Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

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PSCI 1016

Dictators and Democrats

Dictators and Democrats
How do dictators come into and stay in power? Why and how do they relinquish control of their nation and government? What distinguishes democrats from dictators? This course explores the processes through which charismatic individuals create, transform, or circumvent state institutions to seize and/or maintain political power. We will examine individual, national, and international factors that propel dictators to leadership positions. We will also look at the historical context and personal circumstances that lead to a dictators' demise, and that sometimes result in the establishment of a democratic regime. We will study cases from Europe (Churchill, Hitler, Atatürk, Milosevic), Asia (Ghandi, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin), America (FDR, Clinton, G. W. Bush, Pinochet, Perón, Duvalier), and Africa (Mandela, Mobutu, Idi Amin, Mugabe). (Comparative Politics)
Subject:
Political Science
Department:
Political Science
Division:
Social Sciences
Requirements Fulfilled:
AAL CMP SOC WTR

Sections in Winter 2007

Winter 2007

PSCI1016A-W07 Seminar (Horning)