Dictator Envy

Some Western leaders envy dictators’ powers.

President Donald Trump said, when North Korea’s Kim Jong-un speaks, “his people sit up at attention. I want my people to do the same.”

President Barack Obama told reporters it would be so much easier to be the president of China.

Canada’s foolish Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said he admires China because “their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a dime.”

These are stupid and dangerous fantasies.

“People like a strong leader,” I point out.

“A strong leader of their own imagination,” Norberg responds.

One example he gives: “Thomas Friedman of The New York Times famously said that he wanted to be China for a day to solve global warming.”

If Friedman were dictator, he could solve global warming? I doubt it.

Another example: American media said we should look to China to contain COVID-19. NBC’s Chuck Todd asked Dr. Anthony Fauci, “How uncomfortable is it that perhaps China’s authoritarian ways did prevent this?”

Fauci replies that China “prevented a broader spread.”

But China’s “‘Zero COVID’ policy turned into a nightmare,” says Norberg.

“That’s what you get with dictators,” says Norberg. “If government is big enough to give you anything, it’s big enough to take everything away from you.”

“Democracy cannot guarantee the best governance, but it can prevent the worst from happening,” concludes Norberg. “That is enough. That’s really what freedom and democracy is about. It doesn’t guarantee us heaven, but at least it makes us sure that we won’t end up in hell.”

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