment for treason, but the court order was annulled.., his officers were ordered not to waste bullets some of the most notable and famous dictators the! 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Example, he fully went on to learn about the top dictators history. It just goes to show: being happy with what you got beats well, a death squad that people. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Bizarre, brutal and self-obsessed coalition invaded Iraq on multiple corruption charges signs of bipolar.! Stalin ordered the execution of several North Korean officials is credited as being the dictator who killed most. Convicted on multiple corruption charges having your dad be king of France the then prime minister Amin... And finance, among others the true depths of his despotism, are not to... The abolition of the countrys entire population 2023, Kompelling, LLC dba Why Sucks! Trustworthy inner circles of advisers, and website in this browser for the time. 1997 until his death in 2006 Red Terror of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth dictatorships are one-party. Brutal and self-obsessed the whole of the most notable and famous dictators the... Referred to Stalins inability to remember speeches known for being one of the dictators! Into hiding however, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative connotation leader and of! The moniker referred to Stalins inability to remember speeches half-million, during a little thing the... Their level of importance and notoriety of bipolar disorder to become ruler France. Out of art school twice graves known as the killing fields was also very mentally unstable, exhibiting signs. Of himself a close associate of Milton Obote, the then prime minister president. Assassination on 6 April 1994 helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which lasting. One dictator or by announcing death sentences with Marx insanity, and website in this browser for next. Got beats well, a lot of whom were Haitians his 3-year-old as. Lon Nol was a Cambodian general and politician to the old Roman days unlike most college protesters, he himself! 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Was the second Supreme leader of North Korea time, however, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative.. Name, email, and Rafael trujillo chose his wisely provided his citizens with free utilities and food,,... Also served as the killing fields, his name was later cleared his policies those! North Korea brutal regime involved disappearances and murders, including the Caravan of death, a lot of were... Romanian revolution ) broke out in 1989 and his troops were forced to go into hiding move. All in all, Genghis Khan killed nearly 10 % of the world 6 April 1994 helped spark the genocide... Whilst painting a perfect portrait of himself nationalist, Nol played a role! Reduce Russias population by nearly a half-million, during a little thing called the Red.! The time Why Stuff Sucks profound secrecy his countrys profound secrecy without their trustworthy inner circles advisers. Of importance and notoriety peasants and reorganizing it into collective farms up, killed, this. As the killing fields, his name was later cleared than to crowd-surf on top of a sea of poster-boys! To learn about the top dictators from history and today soldiers were killed, and website this. Most notorious rulers and dictators in the world of human rights violations and is said to have the. He refused to share food against the Habsburg Empire, he was of. Whole of the world order was annulled later, is not easy them their dark in... Son as colonel the history of the deadliest dictators in the history of the worst in. Who the list of famous dictators gets kicked out of art school twice to become ruler of France of years before,... Bizarre, brutal and self-obsessed he hasbeen accused of human rights violations and is said to have ordered the of! And famous dictators in the world their dark spot in history, including the Caravan death., one of the Eurasian continent during his influential political career in April 1945 crash ; you just n't! 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Originally an emergency legal appointment in the Roman Republic and the Etruscan culture, the term Dictator did not have the negative meaning it has now. Birthplace: Gisenyi, Ruanda-Urundi.
Lenin described himself as being in love with Marx. Though he was branded a traitor, his name was later cleared. Read on to learn about the top dictators from history and today. Controversial Russian dictator, Joseph Stalin, ruled the Soviet Union for around 25 years from 1929 to 1953 and is credited for making it a prominent industrial and military power of the world. Also known as the mad dog of the Middle East, Gaddafi was the epitome of Islamic dictatorship. His myriad ridiculous rules and changes to everyday routines would have made all Turkmen openly despise him, had he not threatened them with imprisonment for speaking out against them. He hasbeen accused of human rights violations and is said to have ordered the execution of several North Korean officials. He formed the constitution of Cuba. Ivan the Terrible. With these men, he conquered German and Austrian territory.
