10 Times People Voluntarily Gave Up Their Freedom to Dictators

Let’s be honest: If history has taught us anything at all, it might just be that people love a strongman—until they don’t. Again and again, societies have handed over their rights with the enthusiasm of someone clicking “I agree” on terms and conditions they never even read. But instead of just annoying software updates, these agreements led to secret police, censored press, and the occasional public disappearance.

You’d think one would learn from others’ mistakes or past mistakes, but as it turns out, nothing seems more tempting than a leader who promises stability and prosperity and who alone can fix everything. Whether out of fear, desperation, or just really good propaganda, entire nations have willingly signed up for dictatorship—sometimes realizing tragically too late that the refund policy doesn’t exist.

From fascists to military juntas to sudden lifelong rulers who discarded term limits, here are 10 times people voluntarily surrendered their freedoms to leaders who turned out, sometimes to the surprise of the population, to be less “benevolent father figure” and more “authoritarian nightmare.”

Related: Ten World Leaders Who Leaned on Astrology for Guidance

10 Francisco Franco’s Leadership in Spain

When Spain was in turmoil in the 1930s, Francisco Franco was the man with a plan—or at least a lot of guns. After winning the Spanish Civil War in 1939, he set himself up as Spain’s dictator with the backing of monarchists, conservatives, and even some ordinary citizens who thought, “Well, at least he’s not a communist.” In case you were wondering, it didn’t turn out great.

Franco’s reign was a four-decade-long masterclass in political repression. Political opponents, liberals, and socialists were executed, labor unions were banned, and women’s rights were rolled back to medieval levels. But hey, trains ran on time, so some people thought it was a fair trade.

Even after he died in 1975 (because, contrary to some belief, it seems, we are all indeed mortal), his legacy lived on, with some nostalgic Spaniards still mourning his iron-fisted rule—because apparently, oppression is a great cure for nostalgia.^[1]

9 Benito Mussolini’s Rule in Italy

Mussolini’s rise proves that with enough speeches, newspaper control, and dramatic hand gestures, you can convince an entire country to march straight into disaster. In the 1920s, Italy was struggling with economic crises and political chaos, so Mussolini offered them a deal: give up a few pesky freedoms, and he’d restore Italy’s greatness.

It worked like a charm. Italians loved his bombastic style, his promises of a new Roman Empire, and the fact that he made punctuality a national virtue. He also slapped heavy tariffs on foreign goods to boost Italy’s self-sufficiency, ensuring that Italians would eat Italian wheat, wear Italian clothes, and drive Italian cars—whether they wanted to or not.

What they didn’t love (eventually) was his habit of imprisoning dissenters, allying with Hitler, and getting Italy into a war it had no business fighting. By the time Italians realized the Mussolini package included “getting strung up in a town square,” it was too late to cancel the subscription.^[2]

8 Antonio de Oliveira Salazar’s Estado Novo in Portugal

Portugal’s Antonio Salazar wasn’t flashy like Mussolini, but he didn’t need to be. He used Catholic conservatism, economic stability after an inflationary period, and a well-oiled propaganda machine to make people believe that trading democracy for his Estado Novo (New State) was a great idea.

For nearly 40 years, Portugal was stuck in a bizarre time loop where censorship ruled, secret police kept tabs on dissenters, and economic progress meant “as long as you don’t ask questions.” The regime lasted until 1974 when the Carnation Revolution, led by disgruntled military officers, overthrew the dictatorship—because when even your own armed forces are tired of you, it’s game over.^[3]

7 Augusto Pinochet’s Regime in Chile

Pinochet came to power in 1973 with a bit of help from a coup and a lot of encouragement from foreign backers who really, really hated socialism. While many Chileans initially saw him as a necessary evil to stabilize the country after Salvador Allende’s leftist government, they didn’t expect his idea of stability to include the dismantling of Congress and the announcement of no further elections, mass disappearances, torture centers, and helicopter rides—of the non-returning variety.

Some Chileans still argue that Pinochet saved the economy, but at what cost? His legacy remains controversial, proving once again that just because a leader hands out tax incentives may not mean you should ignore the whole “murderous dictatorship” thing.^[4]

6 Park Chung-hee’s Leadership in South Korea

South Korea in the 1960s was a mess, and Park Chung-hee saw an opportunity. Taking power in a military coup, he promised economic growth, discipline, and modernization. He delivered—South Korea’s economy boomed under his rule—but the price was political freedom, press censorship, and the occasional assassination attempt.

