this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2024
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Showerthoughts

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Many dictators were democratically elected (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 6 hours ago by WeUnite@lemm.ee to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 36 points 4 hours ago (3 children)

Dictatorships were created during the Roman era as a form of emergency government during times of crisis or war. Government basically just decided to hand over everything to one person, a Dictator, who was agreed upon to handle everything unrestrained in order to get things done as quickly as possible. Once the emergency was over, the Dictator agreed to hand back control to government. Power was exchanged like this several times during the Roman era.

Dictators were originally meant as a form of government that was needed and created by the people .... it wasn't until later that the process was hijacked and used as a form of control and totalitarianism.

[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 13 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

'Dictator' just meant something like 'speaker', didn't it? Like, 'the one who issues commands'

[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 hours ago

I'm no historian ... I just remember reading about this history a long time ago. The most famous story is about Cincinnatus.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Quinctius_Cincinnatus

The most famous story related to Cincinnatus occurs after his retirement from public service to a simple life of farming. As Roman forces struggled to defeat the Aequi, Cincinnatus was summoned from his plough to assume complete control over the state. After achieving a swift victory in sixteen days, Cincinnatus relinquished power and its privileges, returning to labor on his farm.

Whether or not it was true is anyone's guess as it was written Roman history and it is debated as to whether or not it happened but there are enough examples through Roman history of government being handed over like this to a 'Dictator' and then handed back. It was considered just a way of getting things done as quickly as possible during emergencies and then when things normalized again, senates and groups of elected officials could take their time debating stuff again.

[–] thetreesaysbark@sh.itjust.works 8 points 3 hours ago

Isn't it literally the one who dictates? (Maybe you were skipping that step)