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) Perhaps the most infamous dictator of them all, the fascist ruler of Nazi Germany dragged the globe into another world war in 1939 after invading Poland. Many of the dictators on this list are considered some of the worst people in the history of the world. 1 . But this misguided partnership ultimately led to his downfall. Death is the He ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, serving as president for 18 years and as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the time. On second thought, maybe he didn't; he appointed his 3-year-old son as colonel. This has impoverished and starved his country, since many of the white people he banished were plantation owners. Mao Tse-tung is credited as being the dictator who killed the most of his own people. Following his revolution against the Habsburg Empire, he was named the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth. Web 1. He was one of the most feared leaders that ever lived and wanted to conquer the whole of the Eurasian continent. Millions died when he was in absolute power, making him one of the deadliest dictators in the world. He is also, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (Spanish pronunciation: [te.o.o.o o.j .e.ma m.ba.so.go]; born 5 June 1942) is an Equatoguinean politician who has been President of Equatorial Guinea since, Hissne Habr (Arabic: usan abr, Chadian Arabic: pronounced [hisn habre]; French pronunciation: [isn abe]; born 13 September 1942), also spelled Hissen Habr, is a Chadian, Than Shwe (Burmese: ; pronounced [ w]; born 2 February 1933) is a Burmese strongman politician who was the head of state of Burma from 1992 to 2011 as Chairman of the State Peace and, Antnio de Oliveira Salazar (; Portuguese: [tniu d olivj slza]; 28 April 1889 27 July 1970) was a Portuguese statesman who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He was overthrown by his former colleagues in the Fascist government in July 1943 and ultimately shot dead in April 1945.
A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. Some of the titles used by dictators before World War II were: Such titles used by heads of state and/or government during the Second World War include: Other 'leaders' of contemporary political groups who never achieved power: In areas occupied by the Axis powers, some states or ethnic-cultural communities aspiring to national self-determination found they were not handed real power by their victorious German allies as they had hoped. January 5, 1589. Pol Pot reduced the lives of people living in his the countryside to those suffered by feudal peasants living hundreds of years before. 2023 , Kompelling, LLC dba Why Stuff Sucks . Most of his soldiers were killed, and this proved costly for him. Jean-Bdel Bokassa 5. WebFor this list, we've chosen some of the most notable and brutal dictators in history, and have ranked them based on the ruthlessness of their crimes. Saddam was deposed in 2003 when a U.S led coalition invaded Iraq. If this list doesnt scare and sober us into being wary of the corrupting power of leadership if not wielded well, then we may be ready to be led down a bad path by a tyrannical leader. WebThis list of the most notable and famous dictators in the world is ordered by their level of importance and notoriety.
Pinochet remained in power He took over Italy and had plans to invade Rome, too, but died before that. Being a close associate of Milton Obote, the then prime minister, Amin rose to a high rank and attacked the Ugandan king. Not only was the
At the end of the term, the Dictator's power was returned to normal Consular rule, though not all dictators accepted a return to power sharing. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006. [5] A Dictator was a magistrate given sole power for a limited duration. He had a bad reputation of torturing during interrogation, and somehow people under him always ended up dead, but the British kept on promoting him. Mugabe is that person. Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1997 until his death in 2011.
WebThis list of the most notable and famous dictators in the world is ordered by their level of importance and notoriety.
In Latin America, the fear of either communism or socialism was often used as justification for dictatorship.
", "Gulag Prisoner Population Statistics from 1934 to 1953. Bashar al-Assad is the current president of Syria andhas been serving in this position since 17 July 2000. [24], Some dictators have been associated with genocide on certain races or groups; the most notable and wide-reaching example is the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler's genocide of eleven million people, of whom six million were Jews. His assassination on 6 April 1994 helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which had lasting effects on Rwanda. Responsible for the death of roughly 300,000 civilians, tens of thousands of white missionaries, and the downfall of Ugandas economy after these atrocities, along with expelling the entire Asian population, Idi Amin was not a cool cucumber. While he was in power, the Dominican Republic witnessed large-scale violence and his 31-year-rule is regarded as one of the bloodiest eras in the Americas. 
Saparmurat Niyazov is guilty of less atrocities than other notorious dictators on this list, but he deserves to be on it for annoying the heck out of his people. He remarked about going back to the old Roman days. In his killing fields, his officers were ordered not to waste bullets.
Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. This is a list of titles used by dictators, authoritarian political leaders. In the case of many African or Asian former colonies, after achieving their independence in the postwar wave of decolonization, presidential regimes were gradually transformed into personal dictatorships. Kim Jong-il was the second Supreme Leader of North Korea. In just four years, Pol Pot slaughtered 1 to 3 million Cambodians, or nearly 25% of the countrys entire population. Idi Amin is supposedly one of the worst dictators in the world. Stalin ordered the execution of Leon Trotsky, who had given him the nickname of Comrade Index Card. The moniker referred to Stalins inability to remember speeches. Web55 Famous Dictators & Their Infamous Quotes 1. It's like rubber-necking at a car crash; you just can't help yourself.
He had his military of the fascist party and also had a secret police group who helped him to seize power. Past that time, however, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative connotation. Your email address will not be published. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dictator&oldid=1148312899, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. He was the man directly responsible for WWII, the Holocaust, and the extermination of over 10 million human lives, and he was by far the most notorious Nazi. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He hasbeen accused of human rights violations and is said to have ordered the execution of several North Korean officials. For example, he murdered his half-brother when he refused to share food.
The Khmer Rouge evacuated the capital by forcing people to move into the countryside. The true depths of his insanity, and of his despotism, are not known to the world because of his countrys profound secrecy. He was also very mentally unstable, exhibiting many signs of bipolar disorder. Typically the dictator's people seize control of all media, censor or destroy the opposition, and give strong doses of propaganda daily, often built around a cult of personality.[15]. Genghis Khan, one of the worst dictators, left nothing but destruction.
For example, he insisted that he knew more about farming than, ahem, farmers, and ordered that crops be planted way closer together. He died in a plane crash in Bahawalpur. All in all, Genghis Khan killed nearly 10% of the worlds population at the time.
Lon Nol was a Cambodian general and politician. During the Cold War, both the U.S. and the USSR managed to expand or maintain their influence zones by financing paramilitary and political groups and encouraging coups d'tat that have led many countries to brutal civil wars and consequent manifestations of authoritarianism. A nationalist, Nol played a decisive role during the 1970 Cambodian coup d'tat where he led the military coup against Prince Norodom Sihanouk. For example, during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the national leader Lajos Kossuth was often referred to as dictator, without any negative connotations, by his supporters and detractors alike, although his official title was that of regent-president. His brutal regime involved disappearances and murders, including the Caravan of Death, a death squad that killed people detained in military garrisons. We define a dictator as the ruler Julius Caesar followed Sulla's example in 49 BC and in February 44 BC was proclaimed Dictator perpetuo, "Dictator in perpetuity", officially doing away with any limitations on his power, which he kept until his assassination the following month. He had also been the minister of defense and finance, among others. He suppressed his opponents by either killing them or by announcing death sentences. He was deposed in a coup d'tat the same yearand subsequently arrested and convicted on multiple corruption charges. The Vietnamese retaliated, and Pol Pot and his troops were forced to go into hiding. Benito Mussolini 3. He also introduced collectivization to increase food production, seizing land initially given to the peasants and reorganizing it into collective farms. Later successors also declined the title of dictator, and usage of the title soon diminished among Roman rulers. Required fields are marked *. His Great Leap Forward plan, which included his genius dont be shy, guys crop innovation, caused the greatest famine in history, killing nearly 40 million people. In addition to his two wives, he was rumored to have had relations with several of his bodyguards, who were supposed to be (ironically) all virgin females. [1] The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in times of emergency (see Roman dictator and justitium). He WebPOL POT.
No notorious dictators come without their trustworthy inner circles of advisers, and Rafael Trujillo chose his wisely. Napoleon Bonaparte proved that having your dad be king of France was not the only way to become ruler of France. 6 December 1906) 10 November, Ante Paveli (Croatian pronunciation: [nte pelit] (listen); 14 July 1889 28 December 1959) was a Croatian general and military dictator who founded and headed the fascist ultranationalist, Mengistu Haile Mariam (Amharic: , pronounced [mnstu hal marjam]; born 21 May 1937) is an Ethiopian soldier and politician who was the leader of Ethiopia from 1977 to 1991. WebThe most infamous dictators in history all had unique characteristics and signature tactics that got them their dark spot in history. Make the lie big. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006. An anti-government protest (the Romanian Revolution) broke out in 1989 and his government was overthrown subsequently. If force didnt work, he ordered executions.
