Today, the world understands the importance and impact of freedom, although there were times when people only understood the language of their ruler. Since it’s the 21st century, the world has significantly evolved by time but still there are some places where humans live like caged animals. A life under the rule of a Dictator has never been pleasant, to make things worse there were some dictators that people feared more than death.
Let’s check out the top 10 most brutal Dictators that the people have witnessed through the sands of time.
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Joseph Stalin
Transforming a country’s condition drastically does require time and patience, but under Stalin’s rule it also required the death of his own people. Born in miserable conditions in Georgia, a part of Russia in the past, Joseph got involved in criminal activities at an early stage in life. Simultaneously he was also involving himself in revolutionary politics.
It didn’t take a cunning man like Stalin overpower his rivals and gain control of the party after the death of Vladimir Lenin. This is when the small-time criminal started turning into a ruthless dictator. He killed any and everyone who intervened in his plan of government’s complete control over the economy.
Under Stalin’s rule, many farmers who were in denial of his orders were killed, the numbers are estimated to be in millions. Parts of the country was hit by famine dictators leading in more millions of deaths. People were sent to labor camps and any one considered a threat was straightway killed.
2. Adolf Hitler
The word brutal and ruthless go hand in hand with the name Adolf Hitler. Hitler served as the leader of the Nazi Party. It is believed that the death of his younger brother became a turning point in his life. Otherwise interested in making a career in art, an Austrian citizen by birth, Hitler applied to serve in the German Army during World War I.
Thereafter Hitler returned to Germany, beginning his reign and soon after. His interest in anti-Semitism led to the implementation of similar laws after he declared himself as the dictators /Fuher/ Leader. This meant excluding Jews and non-Aryans from the society. It is believed that 11 million people died under his regime.
These deaths occurred through genocide that came to be known as Holocaust. Apart from ruthlessly killing Jews, he also ordered the death of children and adults with disabilities. The impact of his orders and actions can never be forgotten.
3. Mao Zedong
If Russia had Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin then China had Mao Zedong, a highly crucial communist figure. Zedong ordered the shutting down of the schools in order to bring the youth to the streets. Zedong had clear and precise ideologies to convert the situations in China during the Cold War.
This included the forced labour and execution of anyone who came in his way. Starvation was another major cause of the deaths which are overall estimated to be more than 40 million. Mao is still believed by his supporters to have impacted China in a good way, but at the cost of the death of millions?
4. Ivan The Terrible
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A man whose second name was Terrible or Fearsome surely made some scary impact on the society. The first Tsar of Russia, Ivan IV Vasilyevich, did not have to fight or struggle to reach the position of a dictator. He was born to rule as the Crown Prince of Vasilli III.
One cannot deny that Ivan was rightfully given these horrific names as he is believed to have killed his own heir as well as his unborn dictators grandchild in a fit of rage. He was also known to be mentally stable and losing this stability more and more as he aged.
He established a personal guard ‘Oprichniki’. Anyone who even dreamt of questioning was killed, such was the power of this man. He trusted no one, not even his Ministers and clearly did not care killing even his own son.
5. Idi Amin
You cannot justify a man or his actions if his other dictators popular name was, ‘Butcher of Uganda’. Idi Amin Dada Oumee served as the President of Uganda, he built connections and gained support from several other notorious and brutal dictators from across the world.
A clear number has still not been established with regards to the exact number of people who died under his regime, what can be determined is that it was between to one to five lacs. It is estimated that he has around 43 kids and all we can do is hope that none of them have even a part of his ideology.
6. Kim Il Sung
While talking about the most brutal dictators of all time, one cannot miss out on the Kim’s of North Korea. Kim Il Sung was the first leader of North Korea after it’s official dictators establishment that took place in the year 1948. North Korea was faring well until the 1970’s but soon the economy took a drastic turn.
Sung was planning to make the country completely self-sufficient which was an ideology that brought havoc. It was during his regime of Supreme Leadership that the country was hit with Famine. Ever since, his ideologies have taken complete control over the people of North Korea.
7. Kim Jong Il
The successor of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il gave his father some tough competition as he was considered incompetent for the role designated to him. He could barely handle the economy of the country that was at a downfall since the 1990’s. After the country was hit by Famine that took the life of many, the country did manage to get back to some stability but food scarcity remained a constant problem.
Poor people suffered at the hands of this ruler as his focus was ‘Military-First’. The geographical structure of the country did not allow agriculture to be one of its main dictators occupation. The country today heavily relies on other countries for food aid. North Korea has suffered the sands of time but it is impossible to say the same about the majority of its people who are still struggling.
8. Kim Jong Un
The present generation knows North Korea only because of Kim Jong Un and his strict policies that are an integral part of the nations rules and regulations. While outsiders can visit certain parts of the country, they must maintain strict decorum and follow their tourist guide at all times. The residents of the country though are believed to be living under constant supervision.
It is said that there are camps for people who are seen or heard to be diverting from the present Supreme Leader’s policies. People have zero access to the outside world, even the television sets broadcast only news that favours the country. Hairstyles, clothing, food and work opportunity everything is limited to what the leader seems fit for his people. And no they can’t runaway because leaving the country is not an option.
9. Robert Mugabe
Born in a poor family, Mugabe had seen the struggles of life. He was ideally the perfect representative for the people who usually were left unheard. But, just like in the past, with great powers come great responsibilities and the great urge to destroy everything that comes in their path, Mugabe too followed the same path. Considered as a hero for his fight for freedom, Mugabe gained the title of a brutal dictator eventually, all thanks to his growing love for power and control.
Robert is known for secretly killing around 20000 people in the 1980’s. These civilians’ deaths came to light again when around 300 people were killed in mass killings in 2008. Once a people’s person, Mugabe soon became a nightmare for many individuals.
10. Nero
One of the youngest sole emperors, Nero was adopted by his great-uncle the infamous Claudius. He burned Rome while watching it from a distance without being even slightly affected. Historians believe he wanted to build a new Rome to his liking and so he decided to convert what already existed to ashes. If burning a city sounds shocking then one needs to know that Nero also killed his mother who brought him to throne. Apart from killing his mother he is also known for killing his wife. This is the same woman for whom he killed his mother, what an irony!
As per a common expression that is well known among Romanians and several historians, Nero ‘fiddled while Rome burned’. This has a dual meaning, one being, he was playing music while the place was surrounded by fire. Others believe that the expression shows how the scenario left zero impact on him.
To rule means to set control this is something we have surely understood by time. But for these brutal dictators ruling meant bloodshed of all they hated as well as loved. The urge for power led them and their countries to destruction and immense pain that still haunts many.