Hitler or Stalin are the names that instantly strike us when spoken of the word dictator. Cruel and horrible are what you can say about them. Well, they weren’t the only ones. There have been many that have subjected their people to living in an austere environment and were subject to extreme punishments if their rules were broken. The punishments usually led to torturous death. Countries that are under dictators are normally exposed to extreme poverty, exploitive administrations, and unceasing defilement of their basic human rights. People standing for their rights are brutally murdered and set an example to the public to see what could happen to them if they go against their leader. This comprises of some of the most powerful dictators that have ruled in the past while some of them are still in power, as this Book is being written.

Originally published: Great Britain: Atlantic Books, 2005.

In the late nineteenth and twentieth century; with the disappearance of monarchies in many parts of the world; a new autocratic system emerged – the dictatorship; in which all power over a state or community was again concentrated into the hands of one person; without being restricted by constitution; laws or opposition. The individual with this kind of absolute authority was known as the dictator. Here are the twenty dictators of modern times whose actions have left a strong imprint on destiny of the country they ruled; and sometimes even influenced the very history of the world. More often though; dictators rose to the power by leading a coup d’état; in which often a weak monarch of government was deposed and instead a dictatorship established. A nice read book to deep into history. Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac by Honoré de Balzac: In this collection, Honoré de Balzac presents a selection of his acclaimed short stories, showcasing his incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. With its rich language and engaging narratives, this book is a must-read for fans of classical literature. Key Aspects of the Book "Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac": Collection of Short Stories: The book features a collection of acclaimed short stories by Honoré de Balzac. Vivid Storytelling and Character Development: The stories showcase Balzac's incredible talent for vivid storytelling and character development. Useful for Literature Enthusiasts: The book is useful for fans of classical literature and those interested in the works of Balzac. Honoré de Balzac was a French novelist and playwright who is regarded as one of the greatest writers of Western literature. His book, Selected Stories of Honoré de Balzac, is highly regarded for its captivating storytelling and rich language.

History has shown that dictators often share similarities in the ways they come to power, hold power, and topple from power. The Dictators is a fascinating presentation of eighteen of this century’s most powerful dictators, representing fourteen countries. Their lives, political and social theories, and their achievements—good and bad—are carefully examined. Learn how men such as Lenin, Hitler, and Franco influenced their people and changed the world, and discover why a country will accept and support the rule of a dictator. The ideological and practical conflicts between dictatorships and democracies are carefully laid out within the pages of this book. The lives of dictators are important because they have, to a large extent, shaped much of the world we live in, and will continue to do so for generations to come. We all know about Hitler, Stalin, Castro, and Mao Tse-tung. But we also have new names, such as Kim Jong Il and Kim Jong Un, and Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Mugabe. It remains imperative that we understand as much about these men as we can—the peace of the world depends on it.

Hitler or Stalin are the names that instantly strike us when spoken of the word dictator. Cruel and horrible are what you can say about them. Well, they weren't the only ones. There have been many that have subjected their people to living in an austere environment and were subject to extreme punishments if their rules were broken. The punishments usually led to torturous death. Countries that are under dictators are normally exposed to extreme poverty, exploitive administrations, and unceasing defilement of their basic human rights. People standing for their rights are brutally murdered and set an example to the public to see what could happen to them if they go against their leader. This comprises of some of the most powerful dictators that have ruled in the past while some of them are still in power.

Today more than ever, international headlines are dominated by dispatches from the many dictatorships that still dot the globe. Although Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been deposed, North Korea's Kim Jong-il continues to attract attention on the world stage; at the same time, other dictatorships, led by royal families, military juntas, and single political parties, persist in repressing and brutalizing their citizens without ever attracting anything like Saddam's or Kim Jong-il's level of international attention. In this fascinating, eye-opening read, New York Times bestselling author David Wallechinsky offers in-depth portraits of each of the twenty worst dictators -- and the governments they head -- currently in power: exposing their crimes, and revealing their strange personalities and mysterious backgrounds. Tyrants also reveals the extent that foreign corporations and governments support these tyrants despite their policies. Timely and provocative, crafted with the popular touch that has made Wallechinsky a bestselling author, Tyrants will awaken you to the criminal regimes of the present -- and pose challenging questions about America's role in curbing (or promoting) their power in the future. The Tyrant Hall of Shame includes: Kim Jong-il/North Korea Hu Jintao/China Seyed Ali Khamenei/Iran King Abdullah/Saudi Arabia Muammar al-Qaddafi/Libya Omar al-Bashir/Sudan Islam Karimov/Uzbekistan Saparmurat Niyazov/Turkmenistan Fidel Castro/Cuba

Today more than ever, international headlines are dominated by dispatches from the many dictatorships that still dot the globe. Although Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein has been deposed, North Korea's Kim Jong-il continues to attract attention on the world stage; at the same time, other dictatorships, led by royal families, military juntas, and single political parties, persist in repressing and brutalizing their citizens without ever attracting anything like Saddam's or Kim Jong-il's level of international attention. In this fascinating, eye-opening read, New York Times bestselling author David Wallechinsky offers in-depth portraits of each of the twenty worst dictators -- and the governments they head -- currently in power: exposing their crimes, and revealing their strange personalities and mysterious backgrounds. Tyrants also reveals the extent that foreign corporations and governments support these tyrants despite their policies. Timely and provocative, crafted with the popular touch that has made Wallechinsky a bestselling author, Tyrants will awaken you to the criminal regimes of the present -- and pose challenging questions about America's role in curbing (or promoting) their power in the future. The Tyrant Hall of Shame includes: Kim Jong-il/North Korea Hu Jintao/China Seyed Ali Khamenei/Iran King Abdullah/Saudi Arabia Muammar al-Qaddafi/Libya Omar al-Bashir/Sudan Islam Karimov/Uzbekistan Saparmurat Niyazov/Turkmenistan Fidel Castro/Cuba

Despite billions of dollars of aid and the best efforts of the international community to improve economies and bolster democracy across Africa, violent dictatorships persist. As a result, millions have died, economies are in shambles, and whole states are on the brink of collapse. Political observers and policymakers are starting to believe that economic aid is not the key to saving Africa. So what does the continent need to do to throw off the shackles of militant rule? African policy expert George Ayittey argues that before Africa can prosper, she must be free. Taking a hard look at the fight against dictatorships around the world, from Ukraine's orange revolution in 2004 to Iran's Green Revolution last year, he examines what strategies worked in the struggle to establish democracy through revolution. Ayittey also offers strategies for the West to help Africa in her quest for freedom, including smarter sanctions and establishing fellowships for African students.

A penetrating look into the unrecognized and unregulated links between autocratic regimes in Central Asia and centers of power and wealth throughout the West Weak, corrupt, and politically unstable, the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are dismissed as isolated and irrelevant to the outside world. But are they? This hard-hitting book argues that Central Asia is in reality a globalization leader with extensive involvement in economics, politics and security dynamics beyond its borders. Yet Central Asia’s international activities are mostly hidden from view, with disturbing implications for world security. Based on years of research and involvement in the region, Alexander Cooley and John Heathershaw reveal how business networks, elite bank accounts, overseas courts, third-party brokers, and Western lawyers connect Central Asia’s supposedly isolated leaders with global power centers. The authors also uncover widespread Western participation in money laundering, bribery, foreign lobbying by autocratic governments, and the exploiting of legal loopholes within Central Asia. Riveting and important, this book exposes the global connections of a troubled region that must no longer be ignored.