The Rules for Rulers
Adapted from 'The Dictator's Handbook': amzn.to/2fgBWps
Part 2: kzhead.info/sun/nMuYodSGnYp-fI0/bejne.html
Grey discusses this video on Cortex: kzhead.info/sun/fLCvdJuyjYBonac/bejne.html
Also Grey needs a new office because of this video: kzhead.info/sun/d5Z6faaZnYmoY3A/bejne.html
Special Thanks:
Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Alastair Smith
&
Mark Govea, Thomas J Miller Jr MD, dedla , Robert Kunz, John Buchan, Ripta Pasay, Saki Comandao, Andres Villacres, Christian Cooper, Michael Little, PervertedThomas , Nevin Spoljaric, سليمان العقل, Tony DiLascio, Richard Jenkins, Chris Chapin, Faust Fairbrook, Jason Lewandowski, Michael Mrozek, Jordan LeDoux, Chris Woodall, rictic , Ian , Tod Kurt, Phil Gardner, Chang Wang, Kozo Ota, Jordan Melville, Martin , Steven Grimm, Joe Pantry, Colin Millions, Muhammad Shifaz, Chris Harshman, Jose Reyes, Guillermo , Ron Bowes, Tómas Árni Jónasson, Mikko , Derek Bonner, Derek Jackson, Orbit_Junkie , Timothy Basanov, David Michaels, Mark Elders, Donal Botkin, Veronica Peshterianu, Paul Tomblin, Travis Wichert, chrysilis , Ryan E Manning, Erik Parasiuk, Rhys Parry, Maarten van der Blij, Kevin Anderson, Ryan Nielsen, Esteban Santana Santana, Dag Viggo Lokøen, Tristan Watts-Willis, John Rogers, Edward Adams, Leon , ken mcfarlane, Brandon Callender, Timothy Moran, Peter Lomax, Emil , Tijmen van Dien, ShiroiYami , Alex Schuldberg, Ryan Constantin, Bear , Jacob Ostling, Solon Carter, Rescla , Hystiklopp , Andrew Proue, Tor Henrik Lehne, David Palomares, Cas Eliëns, Freddi Hørlyck, Ernesto Jimenez, Osric Lord-Williams, Maxime Zielony, Lachlan Holmes , John Lee, Ian N Riopel, AUFFRAY Clement, John Bevan, Robert Grünke (trainfart)
Music by: www.davidreesmusic.com
Making this video caused me to need a new office… and to terrorize my neighbor: kzhead.info/sun/d5Z6faaZnYmoY3A/bejne.html
1. Be straight. 2. Mark centimetres and millimetres on yourself. 3. Be short and light enough to be able to be used as a ruler.
Louis Cho you lost me at "be straight"
Louis Cho I failed step 1
Louis Cho so don't be gay, American or fat
pretty good rules for being a ruler.
Whats a centimeter???
Instructions unclear, became a key smith
Same
Same
The Doc Block LockPickingLawyer would be proud
LOL
LOL damn that's a funny reply
"Democracies are better places to live than dictatorships not because representatives are better people, but because their needs happen to be aligned with a large portion of the population". This might be the most optimistic sentence in this video, in a weird way
It just goes to show the democracies of today are slipping further away from democracy.
Think of it like of a beekeeper and his bees, or of a farmer and his cattle. Their livelihood depends on their property's productivity, which happens to correlate with the latter's well-being a lot - but that doesn't mean they're friends or equals.
more aligned than dictatorship, but still not enough
Maybe this is why America is getting worse to live in? Automation is making citizens less necessary to production, so our rulers can start to ignore social issues and inequalities again
@@angelcakes5151 So this is how Humans Need Not Apply comes to pass.......in a more dystopian way than we even imagined initially.
Im Austrian and failed art school but this inspired me to pursue politics in Germany
lmfao
Hitler is Austrian
Uh oh
Aw sh*t. Here we go again
lmao
“When approval ratings couldn’t be lower, yet re-election rates couldn’t be higher, youll know you’ve succeeded” yikes
Cough putin cough
@@masac2853 Cough, Cough, US Politics.
@@JoelLundqvist98 ok?
