The Emperor Syndrome

Subject: The Emperor Syndrome

The abuse of power used to be something we envisaged coming from a raw tribal society, (the emerging African states come to mind) which had clothed itself  in the democratic function, voting rights and parliamentary procedures but proceeded  to advance their system of governance on despotic, patriarchal tribal lines.
Vladimir Putin and Li Peng both head so called democratic institutions where their people are offered the vote but 'opposition parties' are largely absent from offering a political alternative. Both are powerful countries, immeasurably important in the world of international politics but who mirror each other in their absolute control of every aspect of governance within their respective countries.

Turkey a large powerfully armed state, with a standing army bigger than any in the European Union, sits at a strategic cross roads between east and west in an area which is seen to be falling apart with national and religious conflict. It's President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking the same autocratic powers, as those totalitarian countries Russia and China.  The power to do what ever he wants and know that the organs of the State including, the media will support him totally.

And so the balance of power shifts once again and one can't help but be reminded of Arch Duke Ferdinand, a relatively unimportant individual who's assassination became the excuse for the start of the First World War.

Sabre rattling has been a way for nations to rally internal support amongst its people often to disguise failings amongst its ruling clique. The tit for tat claim and counter claim is made worse having a psychologically challenged and unstable man in charge of the American administration.
The sight of Donald Trump and Angela Merkel sitting in the White House for a photo shoot, she consolatory and he like an errant schoolboy staring uncomfortably ahead revealed a lot about how difficult it must be having a rational discussion with him.
I suppose the Tsar of Russia or the German Kaiser come to mind when Divine right hold sway over rational decision making, perhaps living in his palatial houses gave Donald delusions of his own grandeur and we have the 'emperor syndrome' all over again.