Wikipedia gives a clear definition of the term “President for life” — “the position taken by many dictators with the purpose of introduction for himself unlimited tenure and protection from possible defeat at the polls”.
It is worth noting that President for life is not the only kind of dictators, also to them include:
-monarchs in countries where the monarchs to single-handedly form the government;
-one-party system, when the head of state is the leader of the only existing party or parties, whose leading role enshrined in the Constitution;
-and military rulers – the heads of the juntas, they often do not hold public posts, and are just-in-chief of the armed forces, and the country being governed by a collegial body composed of the military, this is called “junta” – the power of the military.
Traditionally in the world that the military dictatorship will fall under sanctions and isolated, whereas three other type of dictatorship, the international community prefers to turn a blind eye.
Common to dictatorships, it is impossible to replace the head of state, if he does not want to leave, he will rule for life. (Leaving aside the only modern theocracy that exists in the full state of Iran, as there is a dictatorial system of governance is intricately combined with elements of democracy).
Unlike the three other forms of dictatorship, life presidency is the most civilized form, it camouflaged a democratic system a presidential Republic. But the presence of formal democratic institutions does not change the dictatorial nature of the regime, as well as in other forms of dictatorship, no democratic procedures in such countries are not working.
This article was inspired by research conducted by the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty, analysis of the modes in 195 countries, finding 18 lifetime presidents. We decided to take a closer look at him to understand that the total of these rulers and why these countries have fallen to dictatorship. List them in the order in which they are shown in the infographics of the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty – in order of seniority, with increasing duration of their stay in power.
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo – President of Equatorial Guinea since 1979.
This mode should look closely, because perhaps this is a model of the future of Kazakhstan. The current President came to power, overthrowing the dictatorial regime of his uncle, Francisco Macias Nguema Biyogo. This is very typical of dictatorial countries, one dictatorship replaces another dictatorial regime, the entourage of the dictator in key positions often are close relatives, they overthrow. By the way, the mother’s uncle he was shot.
Say nothing to do with Kazakhstan? Whatever. In 1991 on the continental shelf in the territorial waters of Equatorial Guinea was discovered vast reserves of oil. The state of Teodoro Mbasogo in 2006 Forbes estimated at $ 600 million (why do you need more power?). It’s very typical of dictatorships, many of them to stay on oil.
Now the President of Equatorial Guinea suffering from cancer, and the question of who to be his successor. This is always a very painful question for every kind of dictatorship, how to transfer power in such a way that it did not cause upheavals in society, because a democratic procedure that eliminates this problem in such countries is not used.
Jose Eduardo DOS Santos – President of Angola since 1979.
Perhaps, on this international recognition, like DOS Santos, Nazarbayev can only dream about. Although Angola’s dictatorship to power the current President came to a relatively democratic way, happened in the history of the country, even democratic elections, which was arranged to stop his weeping Angola civil war. It is for his peace efforts and awarded by other countries. But the peace efforts ended with a new war, then all repeated.
DOS Santos married a third time to a former waitress of the presidential plane. (Yeah!) But we are more interested his daughter from his first marriage with a Soviet citizen Tatyana Sergeevna DOS Santos (of Kukanova) Isabel DOS Santos. She is a successful entrepreneur (of course!) – the first African woman billionaire, her personal fortune Forbes estimated in March 2013 at $ 2 billion. You probably guessed it – 85% of GDP of Angola gives the export of extracted oil.
Denis Sassou Nguesso – the President of the Republic of the Congo since 1979.
Came to power by a succession of coups. Unique because of the time lost the presidency through democratic elections, but then with the help of the Angolan army retook it. Here, the backbone of the economy of the oxygen of the dictatorship – oil.
Paul Biya – President of Cameroon since 1982.
As Nursultan Nazarbayev, before becoming President, was Prime Minister of his country. Oh, and here, too, the main export commodity of oil.
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni – President of Uganda since 1986.
Came to power through victory in the civil war, but civil war in Uganda is not over. Obviously, the support in the world, and perhaps in the country, is because it confronts one of the worst terrorist religious organizations around the world, the Lord’s resistance Army, known for mass kidnappings of children who become soldiers. Oil in Uganda is not, and dictatorship otherwise not able to earn, so the country is 204 in the world in GDP per capita.
Robert Gabriel Mugabe – President of Zimbabwe since 1987.
Also to the presidency was occupied by the Prime Minister, changed the Constitution and appointed himself President. Robert Mugabe is probably one of the most famous dictators in the modern world. Known primarily policy black racism, the expulsion of white farmers and the nationalization of their lands for distribution to landless black her the most, though, say that, first of all, the land get it close. This led to the collapse of the economy and a record in the world history of hyperinflation – reached in January 2009 to 321 000 000%, the value of the largest bill was 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollars, then the national currency has been decided to refuse.
