Dictatorship emerges from the weaknesses of democracy and from a lack of consensus on the rules of the democratic game. Those who muddy the waters in the name of social justice, historical truth or the battle against corruption generally do so for serious reasons. Jaruzelski aimed to stem the progressive disintegration of the Communist state and secure Poland from the threat of 'fraternal intervention'. The Burmese generals sought to guarantee the unity of a country torn by ethnic warfare and bring safety to city streets they claimed were ruled by gangs of thugs. For many people the distinction between order and chaos carries greater weight than the difference between democracy and dictatorship.
Dictatorship is security as well as fear.
It is liberation from the need to make choices. But security also means danger. The institution which prompted the greatest fear in Communist Poland was the Ministry of Public Security. Laughter died, conversations slipped into silence. In a dictatorship, the security chief is as unassailable as the head of an underworld mafia in times of freedom.