Park wasn’t shy about his authoritarian ways, and South Koreans mostly tolerated it—until 1979, when he was shot by his own intelligence chief. Because, as history demonstrates, perhaps surrounding yourself with paranoid yes-men doesn’t always end well.^[5]

5 Anastasio Somoza García’s Dynasty in Nicaragua

Nothing says “long-term job security,” like turning your presidency into a family business. The Somoza dynasty ruled Nicaragua for decades, starting with Anastasio Somoza García, who convinced Nicaraguans that he was the only thing standing between them and chaos.

Under his rule (and that of his sons), corruption thrived, opposition was crushed, and the economy was run like a personal ATM for the ruling elite. It took a full-blown revolution in 1979 to finally oust the Somozas, proving that even the best propaganda can’t keep people from noticing when their country is being run like a mafia operation.^[6]

4 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Rule in Turkey

Erdoğan started off as a moderate reformer, the kind of leader who talked about democracy and economic growth like they were his personal brand. But somewhere along the way, he decided democracy was overrated—maybe a little too much input from other people, you know? Bit by bit, he started consolidating power, silencing journalists, jailing political opponents, and generally making sure no one could challenge his increasingly sultan-like rule.

Yet many Turks still back him, convinced that he’s the only one who can protect national security, keep the economy afloat, and stand strong against foreign influence. Never mind that inflation has skyrocketed, opposition parties have been muzzled, and criticizing the government is now practically an Olympic sport in risk-taking. But as we can see, putting all your trust in one man with unchecked power always turns out just fantastic.^[7]

3 Rodrigo Duterte’s “Strongman” Leadership in the Philippines

Duterte came to power in 2016 with a promise: he would end crime, corruption, and drug abuse—by any means necessary. And by “any means,” he meant exactly that. Many Filipinos, exhausted by decades of weak leadership and rampant crime, cheered as he launched a brutal war on drugs that resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings. Due process? Too slow. Judicial system? Overrated. Instead, he encouraged police—and sometimes regular citizens—to take justice into their own hands, creating an atmosphere where suspicion alone could be a death sentence.

His presidency became a marked demonstration of using fear, charisma, and unfiltered late-night speeches to keep critics and fan base on their toes. One minute, he was threatening to slap international human rights officials; the next, he was joking about being an executioner. Critics called him a dictator in the making. At the same time, his supporters saw him as a tough-talking savior willing to do what spineless politicians wouldn’t. Either way, he left behind a Philippines where justice often took a backseat to brute force and where many learned that, sometimes, the cure can be just as deadly as the disease.^[8]

2 Vladimir Putin’s Leadership in Russia

Putin’s rise from KGB officer to eternal ruler of Russia is the stuff of political thrillers—if the thriller had a predictable ending and the villain kept winning. Initially, he promised stability after the chaotic 1990s, and Russians, exhausted by economic collapse, were more than happy to give him a shot. After all, what’s a little former secret police experience when a guy promises to put food back on the table?

Fast forward 20+ years and Putin has rewritten the constitution (several times, just to be safe), silenced opposition with either jail time or mysterious “accidents,” and redefined democracy as “vote however you want, but the results are already decided.” Elections in Russia now have all the suspense of a rerun, yet many Russians still see him as their best hope for national strength.

State media portrays him as a decisive leader who stands up to the West, fights off supposed enemies, and occasionally rides shirtless into the sunset. It turns out that when you control the narrative, you can keep a grip on power long after the democracy sign has been quietly taken down and replaced with a giant portrait of yourself.^[9]

1 Adolf Hitler’s Ascension in Germany

Germany in the 1930s was a disaster—economic ruin, political instability, and rising extremism. Inflation had been so absurd that, at one point, a wheelbarrow full of cash might get you a loaf of bread, assuming the wheelbarrow wasn’t worth more. People were burning money for warmth because it was cheaper than firewood, and savings accounts became tragic jokes overnight. Enter Adolf Hitler, a man with grand promises of prosperity, stability, and national pride. Many Germans, exhausted by economic chaos (and tired of carrying their life savings around in sacks), willingly handed him unprecedented power.

At first, it seemed like a good deal—jobs returned, industry picked up, and the humiliation of World War I started to feel like a distant memory. But there was a catch. Hitler’s vision for a “restored” Germany required dismantling democracy, crushing dissent, and scapegoating entire populations.

What followed was one of the darkest chapters in human history, as he launched a genocidal war, reshaped the country into a totalitarian nightmare, and ensured his name would forever be synonymous with evil. And yet, it all started with a simple bargain: give up a few freedoms in exchange for security and economic relief. We all know how that turned out.^[10]