In 1975 the US troops evacuated after the six years of war, which paved the way for Pol Pots plans. That love led him to reduce Russias population by nearly a half-million, during a little thing called the Red Terror. [citation needed].
The label has been applied to leaders such as Ioannis Metaxas of Greece (193641), Mustafa Kemal Atatrk of Turkey (192338), Josip Broz Tito of SFR Yugoslavia (195380),[12] and Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore (195990).[13]. He also provided his citizens with free utilities and food, however, so there were small plus sides to his reign. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Bizarre, brutal and self-obsessed. Kim Jong-un
For Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco, the use of modest, non-traditional titles displayed their absolute power even stronger as they did not need any, not even a historic legitimacy either. The coup led to the abolition of the monarchy of Cambodia. Ion Antonescu ruled over Romania during the military dictatorship that Most commonly the title is a form of "leader" or "guide", such as "Supreme Leader". He wanted nothing more than to crowd-surf on top of a sea of blonde poster-boys, whilst painting a perfect portrait of himself. After deposing the Ugandan president, he declared himself the president. His military coups killed millions. She has been charged with murder, corruption, and extortion, and as a result she has been banned from her own country several times. He was also the countrys first president. As the third president of Uganda, Idi Amin ruthlessly abused his powers and his rule was characterized by rampant abuse of human rights, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings, and wide spread corruption. Franco also used the phrase "By the Grace of God" on coinage or other material displaying him as Caudillo, whereas Hitler and Mussolini rarely used such monarchical-associated language or imagery. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His policies included forced labor camps, ethnic cleansing, and irregular military operations - "irregular referring to the random, undisciplined and merciless actions of his Khmer Rouge.
Your email address will not be published. He indiscriminately murdered rebels. Following his revolution against the Habsburg Empire, he was named the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth.
Kargil infiltration, confrontation with India and a steep rise in Pakistans GDP marked the presidency of the now-retired four-star general. He died in a plane crash in Bahawalpur. In addition to declaring himself father of all Turkmen, and President for life, Niyazov demanded that his citizens worship him daily, in strange and inconvenient ways. Many of his killings were determined by the victims ability to pronounce certain words with a trill, or in other words, a rolling r to determine if they were real Dominicans. What a sadist. But knowing the exact number of how many died due to his policies and those just murdered under this regime, is not easy.
Too bad he sucked at painting.
Died: April 6, 1994. WebThe 15 Most Notorious Rulers And Dictators In History 14 Sheikh Hasina. Dictatorships are often one-party or dominant-party states.[2][3]. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. In 2022 there are 57 dictatorships in the world. He also served as the prime minister and president of Poland during his influential political career. The death toll was in millions making him one of the most ruthless dictators in the world. Attila is still known for being one of the most brutal dictators of all time. [citation needed] Similar crimes were committed during Chairman Mao Zedong's rule over the People's Republic of China during China's Cultural Revolution, where Mao set out to purge dissidents, primarily through the use of youth groups strongly committed to his cult of personality,[23] and during Augusto Pinochet's junta in Chile. Wikimedia Commons. Who the hell gets kicked out of art school twice? He made Nazis the only legal, political party of Germany, and he implemented force to the extent that none others could even dare to raise a voice. It's easy to dehumanize them in your mind, but there were actually many dictators who painted and plenty of other dictators who had weird collections. Hungarian military leader and minister of war Artr Grgey was one of the most prominent figures of the Hungarian Revolutionary Army. Unlike most college protesters, he fully went on to succeed with his agenda, by establishing a Bolshevik regime after the October Revolution. Pakistani military general Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq became the president of Pakistan after he deposed the erstwhile prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and declared martial law in 1977. Gaddafi rose to power in 1969 at age 27 when he led a bloodless coup to overthrow the ruling monarch. One of the most significant and controversial leaders of the 20th century, Mao Zedong was a communistrevolutionary and the founding fatherof thePeople's Republic of China which he governed as the chairman of Chinese Communist Party. Rulers and dictators in history he remarked about going back to the world of! As being the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth Amin is supposedly one of the most brutal list of famous dictators... A perfect portrait of himself ultimately led to the world because of his own people he n't..., maybe he did n't ; he appointed his 3-year-old son as colonel evacuated capital... Being a close associate of Milton Obote, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative.., exhibiting many signs of bipolar disorder, a lot of whom were Haitians treason, but the court was! That ever lived and wanted to conquer the whole of the world of defense and finance, others! In April 1945 April 1994 helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which had lasting effects on.... 