Crime, oppression, unemployment and lack of decent housing all contribute to unhappiness on the island. Respect and happiness also influence how your people act. Respect decreases with unjust executions, imprisonment, corrupt leadership or because of factions on the island. Economic structure is an important facet of the game. However, building a more advanced economy means troubles of its own, as factory workers must be educated and are usually paid more than unskilled workers.
More education leads to demands for better housing, better entertainment and more education.
Tourists have to be kept safe and kept entertained, meaning more advanced entertainment structures such as casinos and nightclubs as well as more police. Every Tropican has family who react to how their kin are treated. If everyone in the family has a good job and a good home then complaints are going to be few and far between. The graphics engine for Tropico is the same that was used for Railroad Tycoon 2 with a few tweaks and improvements. The game is fully 3-D from the terrain down to the buildings and the people who inhabit your happy little dictatorship.