@@aturchomicz821 Approval for congress is 20% but reelection rates are around 80-90%. Politicians on both sides (more republicans though) draw congressional districts in ways that will put certain voting blocks into certain districts making it incredibly easy for them to win.
@@JoelLundqvist98 This is because a large number of people believe the presidency is the only vote that matters. They're fools.
I know the banana represents food, but I like the idea that all dictators have one key guy who demands bananas
EdgyShooter Ba-nan-a
I think its a nod to the banana republic
Fucking Chiquita
4:38 Your welcome
also to represent a banana republic
Rule 0 : Without power you can affect nothing Rule 1 : Keep the key supporters on your side Rule 2 : Control the treasure Rule 3 :Minimize key supporters
Rule 1, Corollary: if vying for power, over-promise since you will not need everyone later. Isolate key supporters, especially before consolidating power... Be it so that they cannot cooperate to de-thrown you or through facebook groups so that they do not know what you over-promised e.g. pieces from the same budget...
Rule -1: Keep the Army happy
Rule 34: do not search for porn of yourself once you gain power
@@SirNobleIZH 🤣
I thought Rule 0 was keep the army happy
"When approval ratings couldn't be lower, yet re-election rates couldn't be higher, you'll know you've succeeded"...MOST PROFOUND STATEMENT EVER
To quote the Donkey Kong Country cartoon: "He who holds the coconut, rules."
Hol nut, rule
The "Golden Rule", he who holds the Gold Rules.
The problem is that what people decide has some power over other, in democracy violenece through the state is validated, so if 90% of people want to make it legal to kill the other 10%, when someone else likes shitty music, or a shitty film or shitty shoes you don't care because they are free to like that and you are not affected by that, democracy is the mass apressing the rest, forcing them to follow their beliefs.
The coconut being the said nation's resources.
So it is written.
People: Yay we are free New Dictator: More like, “Under new management”
Megamind?
AH YAH
Oh Titan
The cruelty of the old dictator is no more! Now, let a whole new wave of cruelty wash over this lazy land!!!
Gus King. Not lazy, just unable
This video has legitimately had a huge impact on how I view politics and government. If I could make everyone in the US watch a single video, it would be this
Same, view this video when it came out, and it really shaped who i am today
Screw only the US, make the whole world watch this
Reminds me of the ongoing protests in Iran right now.
It is in my top three videos on KZhead and I can’t think of what the other two are right now. I always think of this one though.
If I could force everyone to watch one, it would be the ranked choice voting one.
watching it again 6 years later and it still is the best explanation of politic rules ever.
Not just that, but its been true throughout age of time, even right now. Case-in-point, The president of Peru chose the path of Revolt->Fail->To Jail (see 15:40).
👑 of everything 👑
So you got the book the video is based on, right?
@@SuHwak Apparently we lived for thousands of years in a different system that broke these rules and everyone was happy and sustainable. They're not here anymore, of course. Ask any leftist anthropologist and they'll say that without giving any proof or examples.
my rules for rulers: -must have increments of measurment -must be accurate -must be practically sized
Rules for rulers: make a set of rules, that's it.
Meanwhile in America: The car is about 8 fridges away from our house.
Enclave Soldier all measurement is arbitrary
@@Number1tnfan683 Someone who gets it
-must be sturdy enough to whack your dying gold mine slaves
Grey, you've inspired me to become a dictator. Thank you.
Can I be one of your keys? I'm a polisci grad with a knack for electoral strategy and coup-proofing. My services would be quite beneficial to your new regime.
@@brendansunra Absolutely. But before I appoint you, how can I be certain that you won’t topple me if times get rough?
@@bakedbeans2163 Well, if times get tough because you're making bonehead decisions you can't be certain I won't.
@@brendansunra Can I be one of your keys, if BakedBeans screws up?
@@rifz42 Yes, on 3 conditions: 1. Keep this whole "plotting against BakedBeans" thing on the DL 2. Have a relevant skillset for running our empire 3. Be a fan of late 2000s pop
"These rules apply to all, and explain their actions. From the CEO of the largest global conglomerate, who must keep his board happy, to the chair of the smallest homeowners' association, managing votes and spending membership fees. You cannot escape structures of power. You can only turn a blind eye to understanding them."