In 1980, when there was the independence of Zimbabwe, this was one of the strongest economies in Africa at the moment, GDP per capita Zimbabwe second from the bottom among all countries of the world.
Of course, Mugabe is the charismatic leader, his reliance are the black racists not only within the country but all of Africa if it were not for this support, he would have flew from his post in such catastrophic results of their activities. However, it is believed, his end is near, he has a very bad state of health, even there were rumors about his death, not surprisingly, he is the oldest current head of state in the world.
Blaise Compaore – President of Burkina Faso since 1987.
First they participated in the overthrow of one President, then killed another, then, as usually happens with life presidents changing the Constitution in a referendum election which gets under 90%, then, as is common with dictators, again change the Constitution, change the duration of a presidential term, therefore gets the right to run for the presidency two more times.
Burkina Faso confirms the thesis that no oil dictatorship is synonym of poverty – 206 GDP per capita in the world.
Omar Hassan Ahmed al-Bashir in power in Sudan since 1989, President since 1993.
The first ever sitting head of state, a warrant for the arrest of the International criminal court. The warrant issued for the organization of the genocide of the black Muslim population of Darfur, he is a representative of the Arab tribe. Charges al-Bashir for war crimes in southern Sudan against the black Christian population were not made, as there was a peaceful settlement of the conflict, South Sudan gained independence.
It is noteworthy that in both conflicts the Central government and the local population fought for control over the oil reserves. However, the oil reserves in Darfur was discovered when the conflict broke out already in full force. In addition to oil, Sudan still lives at the expense of traditional exports of gum Arabic (one of the most popular food industry additives) – 80% of the world market.
Nursultan Nazarbayev is a leader of Kazakhstan since 1989, President since 1990.
Unlike other first presidents of the post-colonial period, Nazarbayev did not participate in the anti-colonial movement or armed struggle for the socialist choice of the country. On the contrary, to the post of Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev was promoted in the colonial administration, being a typical representative of the ruling bureaucracy.
Then, when the Kremlin changed the leaders of the colonies, Nazarbayev has not got the post of leader of Kazakhstan, instead, appointed a man from Russia, in response to the protests of Kazakh youth, known as Zheltoksan (December events), which were brutally suppressed by Soviet troops and secret services. Nazarbayev denounced the protesters, calling them “extremists thugs”. After a while he lost to Kazakhstan’s Kremlin-appointed leader, and he took the top post in the colonial administration.
When the Soviet Union in the colonies were introduced the posts of President, Nazarbayev became President, too. The collapse of the USSR, Nazarbayev was caught by surprise, and, obviously, became his personal tragedy, because he dreamed about the post of Prime Minister of the Soviet Union, and it is feasible.
But the President did not lose heart, he began to settle down in the role of a feudal ruler of postcolonial countries, and as they passed, began to engage in personal enrichment. And since the business did not understand, and generally grew up in the country where the business was banned, and virtually no one knew how to do, he allowed in foreigners to develop its oil. Since that time oil prices were at the bottom, due to which Kazakhstan is plunged into poverty and ruin, the President for the transfer to foreigners of Kazakh oil concession, received a completely ridiculous dictators of such a big country bribes. But managed to burn on these penny bribery, bribery of the President of Kazakhstan came to the us court, but Nazarbayev gave bribes was sentenced, as proved that the payoff of the dictator of Kazakhstan was carried out in the interests of the United States, sanctioned by the state Department toli toli CIA.
But thoughts about the revival of the Empire and getting in her top post gave Nazarbayev to sleep, he began to talk about the revival of the Soviet Union, using to denote the former Empire euphemism “Eurasian Union”, obviously that is why he so easily willing to give up the independence that made him a billionaire.
Idriss Deby Itno, President of Chad since 1990.
All typical of African dictators, participation in military coups, the rise to power in the result of the civil war, in which he helped a neighboring country, regularly winning the presidential elections with an overwhelming advantage. Chad is a poor backward country, but 2003 production began and since 2004 exports of oil, so that the dictatorship was strengthened in the 2006 presidential election, he received 64,67 % of the vote in 2011 – 83,59 %.
Islam Abduganievich Karimov , President of Uzbekistan since 1990, but led Uzbekistan since 1989, when it was the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan from late 1990 to early 1992.
Karimov people of the same generation, and Nazarbayev, therefore, their path, both Soviet and post-Soviet in many respects.
