Historian Frank Dikötter, author of How to Be a Dictator: The Cult of Personality in the Twentieth Century, discusses the dark psychology behind absolute power. From Hitler and Mao to Putin and Xi Jinping, Dikötter reveals how dictators use fear, lies, and the cult of personality to control not just people’s actions—but their thoughts.
Why do tyrants crave loyalty more than love? Why do they all end up surrounded by liars? And what happens when a dictator starts believing his own propaganda?
Frank Dikötter gives a fascinating look at how modern dictatorships are built—and why they always collapse from within.
Event
The Hoover History Lab and Northeast Asia History Working Group hosted The Russia-DPRK Alliance & the Development of the Military-Economic Complex in North Korea on April 1, 2026.
September 23, 2026
Videos
H.R. McMaster and Vladimir Kara-Murza discuss the state of the war in Ukraine, the prospects and perils facing Russia's opposition, the shifting currents of Russian domestic politics, the effort to organize the Russian diaspora into a coherent political force, and prospects of a post-Putin Russia.
September 23, 2026
Videos
Rising energy demand makes energy pragmatism—not climate alarmism—more essential than ever to secure abundant, reliable, sustainable power while remaining environmentally responsible.
September 22, 2026 • 4 Min Watch
