Benevolent dictator

A benevolent dictatorship is a theoretical form of government in which an authoritarian leader exercises absolute political power over the state but does so for the benefit of the population as a whole. A benevolent dictator may allow for some economic liberalization or democratic decision-making to exist, such as through public referenda or elected representatives with limited power, and often makes preparations for a transition to genuine democracy during or after their term. It might be seen as a republican form of enlightened despotism.

The label has been applied to leaders such as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (Turkey),Josip Broz Tito (Yugoslavia),Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore),Abdullah II of Jordan,Paul Kagame (Rwanda), and Qaboos bin Said al Said (Oman).

Many dictators' regimes portray themselves as benevolent, often tending to regard democratic regimes as messy, inefficient and corrupt.

The idea of benevolent dictator has a long history. It can be traced back to John Stuart Mill in his classic On Liberty (1869). Although he argued democratic rights for individuals. He did make an exception for what we called today's developing country:

"We may leave out of consideration those backward states of society in which the race itself may be considered as in its nonage. Despotism is legitimate ... in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement... Liberty has no application to any {such} state of things."

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