How does a ruler maintain power?

By gaining key supporters and controlling treasure.

What is the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy?

Dictatorships have fewer key supporters, while democracies rely on voters.

Representatives in democracies take a smaller percentage due to citizen productivity.

Large number of key supporters and competing desires prevent unity.

Wealth from productive citizens in democracies leads to power being spread out.

Rulers in both dictatorships and democracies rely on key supporters to maintain power, whether through control of military leaders, bureaucrats, or influential individuals, emphasizing the crucial role of securing loyalty and support from a select group of individuals.
The stability of a democracy hinges on the wealth generated by its productive citizens, dispersing power among a large number of key supporters with competing interests, making it challenging for a small group to stage a successful coup. However, in impoverished democracies or those with alternative sources of wealth, the risk of a power grab by a minority group escalates, highlighting the delicate balance between citizen prosperity and the potential for authoritarian takeover.

How does a ruler maintain power?
By gaining key supporters and controlling treasure.
What is the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy?
Dictatorships have fewer key supporters, while democracies rely on voters.
Why are taxes lower in democracies compared to dictatorships?
Representatives in democracies take a smaller percentage due to citizen productivity.
What makes organizing a revolt difficult in stable democracies?
Large number of key supporters and competing desires prevent unity.
How does the wealth of a nation impact power distribution?
Wealth from productive citizens in democracies leads to power being spread out.

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Rulers need key supporters to act on their behalf, such as generals, bureaucrats, and regional leaders.
The power of a ruler lies in getting others to act using the treasure in their vaults.
In a dictatorship, the number of key supporters is small, but they are crucial for maintaining power.
The number of key supporters a ruler needs varies among countries, but the rules for rulers remain the same.
The first rule for rulers is to get key supporters on their side to have the power to act.
The second rule is to control the treasure by raising and distributing it to maintain loyalty.
Spending treasure on citizens can attract rivals, as it diverts resources from key supporters.
Smart key supporters will always watch the balance of power and may change allegiance if necessary.
In democracies, rulers must sway key blocks of voters and influential individuals to stay in power.
Taxes in democracies are lower than in dictatorships, as representatives can take a smaller percentage from each citizen due to their productivity.

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In a stable democracy, the large number of key supporters and their competing desires make organizing a dictatorial revolt nearly impossible, as it would destroy the wealth generated by the high productivity of citizens. Potential key supporters must weigh the risk of being on the outside of a dictatorship they helped create against the probability of surviving the cull and reaping rewards, making it a risky gamble in a democracy where most citizens already have essential resources like healthcare and education.
The wealth of a nation coming from productive citizens in a stable democracy leads to power being spread out, compelling rulers to maintain citizens' quality of life. However, if a democracy becomes very poor or a resource independent of citizens' productivity is discovered, the odds of a small group seizing power increase, as seen in instances where the current quality of life is poor or wealth is not reliant on citizens.