How Tyrants Fall

Fascinating, sweeping, and jaw-dropping. Dirsus takes everything you think you know about dictators and turns it on its head, with provocative insights into the warped minds of despots and the twisted systems that keep them on top. With dazzling stories and convincing analysis, How Tyrants Fall provides a roadmap to a world with fewer Putins and Kim Jong-Uns – Brian Klaas, author of CORRUPTIBLEA fascinating, wide-ranging and highly-entertaining journey – Peter Geoghegan, bestselling author of DEMOCRACY FOR SALEGripping … An essential and captivating look at the perils of authoritarian rule and the remarkable ways in which even the most ruthless despots can be toppled – Bradley Hope, co-author of BILLION DOLLAR WHALEA sparkling read full of original observations and captivating insights. This handbook on the vulnerability of tyrants is an important contribution to our political discourse at a time when democracy is once again competing against the lure of autocracy – Katja Hoyer, author of BEYOND THE WALLA fascinating, wide-ranging and highly-entertaining journey – Peter Geoghegan, bestselling author of DEMOCRACY FOR SALETimely, authoritative and accessible … Essential reading – Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy and International Development, University of BirminghamA compelling and intricate portrait of how dictators survive and how they fall. Grounded in the latest research, it uses colourful real-world experiences to shed light on the central tensions underlying the reign of today’s tyrants … How Tyrants Fall expertly captures the complex nature of strongman rule – Erica Frantz, Associate Professor of Political Science, Michigan State UniversityA smart, accessible, engaging reminder of the brittleness of tyrannical regimes. It is also a resource for policies that can weaken those repressive governments and prevent chaos in their aftermath. We in the West have lost confidence in the university of our political values; this excellent book ought to restore our commitment to advancing those values – Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy, American Enterprise InstituteA timely and engaging romp through the world of dictators, exploring how they survive, how they fall, and what comes next when they collapse. A joy to read! – Joseph Wright, Professor of Political Science, Pennsylvania State UniversityEntertaining … Thought-provoking – ★★★★☆ Daily TelegraphThought-provoking – The EconomistThe political scientist’s rigorously researched book offers fascinating insight into the rise - and then inevitable fall - of dictators … a much-needed look at how tyranny ends – The i PaperCompelling – Financial Times[Dirsus] wears his research lightly and ranges widely, lathering his dark material with a bright impasto of playful irony – GuardianThought-provoking, vivid and often entertaining – Daily Telegraph, Paperback Picks

Marcel Dirsus studied at Oxford and worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a failed coup in 2013. In addition to writing the politics newsletter The Hundred, Dirsus has advised major foundations and international organisations like NATO and the OECD.