The main difference between Uzbekistan from Kazakhstan that the Foundation of the dictatorship in Uzbekistan is not oil, and natural gas. And as gas production falls, then the standard of living declines, while Uzbekistan promised to increase the export of gas. Experts believe that now the export commitments of Uzbekistan performs due to the decline in gas consumption in the country, it imposed a decline in oil production, with the existing import dependency of petroleum products. So, most likely, in the nearest future Uzbekistan will turn from an exporter of hydrocarbons in an energy-deficient country, which will lead to severe socio-economic upheavals in Uzbekistan.
But the Uzbek dictatorship stands on two leg, the second basis of the Uzbek regime, perhaps even more important is cotton. The agrarian character of Uzbekistan (most of the population is engaged in agriculture) with a plantation character of his agriculture determines is not a feudal and slave-owning state.
Alexander Lukashenko – President of Belarus since 1994.
Perhaps Lukashenko is unique dictator, because it came to power in a democratic way. But once in office quickly and decisively ended with the beginnings of democracy in the country. And unique resource, which is funded by the dictatorship in Belarus is Russian (Soviet) patriotism. Lukashenka exploited the nostalgia of the leadership and population of the Russian Empire, participating in return for funding his regime in all sorts of projects for the revival of the USSR under different names, each time throwing the Russian partners taking the money and not giving anything in return. When the Kremlin from this fall into anger, Lukashenka takes the money in the West. But since the West, unlike Russia, constantly milking impossible, every time he returns to the arms of the Kremlin. The Kremlin is also happy that they have such a loving partner who verbally willing to support Russia in any madness, so whenever paying generously with Lukashenka. In this case, most likely, such duplicity Lukashenko is satisfied with the Russian government, on the one hand is an ally and partner for the games in almost real Union, on the other hand, the Kremlin is afraid of popularity of Lukashenko in Russia, so not particularly want to be in the same state.
Given the fact that the economic situation in Belarus is completely dependent on the opportunity to milk Russia, economic turmoil in Russia, that is, the fall in world oil prices, and the impact on Belarus, as well as the disorder of relations Lukashenko and the Kremlin. So, obviously, the fall of Lukashenko can trigger two things: a long-term collapse in oil prices, and long-term conflict with the Kremlin, the second is unlikely, because Lukashenko is very well able to manipulate the Russian Imperial complexes.
Emomali Rakhmon – led Tajikistan since 1992, President since 1994.
The ascent to power of Rahmon’s more like the way an African dictators than the career that made his colleagues in Central Asia, Karimov and Nazarbayev, and the situation in Tajikistan is more reminiscent of Africa than what is happening in the States emerged on the territory of the former USSR.
But Emomali Rahmon colonial official and Amateur military, as is usually the case with African dictators. As well as those who brought him to power – is not fighters for independence or socialism, and people from the old national colonial elite. On the contrary, they ousted those who fought with the colonial legacy. In fact, the current Tajik regime is a puppet in relation to the former mother country – Russia. It is no exaggeration to say that the dictatorship of Rahmon is on Russian bayonets.
Yahya Abdul-Aziz’dzhamus Junkung Jammeh is in power in Gambia since 1994, President since 1996.
This is an example of the transformation of the military dictatorship in the lifetime presidency. The President believes in witchcraft (and even arranged on this basis, the terror in the country – a witch hunt), said that has supernatural powers, claimed to have found a cure for AIDS – a decoction of some herbs, and all the troubles blame the gays, which promises to destroy. Wants to be king, and if he did not hurt, it will be an example of a ruler who tried three forms of the dictatorship of the four existing in the modern world.
Ismail Omar Guelleh – President of Djibouti since 1999.
Djibouti is an interesting example of the transformation of the dictatorship in the form of a one-party system in a dictatorship in the form of a life presidency, which, of course, related to the post-Soviet regimes. Guelleh came to power by inheritance from his uncle, which was a dictatorship in the form of a one-party system, and he died, and handed over power during the life of the nephew, and it occurred to alternative elections. For the second term Guelleh was re-elected already in uncontested elections, and when it expired the second time, it held a change to the Constitution, which gave him the opportunity to run again.
The uniqueness of Djibouti is that there is not only no oil, there is even no mining, and little or no agriculture – the main income of the state, brings the port. A tiny state this is enough to be one of the poorest countries in the world.
Bashar Hafez al-Assad – President of Syria since 2000.
Got inherited power after his father’s death. Specifically to he was able to take this post to urgently amend the Constitution, lowered the minimum age for a presidential candidate from 40 to 34 years (it’s a question about receivers Nazarbayev that this post is not suitable for their age, in a dictatorship is no problem for a dictator’s family). Until recently, Syria was a dictatorship in the form of a one-party system, the Constitution had enshrined the leading role of the Baath party. But a typical lifetime presidency – the number of terms the President’s power is not limited, moreover, the President elected unopposed – was nominated by the Baath party, his candidacy for the plebiscite was carried by the Parliament. While the President has the authority of the absolute monarch, he can declare war and States of emergency (when the Republican system it must be approved by Parliament) to make laws and amend the Constitution.
