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Since the nature of dictatorship is fundamentally at odds with the principals of [[democracy]], dictators are usually condemned by the international community. Consequently, many adopt tactics to try and give their regime an air of legitimacy, such as holding sham or coerced [[election]]s, or declaring a state of emergency in the country with the implication that democracy will be restored in due course (almost always an empty promise).

Since the nature of dictatorship is fundamentally at odds with the principals of [[democracy]], dictators are usually condemned by the international community. Consequently, many adopt tactics to try and give their regime an air of legitimacy, such as holding sham or coerced [[election]]s, or declaring a state of emergency in the country with the implication that democracy will be restored in due course (almost always an empty promise).

Notable dictators in world history have included [[Adolf Hitler]], Chancellor of Germany from 1933–45, [[Josef Stalin]], General Secretary of the [[Communist Party]] of the [[Soviet Union]] from 1928–53, [[Pol Pot]], head of the [[Khmer Rouge]] and ruler of [[Cambodia]] (or Kampuchea) from 1963–98, [[Mao|Mao Tzedong]], ruler of [[China]] from 1945–76, and Islam Karimov, current ruler of [[Uzbekistan]] since 1991, [[Kim Jong Il]] of [[North Korea]], and [[Muamar Ghaddafi]], long-time [[terrorist]] leader of [[Libya]].

Notable dictators in world history have included:

* [[Adolf Hitler]], Chancellor of Germany from 1933–45

* [[Josef Stalin]], General Secretary of the [[Communist Party]] of the [[Soviet Union]] from 1928–53

* [[Qin Shi Huang]], first emperor of China

* [[Pol Pot]], head of the [[Khmer Rouge]] and ruler of [[Cambodia]] (or Kampuchea) from 1963–98

* [[Emomali Rahmon]], dictator of [[Tajikistan]] since Independence

* [[Saparmurat Niyazov]], first president of [[Turkmenistan]]

* [[Babur]], Timurid and founder of the Mughal Empire

* [[Saman Khuda]], convert to Islam and founder of the Samanid Empire

* [[Islam Karimov]], previous president of [[Uzbekistan]]

* [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]], president of [[Kazakhstan]] since Independence

* [[Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini]], of [[Iran]]

* [[Ilham Aliyev]], infamous president of [[Azerbaijan]]

* [[House of Saud]], Islamic dynasty controlling Arabia

* [[Muamar Ghaddafi]], long-time [[terrorist]] leader of [[Libya]]

 

Some rulers take on the traits of a dictator but have failed to secure totalitarian rule. Examples include [[Fidel Castro]] of [[Cuba]].

Some rulers take on the traits of a dictator but have failed to secure totalitarian rule. Examples include [[Fidel Castro]] of [[Cuba]].