Dubbed a Dictatorship by Critics, These Citizens Insist They’ve Never Savored More Freedom

Millions of voices echo across the globe, denouncing their governments as dictatorships. They lament the suppression of rights, restrictions on freedom of speech, privacy intrusions, and ruthless enforcement of laws. These critics argue fervently about the autocratic tendencies of their leaders, accusing them of turning democratic nations into oppressive regimes thriving on absolute power. Yet interestingly, this coin has another side. This side speaks of people who feel more liberated than ever before amidst such allegations. Let’s delve deeper into this paradoxical yet fascinating scenario where seemingly undemocratic governance breeds intensified feelings of liberty. Firstly, supporters of such governments often argue that scrutinized media output, strict legal enforcement and other similarly controversial measures are required to maintain stability and public safety. They believe that these actions, often perceived as oppressive, are actually protective gestures designed to shield citizens from the potential chaos caused by unchecked freedoms. This perspective thrives because calamity, disorder, and erraticism are companions of too much freedom. In the context of countries combatting terrorism, strict surveillance and the consequent infringement on privacy rights seem indispensable for a significant number of people. They label it as a small price to pay for the assurance of their safety. Moreover, the establishment of authoritative rule, they argue, may be required to keep potential threats in check. They believe that to ensure collective freedom, certain individual liberties must be compromised. As counterintuitive as it might sound, these people feel more secure, and thus more free, in a constrained environment safeguarded by their government. Secondly, in economies sliding down a slippery slope of corruption, nepotism and bureaucratic inefficiency, a strong-willed government can be a beacon of hope. Critics might argue that showing rumbling authoritarian tendencies, such governments centralize power and deprive people of their rights. Nevertheless, in economies where corruption has long shackled growth and progress, citizens perceive this assertiveness as a cleansing process, liberating them from the chains of bribery, favoritism, and embezzlement. Advocates of such governments often argue that a nation’s journey toward prosperity requires the elimination of a deeply rooted culture of corruption – and a strict, single-handed rule might be the way out. Surprisingly, in this setting, freedom naively equates to the liberation from an unjust, corrupt system. Thirdly, supporters of autocracy oftentimes value the unity and cohesion that come with a centralized entity in power. They regard the sacrifice of