What they don't want us to realize is that structures of power, whether hierarchical or not, are artificial. Neither hierarchy nor egalitarianism are natural for humans; they are choices that we can make. When they say we can't escape hierarchies, the truth is that we can't escape them _without demolishing them._
"you can ignore reality, but you never be able to ignore the effects of you ignoring reality"
"Blinding yourself doesn't make the sun go away"
Thanks! I bought the Dictator's Handbook after watching this, and found it instructive.
Instructive? 😬
I successfully started a coup and became a dictator after running for school president. Great video.
Do elaborate. I am deeply curious now.
We ned a full story. This sounds interesting.
This really sounds interesting
School Dictator.
I must say, congratulations
This is the best Tropico tutorial I've ever watched.
Spicy pls
Hahaha :D Grey just posted your comment on Twitter! :D
I don't know about all that. Part 1 sounded like a CK2 desmesne management tutorial to me.
I fucking love Tropico
Reminds me I got it on steam for free.
CGP Grey is putting me down the path to either becoming a cruel dicator or a violent ararchist
Depending on the country you live in, I don't give hope to any. The army won't just let an anarchist movement spike up, that is not how you make money
WOW, this is the BEST explaination of how politics and a few other things work in this crazy world. Far Better explaination than I have gotten from ANY teacher ANYWHERE in my life. Thank You so much!
The best video i have ever seen on youtube!
This really never stops being relevant, does it?
It won't ever not be
Ah a fellow Celeste fan. You're a woman of culture Especially if you watch videos like this
maddy pfp huh? 194 golden strawbs here, how about you
until the end of humanity
It's scary how many people now a days don't realize this is how governments works. People always think that governments have the peoples bests interest in mind until they are well bad off that they can't ignore it.
Damn, I never realized that stick figures could be so expressive...
Watch some other videoes on the mind and all that stuff will start showing you that... Maybe, it's just our brains doing most of the work. We're making a nice story up for the flashing of stick figures coming and going one by one.
same
When you have 2k likes and 3 comments....
Check out Historia civilis. You'll marvel at how you come to care for a collection of squares and boxes.
ever heard of Animator vs. Animation by Alan Becker?
Your tone of voice for this video is what I can only describe as Neutrally Evil; you calmly lay out the reasoning and motives for political (in?)action with a benevolent maliciousness. Which is, almost more than the content itself, terrifying. Excellent use of music to underscore it all.
Grey mentions how taking the Moral High Road makes the game more difficult by giving leverage over your Keys to your rivals. That got me thinking. Is there any amount of sheer charisma or moral inspiration in your supporters that can overcome that temptation to backstab the ruler? Are there any notable historical examples of Key Supporters rejecting a better offer from a rival out of sheer loyalty to their current ruler or their cause?
It's a rule not a law.
Like he said, "Even if you have gathered the most loyal, angelic supporters, they have the same problem as you, just one level down." "They too must watch out for rivals from below or above: thus the treasure they get must also be spent to maintain their position."
There is one. Maybe the only one Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. But it comes from pure loyalty from military and people to a war hero . So it is a bit cheating.
@@anatar2518 I don't think it's cheating at all; it is a valid criteria. If becoming a war hero is what it takes to max out your charisma stat then so be it.
Spend enough treasure on the ruled (or simply convince enough of the population that you are) and you can make the ruled unruly if you are deposed. What I think the video gets 'wrong' that even in dictatorships you still need enough support from the populous. To a degree the ruled population is still a key. Guns, armor, fortification, organization and stuff are all force multipliers and a military utterly divorced from the populous is hard to foster even with a caste system, at some point a population willing to potentially die for freedom can overcome a military. JC got stabbed to death because (and other reasons) he was trying to use this fact to get around needing the keys of the senate.
In all honesty I just use these rules to make good rulers and villains for Dungeons and Dragons.
I am gonna probably use these rules in making my novel.
STUV101 I do the exact same
STUV101 why did I not think of this, thanks man.
solid!!
Killer idea. I'll have to try it out. Cheers.
"... And who knows, maybe you'll be different." Good last line, mate.
