A strongman leader is a political leader who concentrates power in their own hands, often at the expense of democratic institutions and processes. Such leaders are usually authoritarian in nature, and rely on personal charisma, force, and often repression to maintain their hold on power. They may also be characterized by a cult of personality, which means that they are often presented as larger-than-life figures who are almost worshipped by their supporters. Strongman leaders are usually not accountable to the rule of law, and may use tactics such as censorship, propaganda, and the suppression of dissent to maintain their control. They may also use populist rhetoric to appeal to the grievances of the people, but may not necessarily act in their best interests.
One of the most notable examples of modern strongman leaders is China’s Xi Jinping. The consolidation of Xi’s power could not have occurred without the support of other senior members of China’s ruling elite. China’s senior leaders supported a shift back to strongman leadership due to a shared sense that the party and the state were facing severe threats that could lead to collapse. The most serious challenges facing the Chinese regime included factionalism within the party, corruption, economic slowdown, environmental pollution, social unrest, ethnic unrest, pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, social inequality, an aging population, and the growing rivalry with the United States. The decline in the legitimacy of the party created a strong sense of anxiety among China’s ruling elite. Thus, the swift concentration of power in Xi’s hands was not solely the result of his individual will and actions, but also the result of the will and actions of other senior leaders. China’s leadership has felt insecure in recent years, and the revival of strongman politics in the Xi era was a response to this insecurity.
Strongman politics is not just confined to non-Western states. Former U.S. President Donald Trump succeeded in installing a form of “personalist rule” in which loyalty to the head of state, rather than expertise, is the primary qualification for serving him. As we’ve already established, personalist governance concentrates power in one individual, whose own political and financial interests often prevail over national ones. Fear drives authoritarian rulers to pursue witch hunts and seek out other strongmen as partners. Trump erected walls to shield himself from unwelcome realities and surrounded himself with flatterers and family members who screen out criticism and unwanted input. It is for this reason that authoritarian leaders often experience decreasing popularity as a personal betrayal and blame their people for the messes they themselves have caused. And it is for this reason that Trump has refused to accept defeat by Biden, seemingly embracing the fiction that the election was stolen from him. Senior Republicans are increasingly willing to go along with the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, and state-level institutions are under threat from Trump loyalists.
Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson portrayed striking similarities to the former U.S. President. In fact, Donald Trump himself labelled Boris Johnson as “Britain Trump”. Some in Britain resist the comparison due to Johnson’s ability to laugh at himself, his education, and his fluency in writing. However, Johnson’s actions to cling to power have led to more comparisons to Trump, including claims of acting as if rules don’t apply to him and engaging in alternative facts. The political styles of strongman leaders such as Johnson, Trump, and Xi are similar, with claims of being indispensable and nostalgic nationalists. Strongman leaders create a basis for undermining independent institutions that might stand in the way of their restoration of national greatness, including courts, media, and constitutions. Strongman leaders have emerged in both authoritarian and democratic systems, but they are easier to stop in democracies, as independent institutions play a critical role in keeping them in check.
Strongman leadership is a political phenomenon that concentrates power in the hands of an individual at the expense of democratic institutions and processes. These leaders often rely on personal charisma, force, and repression to maintain their control, and may use tactics such as censorship, propaganda, and the suppression of dissent to maintain their power. While this style of leadership is often associated with non-Western states, recent examples such as Donald Trump and Boris Johnson demonstrate that it can also be found in democratic systems. However, the existence of independent institutions in democracies serves as a check on strongman leaders, making them easier to stop than in authoritarian regimes. The rise of strongman leadership often reflects a sense of anxiety and insecurity among the ruling elite, as they face challenges that threaten the legitimacy of their rule.
The concentration of power in the hands of an individual poses a threat to democracy and the rule of law, and should be resisted through the strengthening of independent institutions and democratic processes.
This article was written by an independent writer whose views are not associated with The Third Eye. The Third Eye strives to be the student’s voice, and that entails giving them a platform to voice their opinions.