The dictator's handbook

This book, written by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith, challenges conventional wisdom by asserting that leaders, whether in democracies or dictatorships, act primarily to maintain their power.

The authors argue that political behavior is driven by the need to please a core group of supporters, and that policies are often dictated by self-interest rather than the welfare of the people.

The book draws on economics, history, and political science to illustrate how leaders amass and retain power, and how this affects the quality of life and governance in different political systems.