The life of dictators and their rapid rise to power, as well as the further efforts to curtail people’s basic rights and freedoms, is a somber yet, in its way, a fascinating area of study. Idi Amin’s reign in Uganda is one such situation, exemplifying the uncontrollable developments within the political environment that caused the further emergence of a dictatorship. Though it has been nearly 50 years since Idi Amin ruled Uganda, citizens still remember the infamous cases of innocent people’s persecution, as well as outrageous nepotism and egregious economic mismanagement of the state’s financial assets.
The rapid rise of Idi Amin to power and the subsequent seizure of the government that ruled Uganda at the time demonstrates that unethical people will seek to establish control over citizens as soon as they have an opportunity to do so. In turn, how he gained and maintained control, namely, his egregious nepotism and his propensity toward persecuting people showing the slightest sign of a dissenting opinion, can be seen as the main factor behind his downfall (Leopold 2020). Specifically, the successful coup of the army members after a few failed attempts finally led to Idi Amin being eventually exiled (Mukanga 2021). Therefore, Idi Amin’s reign demonstrates the unsustainability of tyranny as a means of exerting power over the state.
Even though the reign of Idi Amin was comparatively short, people will still remember him for his disgraceful use of nepotism and his efforts to persecute citizens for the mere presence of an alternative opinion. The outcomes of his rule in Uganda have also demonstrated that, even though totalitarian power may assert itself rather firmly in the government setting, the need for freedom and democratic rule will still find a way to overcome the power of tyranny. Indeed, even though Idi Amin had seemingly undefeatable control over the government and the state, the eventual successful coup of the state army finally led to his downfall. Thus, history teaches about the importance of maintaining justice and democracy within the state.
References
Leopold, Mark. 2020. Idi Amin: The Story of Africa’s Icon of Evil. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Mukanga, Emmanuel N. 2021. The Discarded Brick Volume 1: An African Autobiography in 26 Countries on 3 Continents. A trilogy in 3 Seasons. Chennai, India: Notion Press.