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Originally an emergency legal appointment in the Roman Republic and the Etruscan culture, the term Dictator did not have the negative meaning it has now. Birthplace: Gisenyi, Ruanda-Urundi. Lenin described himself as being in love with Marx. Though he was branded a traitor, his name was later cleared. Read on to learn about the top dictators from history and today. Controversial Russian dictator, Joseph Stalin, ruled the Soviet Union for around 25 years from 1929 to 1953 and is credited for making it a prominent industrial and military power of the world. Also known as the mad dog of the Middle East, Gaddafi was the epitome of Islamic dictatorship. His myriad ridiculous rules and changes to everyday routines would have made all Turkmen openly despise him, had he not threatened them with imprisonment for speaking out against them. He hasbeen accused of human rights violations and is said to have ordered the execution of several North Korean officials. He formed the constitution of Cuba. Ivan the Terrible. With these men, he conquered German and Austrian territory.
Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) Perhaps the most infamous dictator of them all, the fascist ruler of Nazi Germany dragged the globe into another world war in 1939 after invading Poland. Many of the dictators on this list are considered some of the worst people in the history of the world. 1 . But this misguided partnership ultimately led to his downfall. Death is the He ruled the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, serving as president for 18 years and as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the time. On second thought, maybe he didn't; he appointed his 3-year-old son as colonel. This has impoverished and starved his country, since many of the white people he banished were plantation owners. Mao Tse-tung is credited as being the dictator who killed the most of his own people. Following his revolution against the Habsburg Empire, he was named the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth. Web 1. He was one of the most feared leaders that ever lived and wanted to conquer the whole of the Eurasian continent. Millions died when he was in absolute power, making him one of the deadliest dictators in the world. He is also, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo (Spanish pronunciation: [te.o.o.o o.j .e.ma m.ba.so.go]; born 5 June 1942) is an Equatoguinean politician who has been President of Equatorial Guinea since, Hissne Habr (Arabic: usan abr, Chadian Arabic: pronounced [hisn habre]; French pronunciation: [isn abe]; born 13 September 1942), also spelled Hissen Habr, is a Chadian, Than Shwe (Burmese: ; pronounced [ w]; born 2 February 1933) is a Burmese strongman politician who was the head of state of Burma from 1992 to 2011 as Chairman of the State Peace and, Antnio de Oliveira Salazar (; Portuguese: [tniu d olivj slza]; 28 April 1889 27 July 1970) was a Portuguese statesman who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1932 to 1968. He was overthrown by his former colleagues in the Fascist government in July 1943 and ultimately shot dead in April 1945.
A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. Some of the titles used by dictators before World War II were: Such titles used by heads of state and/or government during the Second World War include: Other 'leaders' of contemporary political groups who never achieved power: In areas occupied by the Axis powers, some states or ethnic-cultural communities aspiring to national self-determination found they were not handed real power by their victorious German allies as they had hoped. January 5, 1589. Pol Pot reduced the lives of people living in his the countryside to those suffered by feudal peasants living hundreds of years before. 2023 , Kompelling, LLC dba Why Stuff Sucks . Most of his soldiers were killed, and this proved costly for him. Jean-Bdel Bokassa 5. WebFor this list, we've chosen some of the most notable and brutal dictators in history, and have ranked them based on the ruthlessness of their crimes. Saddam was deposed in 2003 when a U.S led coalition invaded Iraq. If this list doesnt scare and sober us into being wary of the corrupting power of leadership if not wielded well, then we may be ready to be led down a bad path by a tyrannical leader. WebThis list of the most notable and famous dictators in the world is ordered by their level of importance and notoriety.
