5/ People with new, better ideas that also happen to challenge the dictators entrenched interests? Or those of the dictators necessary economic allies? Family members? Point out corruption? Co-opted or cut down. Fueled by massive surveillance. And the threat of violence.
6/ Because self-censorship scales better than physical coercion on each person. People see opportunity for personal advantage. Some become informers. Some delight in the cruelty of seeing people they dislike arbitrarily punished.
7/ And when the strong leader dies? The society can be incredibly unstable as it carries the weight of so many injustices, so many lies. And for the system to persist? More repression needed.
Well said. Regarding El Salvador: Bitcoiners still backing this dictator haven’t understood Bitcoin at all.