Book review: Dictatorships have 17 weaknesses presented in "From Dictatorship to Democracy"

Free online at www.aeinstein.org

The United States of America was founded as a democracy. Many Americans believe that, in less than a year, America’s form of government has transitioned from a democracy into a dictatorship. This is odd timing because July 4, 2026, is the commemoration of the semiquincentennial — the 250-year anniversary of our nation.

"From Dictatorship to Democracy: A conceptual framework for liberation" is a book that contrasts our American tradition of democracy against the Trump administration's current model of government, a dictatorship. The author is diplomat and professor Gene Sharp, who wrote this book in 1993. Scholars and diplomats consider it to be of historic importance and essential reading for understanding nonviolent resistance against oppressive regimes. The most recent edition is free of charge online at The Albert Einstein Institution.

This book review compares both governing systems, explains why and how dictatorships fail, and emphasizes that restoring democratic rule is achievable only with citizen participation in nonviolent activism, including the unimpeded right to vote.

“Democracy" is from the Greek demokratia — demos (people) and kratos (rule). Elementary school children memorize the preamble to the Constitution of the United States:

“WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

We the people self-govern at the ballot box. A system of free elections is a sacred duty of the people, by the people and for the people.

According to Sharp, when an individual with a small leadership group uses oppressive methods to function in absolute rule over a nation’s political power, that system of government is a dictatorship.

Yet a dictator often comes to power through an election. He quickly uses the authority to weaken or ignore constitutional rules and laws. Dictators make rapid changes by falsely citing emergencies or external threats to the nation without offering justification or reasoning or accountability.

A dictator usurps a democracy when that authoritarian uses unlawful methods to gain power, then fortify power. The autocrat can achieve this by weakening, imprisoning or exiling opponents. He changes or abolishes the constitution. He distorts, manipulates or censures the free press. The dictator aligns with the military and positions himself as the major officer. By assuming unlimited power, a dictator demands unlimited time to rule.

Sharp writes: “I have tried to think carefully about the most effective ways in which dictatorships could be successfully disintegrated with the least possible cost in suffering and lives. In this I have drawn on my studies over many years of dictatorships, resistance movements, revolutions, political thought, governmental systems, and especially realistic nonviolent struggle.”

"From Dictatorship to Democracy" has been translated into 33 languages, also available online. He details the evolution of a dictatorship, the power it exercises over a nation, as well as the power citizens have to overthrow it when they come together in great numbers and use nonviolent methods to restore and preserve democratic rule.

Sharp is known for his international diplomatic career, university teaching, academic research, eight published books and numerous international lectures. He was professor emeritus of political science at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and taught at Boston and Brandeis universities. For almost 30 years, he held a research appointment in international affairs at Harvard University. Sharp founded The Albert Einstein Institution, a nonprofit organization promoting the study of nonviolent action. He died in 2018 at age 90.

For Americans, who are anxious and even frightened about living in a dictatorship, Sharp's hopeful premise is that a dictatorship will implode sooner rather than later. Two reasons account for the failure: the dictatorship structure is inadequate and its few leaders make mistakes. Sharp emphasizes that citizens have the power to use nonviolent methods to topple a dictatorship, but he warns that a strategic plan is essential. He maps the elements of an effective strategy to restore democracy.

“Dictatorships have weaknesses,” Sharp writes. “Despite the appearances of strength, all dictatorships have weaknesses, internal inefficiencies, personnel rivalries, institutional inefficiencies, and conflicts between organizations and departments. . . . These weaknesses, over time, tend to make the regime less effective and more vulnerable to changing conditions and deliberate resistance. Not everything the regime sets out to accomplish will get completed.”

As one example of the opinion that the Trump administration has successfully transitioned America’s democracy into a dictatorship, Pope Leo XIV recently urged the American bishops to produce a formal statement protesting the Trump administration’s mass deportation policy.

Sharp identifies an impressive list of 17 weaknesses of ruthless dictators, such as:

• Internal institutional conflicts and personal rivalries and hostilities may harm, and even disrupt, the operation of the dictatorship.

• With so many decisions made by so few people in the dictatorship, mistakes of judgment, policy and action are likely to occur.

• The general public may over time become apathetic, skeptical and even hostile to the regime, such as the record-setting "No Kings" events in every state.

• The power hierarchy of the dictatorship is always unstable to some degree, and at times extremely so. Individuals do not only remain in the same position in the ranking, but may rise or fall to other ranks or be removed entirely and replaced by new persons.

  
  

Conversely, there is a list of “198 methods of nonviolent action" against the autocracy. Because Sharp wrote his book in 1993, some tactics will be considered old-fashioned, while social media tactics of today will be obvious contemporary tools.

“From Dictatorship to Democracy” reminds us that it's challenging to overcome authoritarian rule because of the scale of damage to the constitution, rule of law, free press and voting rights. Sharp is adamant that restoring democratic rule can be successful only with nonviolent activism from citizens, especially when they vote.

Gene Sharp wrote a book of substance, critical thought and of hope. I encourage everyone to read it and share it with others, especially as we near the conclusion of "The Jubilee Year of Hope."

By Paulette Peynet