The Age of The Strongman

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An award-winning journalist provides an intimate look at the rise of strongman leaders globally, highlighting a significant political trend of our era. Authoritarian leaders have become central to global politics, with self-styled strongmen emerging in diverse capitals such as Moscow, Beijing, Delhi, Brasilia, Budapest, Ankara, Riyadh, and Washington since 2000. These leaders, characterized by nationalism and social conservatism, exhibit little tolerance for minorities, dissent, or foreign interests. Domestically, they position themselves as champions of ordinary people against globalist elites, while internationally, they present themselves as embodiments of their nations, fostering a cult of personality. This phenomenon is not confined to authoritarian regimes; strongmen are increasingly found in the heart of liberal democracies. The author examines figures like Trump, Putin, Bolsonaro, Erdogan, Xi, and Modi, revealing the complex interactions between them. He identifies common themes in local political nightmares and proposes a bold new framework for understanding the global coherence amidst the chaos of rising nationalism, leadership cults, and anti-liberal sentiments. This work offers the first comprehensive global analysis of new nationalism, drawing on the author's extensive access to key figures in this political drama.