Since the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677) stated that nature abhors a vacuum, we have learned something about what that vacuum consists of, we are even understanding, thanks to astrophysics, the nature of distant black holes in space. But there is also a moral vacuum, like the one now sweeping the West, which is being filled by populist politicians with the vocation of tyrants. The elections, which should be a celebration of democracy, are increasingly perceived by the candidates already installed in power as a hindrance, especially when what they intend is to perpetrate themselves in office.
The breeding ground of today's autocrats is found in uncertainty, insecurity and fear, feelings that they themselves foster in the most diverse ways. But no matter how many similarities there may be between these and the dictators who emerged during the 1920s and 1930s, today's dictators have far superior means of persuasion and manipulation than their predecessors. Now, every self-respecting dictator, from whatever era, claims to be the savior of the country, the people, the culture, the language. And hence the need for an enemy - invented or real - who must be hated and destroyed.
The means at your disposal may now be more sophisticated, but the same language endures. More than one autocrat speaks like the tyrant Banderas, that grotesque literary creation of Ramón del Valle Inclán; and the content of his diatribe is reminiscent of the dystopia described by George Orwell in 1984, in which lies are confused with truth.
The list of tyrants that have existed around the world since the end of World War II, almost 80 years ago, is overwhelming, a long period that has nevertheless been interpreted by many as that of the triumph of democracy and freedoms over any another political system. Likewise, the small list of truly exemplary rulers is surprising.
The list of tyrants and dictators includes the following: Trujillo, Somoza, Ortega, Duvalier (father and son), Strossner, Franco, Castro, Pinochet, Chaves, Mobuto, Gaddafi, Idi Amin, Mobutu, Saddam Hussein, Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, Suharto, Ceausescu, the North Korean Kim dynasty, etc., etc. It is more difficult to find names of virtuous rulers of international prestige. There are four: J. F. Kennedy, Mandela, Václav Havel and, possibly, or only in part, Churchill. Perhaps because in a healthy democracy there is no place for messianic, tyrannical, liars, cruel, corrupt, crazy leaders.
What happens is that now the networks give rise to a new breed of authoritarian politicians -Putin, Trump, Bolsonaro, Dutere, Erdogan, Modi, Orbán...- and tend to ignore the virtuous rulers, who are not news, unless they commit A slip or error, no matter how insignificant, then they do go viral, but for a short time. So, this being the case, despots have everything to win, also at the polls.
This phenomenon materializes in the numerous mass protests that take place every now and then in democratic countries, since they are the only ones that authorize them. The noisy and sometimes violent presence of apologists for Hitler, Mussolini, Franco or Stalin is not at all uncommon in them. However, no one parades with banners claiming the inheritance of Havel or Mandela.
The legitimacy of the result that gives a majority of votes cast at the polls to a candidate or party is also under attack, for example the presidential contests of the United States of America! of the year 2000 between George W. Bush and Al Gore, or those of Trump against Biden. Ballot boxes, whether made of plastic, cardboard or whatever material, are no longer what they were. What's more, electronic voting makes them seem old-fashioned, a relic of the past, like a landline. And the manipulation of the elections is going from strength to strength, whether it comes from within or without.
The moral degeneration (or vacuum) prevailing throughout the West is being taken advantage of, encouraged and occupied by tyrants. Napoleon rides again.