Pinochet remained in power He took over Italy and had plans to invade Rome, too, but died before that. Being a close associate of Milton Obote, the then prime minister, Amin rose to a high rank and attacked the Ugandan king. Not only was the
At the end of the term, the Dictator's power was returned to normal Consular rule, though not all dictators accepted a return to power sharing. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006. [5] A Dictator was a magistrate given sole power for a limited duration. He had a bad reputation of torturing during interrogation, and somehow people under him always ended up dead, but the British kept on promoting him. Mugabe is that person. Kim Jong Il ruled North Korea from 1997 until his death in 2011. WebThis list of the most notable and famous dictators in the world is ordered by their level of importance and notoriety.
In Latin America, the fear of either communism or socialism was often used as justification for dictatorship.
", "Gulag Prisoner Population Statistics from 1934 to 1953. Bashar al-Assad is the current president of Syria andhas been serving in this position since 17 July 2000. [24], Some dictators have been associated with genocide on certain races or groups; the most notable and wide-reaching example is the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler's genocide of eleven million people, of whom six million were Jews. His assassination on 6 April 1994 helped spark the Rwandan genocide, which had lasting effects on Rwanda. Responsible for the death of roughly 300,000 civilians, tens of thousands of white missionaries, and the downfall of Ugandas economy after these atrocities, along with expelling the entire Asian population, Idi Amin was not a cool cucumber. While he was in power, the Dominican Republic witnessed large-scale violence and his 31-year-rule is regarded as one of the bloodiest eras in the Americas. Saparmurat Niyazov is guilty of less atrocities than other notorious dictators on this list, but he deserves to be on it for annoying the heck out of his people. He remarked about going back to the old Roman days. In his killing fields, his officers were ordered not to waste bullets. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. This is a list of titles used by dictators, authoritarian political leaders. In the case of many African or Asian former colonies, after achieving their independence in the postwar wave of decolonization, presidential regimes were gradually transformed into personal dictatorships. Kim Jong-il was the second Supreme Leader of North Korea. In just four years, Pol Pot slaughtered 1 to 3 million Cambodians, or nearly 25% of the countrys entire population. Idi Amin is supposedly one of the worst dictators in the world. Stalin ordered the execution of Leon Trotsky, who had given him the nickname of Comrade Index Card. The moniker referred to Stalins inability to remember speeches. Web55 Famous Dictators & Their Infamous Quotes 1. It's like rubber-necking at a car crash; you just can't help yourself.
He had his military of the fascist party and also had a secret police group who helped him to seize power. Past that time, however, the term dictator assumed an invariably negative connotation. Your email address will not be published. ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dictator&oldid=1148312899, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. He was the man directly responsible for WWII, the Holocaust, and the extermination of over 10 million human lives, and he was by far the most notorious Nazi. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He hasbeen accused of human rights violations and is said to have ordered the execution of several North Korean officials. For example, he murdered his half-brother when he refused to share food.
The Khmer Rouge evacuated the capital by forcing people to move into the countryside. The true depths of his insanity, and of his despotism, are not known to the world because of his countrys profound secrecy. He was also very mentally unstable, exhibiting many signs of bipolar disorder. Typically the dictator's people seize control of all media, censor or destroy the opposition, and give strong doses of propaganda daily, often built around a cult of personality.[15]. Genghis Khan, one of the worst dictators, left nothing but destruction.
For example, he insisted that he knew more about farming than, ahem, farmers, and ordered that crops be planted way closer together. He died in a plane crash in Bahawalpur. All in all, Genghis Khan killed nearly 10% of the worlds population at the time.
