The Dictators

The acclaimed account of the world's worst dictators - a must-read for anyone interested in global history and politics

By: Iain Dale

Write A Review

Hardcover | 7 July 2026 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Hardcover
624 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
24.2 x 16.4 x 5.1

Hardcover

RRP $75.00

$63.99

15%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $16.00 with

or

Ships in 15 to 25 business days

IAIN DALE''S LATEST COLLECTION OF ESSAYS: AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW

Praise for Iain Dale:
''Riveting and enlightening. A history lesson via a novel route. '' ?????
''Really enjoying reading this book. It is easy to dip in and out and each chapter is well written.'' ?????
''Illuminating yet balanced'' ?????

Were the signs that Putin is a ruthless dictator there all along? How should we deal with President Xi of China? Given the world seems to be moving more and more towards authoritarian rule, this is the right moment to seek warnings, and lessons, from history.

In The Dictators, Iain Dale brings together 64 essays by historians, academics, journalists and politicians about elected and unelected dictators, wartime and peacetime dictators, those driven by ideology and those with a reputation for sheer brutality. How did these tyrants, autocrats and despots seize power - and how did they exercise it? And how did they lose it? Very few dictators die peacefully in their own beds, after all.

Only by examining these figures from the 6th century BC to the present, from ancient Greece to present day Saudi Arabia, do patterns start to emerge. We can see the shared character traits, the common conditions, the patterns of behaviour that have enabled dictators to seize power - time and time again.

The Dictators is acutely relevant to world politics today: it is indeed a warning from history. Will we take heed? Or will history, in fact, teach us that history teaches us nothing?

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.