Surround yourself with super-loyal sycophants. Make sure those you put in power are not more competent than you. (AKA the “Peter Principle”)
Create a secret police force to wield power and instill fear among the population. Incite disruption so your secret police can restore order and thus be championed by those you intend to subjugate. {Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA)}
Lie, lie, lie … it is the greatest and most powerful tool for a dictator. If you have gotten your population to love you and to discredit all other sources of truth, they will follow you anywhere and believe anything you say. “I can fondle an underage girl and never lose my popularity.” They will embrace anything you say as the truth and ignore any bad behavior you happen to demonstrate.
Get rid of voting as soon as possible and make yourself dictator for life.
Provide for the common good, or at least champion it through oratory. You don’t actually have to deliver it.
When things go wrong, lay the blame elsewhere. Never admit to a mistake. A good “fall guy” is the previous leader or any political adversary.
Discredit the truth-telling media. Make them, “The enemy of the people.” Eventually, replace them with state-owned media, which will only report false good news about you.
Diffuse your opposition. Make them powerless.
Offer the people scapegoats so they will have somewhere to direct their hatred. By speaking against them, the population will back you as the solution to the trouble the scapegoats are causing.
Find a political enemy, create a tension-filled situation, war with them, then crush them into submission. Your population will love and admire you for it.
Erect infrastructure and statues that honor yourself. Add your name to every good thing. Rename beloved institutions so they bear your name, so when the people enjoy them, they will associate those warm feelings with you.
Have some entity, like a large corporation or another country, make up an award and present it to you. Your people will love it.
When your population gets onto some bad news about you, and they want to pursue it, create a diversion. Starting a war has been a popular choice in the past.
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