7 Secrets of Holding Power

1-Controlling the Treasure

In all political systems, both dictatorships and democracies, No Man (or Woman ) Rules Alone. A ruler depends on a number of keys to power. His or her job is to reward them with money, that is either taxed from the people as a whole or brought out of the ground in the shape of raw materials. If the keys to power are not paid enough, they will transfer their political support to a person who will pay them enough, and the current ruler is either voted out in a democracy, or violently removed in a dictatorship.

2-Hostage Taking 

Nowadays hostage taking is seen as a vile thing to do, only done by criminals and terrorists, but in the Middle Ages in Europe and in Japan throughout the Tokagawa period from 1603 to the 1870s it was a way of ensuring peace. Nations that didn’t want to fight wars with each other would exchange hostages of equal rank, and the daimyo ( great lords) of Japan would have to leave their wives and children under the Shogun’s control so they could be executed if the daimyo revolted against the Shogunate.

3-It’s a kind of Magic

In worlds where magic is real, nobles of high rank could have to wear something like a Binding Oath Ring to ensure that they stay loyal to the ruler of their land.

4-Royal Blood 

Back when Kings and the occasional ruling Queen ruled countries instead of today’s parliamentary or presidential systems of government, royal blood was seen as extremely important. People had great loyalty to a true royal bloodline, which had both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side it made civil wars less likely, but on the minus side it could lead to royal inbreeding leading to physically and mentally damaged monarchs over time.

As women have the babies, kings could sleep around with who they pleased, but non ruling Queens would lose their heads if they were caught having affairs with another man, and even ruling Queens would have to be very careful who they slept with.

5-Leading by Example 

Obviously if a ruler is genuinely doing well, both in a democracy or a dictatorship, he or she is less likely to be replaced.

6-Fear Factor

Even democratically elected rulers ultimately rule by fear and the threat of force to make people pay their taxes and obey the laws, but dictators take that up several notches and have a secret police to kill or jail their political opponents and scare everyone else into behaving themselves and providing the treasure which they then use to pay their keys to power.

7-Propaganda 

Propaganda by itself, even if very well done, is not going to keep a ruler in power all by itself, but coupled with one or more of the above it certainly does its bit to help. Even in democracies there is a certain amount of propaganda at election time and dictatorships rely on it a lot. The best propaganda is interesting rather then boring and heavy handed.