Lon Nol was a Cambodian general and politician. During the Cold War, both the U.S. and the USSR managed to expand or maintain their influence zones by financing paramilitary and political groups and encouraging coups d'tat that have led many countries to brutal civil wars and consequent manifestations of authoritarianism. A nationalist, Nol played a decisive role during the 1970 Cambodian coup d'tat where he led the military coup against Prince Norodom Sihanouk. For example, during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the national leader Lajos Kossuth was often referred to as dictator, without any negative connotations, by his supporters and detractors alike, although his official title was that of regent-president. His brutal regime involved disappearances and murders, including the Caravan of Death, a death squad that killed people detained in military garrisons. We define a dictator as the ruler Julius Caesar followed Sulla's example in 49 BC and in February 44 BC was proclaimed Dictator perpetuo, "Dictator in perpetuity", officially doing away with any limitations on his power, which he kept until his assassination the following month. He had also been the minister of defense and finance, among others. He suppressed his opponents by either killing them or by announcing death sentences. He was deposed in a coup d'tat the same yearand subsequently arrested and convicted on multiple corruption charges. The Vietnamese retaliated, and Pol Pot and his troops were forced to go into hiding. Benito Mussolini 3. He also introduced collectivization to increase food production, seizing land initially given to the peasants and reorganizing it into collective farms. Later successors also declined the title of dictator, and usage of the title soon diminished among Roman rulers. Required fields are marked *. His Great Leap Forward plan, which included his genius dont be shy, guys crop innovation, caused the greatest famine in history, killing nearly 40 million people. In addition to his two wives, he was rumored to have had relations with several of his bodyguards, who were supposed to be (ironically) all virgin females. [1] The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in times of emergency (see Roman dictator and justitium). He WebPOL POT.
No notorious dictators come without their trustworthy inner circles of advisers, and Rafael Trujillo chose his wisely. Napoleon Bonaparte proved that having your dad be king of France was not the only way to become ruler of France. 6 December 1906) 10 November, Ante Paveli (Croatian pronunciation: [nte pelit] (listen); 14 July 1889 28 December 1959) was a Croatian general and military dictator who founded and headed the fascist ultranationalist, Mengistu Haile Mariam (Amharic: , pronounced [mnstu hal marjam]; born 21 May 1937) is an Ethiopian soldier and politician who was the leader of Ethiopia from 1977 to 1991. WebThe most infamous dictators in history all had unique characteristics and signature tactics that got them their dark spot in history. Make the lie big. Accused of crimes against humanity, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death in 2006. An anti-government protest (the Romanian Revolution) broke out in 1989 and his government was overthrown subsequently. If force didnt work, he ordered executions.
In 1975 the US troops evacuated after the six years of war, which paved the way for Pol Pots plans. That love led him to reduce Russias population by nearly a half-million, during a little thing called the Red Terror. [citation needed].
The label has been applied to leaders such as Ioannis Metaxas of Greece (193641), Mustafa Kemal Atatrk of Turkey (192338), Josip Broz Tito of SFR Yugoslavia (195380),[12] and Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore (195990).[13]. He also provided his citizens with free utilities and food, however, so there were small plus sides to his reign. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Bizarre, brutal and self-obsessed. Kim Jong-un
For Mussolini, Hitler, and Franco, the use of modest, non-traditional titles displayed their absolute power even stronger as they did not need any, not even a historic legitimacy either. The coup led to the abolition of the monarchy of Cambodia. Ion Antonescu ruled over Romania during the military dictatorship that Most commonly the title is a form of "leader" or "guide", such as "Supreme Leader". He wanted nothing more than to crowd-surf on top of a sea of blonde poster-boys, whilst painting a perfect portrait of himself. After deposing the Ugandan president, he declared himself the president. His military coups killed millions. She has been charged with murder, corruption, and extortion, and as a result she has been banned from her own country several times. He was also the countrys first president. As the third president of Uganda, Idi Amin ruthlessly abused his powers and his rule was characterized by rampant abuse of human rights, ethnic persecution, extrajudicial killings, and wide spread corruption. Franco also used the phrase "By the Grace of God" on coinage or other material displaying him as Caudillo, whereas Hitler and Mussolini rarely used such monarchical-associated language or imagery. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His policies included forced labor camps, ethnic cleansing, and irregular military operations - "irregular referring to the random, undisciplined and merciless actions of his Khmer Rouge. Your email address will not be published. He indiscriminately murdered rebels. Following his revolution against the Habsburg Empire, he was named the dictator of Hungary by Lajos Kossuth.
Kargil infiltration, confrontation with India and a steep rise in Pakistans GDP marked the presidency of the now-retired four-star general. He died in a plane crash in Bahawalpur. In addition to declaring himself father of all Turkmen, and President for life, Niyazov demanded that his citizens worship him daily, in strange and inconvenient ways. Many of his killings were determined by the victims ability to pronounce certain words with a trill, or in other words, a rolling r to determine if they were real Dominicans. What a sadist. But knowing the exact number of how many died due to his policies and those just murdered under this regime, is not easy.