The revolution in Syria forced Assad to abandon the leading role of the Baath, and to limit the number of presidential terms, the President must now be elected in a competitive election, but he did not give up dictatorial powers. It is worth noting that the first presidential elections on an alternative basis, which took place on 3 June 2014, was a sham. Candidates could only those who lived in Syria for the last 10 years, thus was cut off the leaders of the opposition in exile. In addition to registration as a candidate requires the support of at least 35 of the 250 members of Parliament. And although in 2012, the Syrian Parliament was first elected after the abolition of guarantees on a victory for the Baath party, the real opposition parties were not there.
Ilham Aliyev President of Azerbaijan since 2003.
The power inherited from his father. This transfer of power is considered a model for the future of Kazakhstan, but it is not because of the fact that Ilham Aliyev also became the successor of Heydar Aliyev, became known a few years before the transfer of power. Interesting the procedure of transfer of authority – father and son Aliyev were both registered as candidates and before the election, the father withdrew its candidate in favor of his son. But at the time of registration it was already known that Heydar Aliyev is near death, he fainted during a public speech, and then was sent first in Turkish and then an American hospital. Was alive Heydar Aliyev, when he withdrew from the elections, or the Americans stepped in and Ilham Aliyev, known personally, the appeal for the withdrawal of his candidacy Heydar Aliyev did not speak, it was read by dictaron on state television.
Lifetime presidency already established Ilham Aliyev in 2008, not becoming to wait, when will expire all allowed by the Constitution of time, as is usually the case with other dictators.
The power of the Aliyev dynasty is kept as the most stable dictatorships in the world, oil, it is worth noting that GDP growth in Azerbaijan ahead of GDP growth in similar countries – Kazakhstan and Russia.
Anote Tong – President of Kiribati since 2003.
Perhaps, the Azerbaijani service of Radio Liberty was mistakenly included Anote Tonga to the list of presidents for life, as there are still a limited number of presidential terms, however, three instead of two, as is usual in democratic States. But its logic in this. In Kiribati presidential candidates is decided by Parliament from among deputies, in 2007, before the elections were not allowed by the leader of the opposition, interestingly, the older brother of President Harry Tong. In the 2003 elections, the brothers have won almost an equal number of votes was 43.5% vs. 47.4% is the winner, and win Anote Tonga caused controversy. In the 2011 elections Harry Tong also did not participate. I guess it wouldn’t matter if anote Tong would not be the last President of Kiribati, he urges citizens of this island nation to move to other countries, as says, in the future, Kiribati will go under water due to Global warming.
But it is interesting to Kiribati, she is a model of what happens with the country after it out of natural resources, through which she lived, or rather an example of the most effective the stabilization Fund accumulated in anticipation of the exhaustion of natural resources. However, Kiribati was not at the expense of oil, but due to the phosphates. Fund there is created in 1956, phosphates ceased to produce in 1979. Despite the fact that the size of the stabilization Fund exceeds the country’s GDP by 3-4 times, any benefit to the population it brings, Kiribati is 173 in the world in life expectancy, the average citizens of this country do not live to 66 years.
What they have in common? Why in these countries, these regimes?
If you look at the common features of all these modes, then, first of all, notice that it is the country’s recently gained independence. In these countries there is no democratic traditions. There was no pre-independence, the national bourgeoisie and the intelligentsia, or they were completely dependent on the government, are embedded in it, were on her content (dependent on the distribution of preferences, public Finance and resource power), so there is no one to demand establishment of democracy in the country, we can only expect, when they would be born. But in these countries the regimes are struggling to look (just look, not be) civilized, because they need international recognition and they are generally interested in foreign investments, so there is set a life presidency, not a monarchy, military regimes or one-party system. Obviously, another reason for the establishment of pseudo-democratic regimes is the fact that neither the monarch nor the army, nor any party did not play a significant role in the establishment of independence, she was soon presented to the former metropolis, and the authorities in these countries came to random people who needed a kind of legitimation, which simulated elections.
In General, these countries are poor, but the availability of natural resources allows them to live decently. Usually, that resource is oil, it makes the political elite of this country are fabulously rich, while strengthening the dictatorship in these countries because citizens are in a state of dependence from the state that distributes public goods and generates the bulk of financial flows in the country. As the dictatorship prevents the development of the economy, and society in General, such countries without natural resources, are entirely dependent on foreign aid, and the standard of living in them is very low.
