Several media outlets have compared Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to one another – some call their political tactics, “The new model of charismatic, bold, and politically incorrect leader treats democracy like a toy,” said Keith Hui in his article “Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump Are Symptoms of Creeping Caesarism”. [01]

For discussion purposes, suppose we concede to agree that Presidents, from almost every nation worldwide, have been creeping toward Caesarism from the outset.

In which case, I agree with those that say the recent phenomenon of the unexpected political success of politicians such as Putin and Trump is more of a “galloping” Caesarism, because there simply is no comparison between the scale, grandeur and power of the presidency now, and its counterpart of President Washington in 1789.

Barney Frank writes in the nation: “But where the law has been set out in a prescribed constitutional manner as to how to do something, and the President says, I am not going to do it that way, I will do it my way, then you are into plebiscitary democracy. Then you are into the democracy that says no checks and balances. No, Congress, I will do what I think necessary.” [02]

The President has been allowed to be the decider. 

Political scientists use the term “Plebiscitary democracy” to describe those systems wherein a leader is elected, but once elected has almost all, if not total power as the country’s decider. It is democracy, but it is closer to plebiscitary democracy than it is to the traditional democracy of America.

In America it was the Bush administration who graduated “authoritarian democracy“ into the category of openly “acceptable tyranny” at a time of grave attack and threat against their homeland.

“In any case, regardless of who first did what to whom, the question remains open whether or not the American presidency is a smoke screen  for “democratic royalism”, wrote Greg Wiener in a 2013 open essay. [03]

Case in point

Otto von Bismarck, revered as the “Iron Chancellor”, embraced the plebiscitary philosophy into his Caesar-like leadership; and based his nation’s governance on the symbiotic dynamics between a ‘charismatic leader’ and an ‘irrational mass’ with ‘disdain for parliament’ , as summarized by German theorist, Max Weber. (Popup history of Otto).

The significantly more successful than projected political success of Putin, Trump, Erdogan and Duterte have brought back Weber’s hundred-year-old idea to the 21st century – with a current perspective.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, a former KGB officer (whom by the way said, “There is no such thing as a former KGB man“), is currently serving his third, non-consecutive term, and has held office for over 13 years. Terrorizing society through draconian laws is one of the main manifestations of his government.

Citizens can now be sentenced to up to five years for “inciting extremist activity” through the Internet, and “incitement of hatred” has now been raised to eight years imprisonment, as one small example, yet he remains a hero for many.

Donald John Trump, the brash New York realtor turned presidential candidate, has deflected attention from his lack of experience in politics and over a dozen business failures, with a campaign riding on people’s fears and hatred, while taking advantage of America’s fascination with famous people.

Trump has declared that “most” Mexicans are “rapists and criminals“, and promises to ban all Muslims from entering the United States if elected. He has also promised to build a wall along the US-Mexico border.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is able to command continuous support from the majority of the Turkish people owing to his firmness on secularism, hard fists for the Kurdish secession movement and his vision of “Ottomanism”.

In the November 2015 general election, his AKP regained a parliamentary majority of three-hundred and seventeen (317) out of a total five-hundred and fifty (550) seats.

Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte, of the Philippines did not apologize for his rude remark on a rape case, has notoriously become known as ‘Dirty Harry’ and ‘Donald Trump of the Philippines’ . [04]

During his campaign for presidency he declared, “I will be strict. I will be a dictator, no doubt it. But only against forces of evil — criminality, drugs and corruption in government”. [05]

The Infamous Kiss

‘Plebiscitary leadership’ does not work out without an ‘irrational mass’ and for unknown reasons, the masses worldwide are not just obsessed with the present – but also the past charismatic leaders, be they respectful or disgraceful.

The Inspiration 

In summary, it is still too early to say that the masses would enable the Caesar-type leaders to the extent that they could deform democracy and weaken the legislative powers of nations worldwide.