Adolf and Pinochet's worst crime was being different
@@TrollSlayerLogan xd
@@TrollSlayerLogan I'd rather say the holocaust and throwing people out of helicopters were their crimes mate
@@TrollSlayerLogan In the bombings of dresden didn't die serbs. How could these bombings kill 17 Millions? God, you will never be part of our society. Come to germany and we show you what we think of Nazis like you, you won't last a second
@@Karl_der_Genosse Is it the same Germany under Merkel? Place looks more divided than Bosnia
I started a coup in my military academy group because our leaders were not thinking about all members and were selfish and arrogant, then I became a leader, then I understood that it is impossible by nature to make everyone happy when someone needs to do the job no-one wants to do, then I became selfish and arrogant... cycle complete
I assume there was a second coup?
@@Flamme506 and you are 100% right :) I made a couple of mistakes in managing all relationships and I was a bit too arrogant without even caring about my "keys"... so, basically I kept the official status and role but in fact there was a silent "don't do anything he says and try to harm him if possible" mood in my group in the last year of our education, basically, I lost all allies and reputation and ended up just having a role, some privileges and doing my business
@@wisemoldsthoughts2119 that's too bad, better luck next time, though try to follow the given rules of this video a bit closer.
That last bit was absolutely true. Some of the most insidious kinds of corruption perhaps not the worst, but the most common place are in municipal, and local politics. Somebody who gets elected mayor, and institutes a project that repairs the roads, who conveniently has that project start on their Street, it's far too commonplace, and far too accepted.
Best quote i've ever heard "The throne may look omnipotent from afar, but take the throne to act, and the throne acts upon you." I don't know why it sticks to well to me.
Don't get me wrong, I love the quote alone, but spinning it to sound like a warning just gives it that little extra tingle in the spine that really sets you on edge. In my opinion at least. "That throne may look omnipotent from afar, but trust me when I tell you that all is not as it would first appear; you may take the throne to act, but only when it is too late will you realise that it is the throne that has acted upon you."
@@tegan1802 ooh dramatic. this should be in a novel
@@tegan1802 the original is already a clear warning, dense, short and sweet. You make it longer with unnecessary words.
@@LK_tutturu Sure - the extra words are unnecessary to get the point across, but which is more dramatic?
@@tegan1802 certainly the former. If you want, you can just deliver it with dramatic pauses. There are reasons why quotes are so quotable, as I mentioned. It is, however, still a subjective matter.
They'd never show us this in school yet this is one of the most important things a student could learn about the balance of power on Earth.
You can always make this a presentation.
@@alzhanvoidsansado that's a genius idea. Maybe I'll get an opportunity,but I'm on my last months of senior year so I don't know.
over here we had discussions like these in high school politics classes dont know why they wouldnt do so in other places. Sometimes even done in a class roleplay scenario where we chose our dictator and leaders etc. even in History classes. maybe i just got lucky with teachers who knows.
I actually did watch this video in one of my classes
@@ti2218 same. I really wish they showed this to everyone, including me in my earlier schooling years.
Every once in a while, I see something that makes the lightbulb above my head light up. Suddenly a concept not only makes sense, but becomes a link to other concepts, like a jigsaw puzzle that fits in the middle of a picture bringing it all together. Thank you for this
I'd have to say... this is the best informative video on the internet
Yes
Rules for being a ruler 1) be made out of wood 2) have tick marks every inch/centimeter 3)be used for measuring
4)be rectangle
rules for being a ruler 2.0 1) metal, wood, plastic, I dont give a shit 2) metric only, no hamburger eagle gun marks per centimeter 3) be made to measure penis and penis only
you IMBECILE. Stainless steel, cork backed, 18 in rulers are far superior, and can be used to whack people as well as measure things incredibly accurately
*_-5) get broken-_*
If created in Asia: 6) used by parents to lecture their kids
"The people only storm the palace when the army let's them" Funny that
A it was totally a coup when they didn’t try to hold it or make demands.
@@DrOfficedog Doesn't matter what it was, they're terrorists either way.
@@bradenallen1241 they’re only terrorists because they entered government property/Support the President. In the 60s an armed radical terrorist group stormed the capital, made demands and nothing happened to them. Those terrorists were Black Panthers.
V for vendetta: Yep ima write that down
@@DrOfficedog what day was that? I'll look that up in my history books oh wait it's a lie.
