Questions About The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics

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Answered Questions (2)

I just read a commentary about our new Faux President with the title, "Donald Trump And The Dictator’s Handbook" which did not mention the book! That seems odd, but such is our upsidedown world. Who agrees this book explains the phenomenon of Frumpitude?

John Smith I've read the book, you are sadly mistaken.

Sadly, because your parroting of Trump Derangement Syndrome, including a misspelling of his name in your c…moreI've read the book, you are sadly mistaken.

Sadly, because your parroting of Trump Derangement Syndrome, including a misspelling of his name in your coinage (why would any adult bother with such juvenility?) is tiring and feckless.

Mistaken, because the book covers leaders of any type, of corporations and nations, including A. Lincoln and Carly Fiorina, FDR and Chiang Kai-shek, The Shah of Iran and Saddam Hussein, and says they all have elements in common. In some ways Trump merits praise by the books standards, for instance he'd cut foreign aid, as suggested by De Mesquita.

You should do some study and come to realize you own a poorly developed and strongly biased negative understanding of the man you think you are qualified to disparage. As such you fail in the effort.(less)

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When it refers to leaders and politics, does this just refer to politicians, or are there references to, say company leaders, community leaders, departments leaders, etc? ie. any organisation where 'internal politics' may have developed?

Maru Kun The thesis of the book can absolutely and probably very interestingly be applied to any organisation with its own "internal politics". Although mostly…moreThe thesis of the book can absolutely and probably very interestingly be applied to any organisation with its own "internal politics". Although mostly about national politics the book gives a couple of very illuminating extended examples from corporate life including Carly Fiorina at Hewlett Packard.(less)

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Unanswered Questions (2)

The Chinese edition, translated by 骆伟阳, has been heavily censored (all mentions of Deng Xiaoping, Tiananmen Square, Chaing Kai-shek and Taiwan, etc., as well as anything even slightly critical of China, has been removed entirely). Is there a Chinese translation of this this book which hasn't been censored, or a source where one can read the censored parts?

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Can someone please recommend a serious critique of this book's premise? Ideally I'd love to read something written in the same accessible style, but I'd be content with an academic text.

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