Rule 5. When you’ve spent all the treasure and the people start getting restive, start a war. Either on an internal group (Jews, Kulaks….etc.) or a neighbour (Poland, Falklands, Ukraine…)
This video should be part of every school curriculum. It’s a great way to understand the world.
But remember, democracy’s are still a for-profit business and therefore education and community are a danger to it. Proper US history and education on its structure are not a part of curriculum for a reason.
Well, THAT was depressing...
@Matthew Morycinski you cannot use the word compromise in Dictatorship system.
@@woofiegoofie tell that to Beria
@@wtfbros5110 At first I don't know him but ugh he's awful.
@@woofiegoofieyeah he's almost as bad as Himmler, which is ironic since he wants detente with the west and a united neutral germany
It get's worse. What happens when human labor is made obsolete by AI and robots? The elites purge the plebs to protect their position of power in accrodence with the second law.
This feels like a tyrant who's been overthrown giving advice and turn-over to the rebel commander.
ESPECIALLY the ending bit "Better you on the throne than someone else...Then maybe you'll be different *fades into literal obscurity*." it seems so much like something out of a book or something
@@tlhm7102 You forgot the "ruler's hat morphs into dictator's hat"
Or rather, his son, as in the case of Prince Souphanouvong
@@tlhm7102 that's why we love grey, he can be so ominous and mysterious at times
Definitely feels like a story, as others have suggested maybe a king to his son, a dictator to his child, the glorious leader to his son.
A fantastic summary of such a complicated problem. I was also dumbfounded by how accurate the structure of power is in everyone's life no matter what
Don't mind me, just re-watching to refresh my memory due to current events.
Stalins solution: refresh those keys every other week.
Sixteen times the power....it just works
I mean yeah why would you need to pay your keys if you can just kill them every week and focus on your people You complain? You dont like the money i give you? You demand more money or you overthrown me? Alright then *gun bullet sound*
But if he killed them on a regular basis to be replaced wouldn’t the people who would become keys eventually catch on and stop trying to become the keys?
@@kramarancko1107 but the keys were living better lives than the peasants. Rather live better for a week than die a sad death after ur sad life. Also they were gambling on the chances that they would survive.
If they remain loyal, they're safe. Many Stalin's subordinates worked with him for a very long time, some during all his rule even.
4 years later and still the most important video on the internet.
power is eternal, therefore, stuff explaining about power is also eternal.
Wait this was 4 years ago
@@murilo2330 Well put.
I agree
I mean really can this ever go irrelevant? Please?
Not all revolts/revolutions are secretly backed by the military or other keys though. Sometimes it just so happens that all major power institutions (and numerous rulers and keys behind them) are weakened by natural disasters, foreign invasions or some severe economic crisis. Sometimes it just comes to the point that a new institution can emerge unopposed and semi-independently from the power vacuum and start a proper civil war.
I watched the Cortex podcast video about this and I have to say I'm really glad you made this despite it being a harder one for you to make. It's one of my favorite videos of yours. This kind of structure to power is one of those things that's there and maybe apparent to a lot of people but seems like no one discusses directly but is important to
Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made. - Otto Von Bismark
He didn't say that, but it's better not to see quote attributions being made.
Fuchsia 'tude Who didn't what?
say that thing POSQ said he did
Fuchsia 'tude Good to see you giving legitimate backing for what you say. However, while the quote did not originate with Bismarck, that does not mean he never said it. It is entirely plausible that Bismarck used an obscure older quote, and people who had never heard it before just assumed he said it first. You should probably edit your original comment.
PhysiOSQuantum I
There are only two constants I see here: Death and taxes
Monaco joined the chat
😂😂😂
Taxes are not constant. They're not a guarantee if we realize the illegitimacy of them and the opportunity of voluntary cooperation.
Taxes exist only so long as people, death as long as there is life
@@TheSkullConfernece voluntary cooperation... Among humans... So, never right?
that one dictator that spent everything on the citizens until he got killed by the military leader : 👁👄👁
A fun game I'd recommend is called Reigns (Android & IOS) and it's a swipe left or swipe right type of game and you are a ruler and have to keep balance of the elite, military and the citizens and if you get too low you can be overthrown or other things can happen. It's not a serious game but it's an easy way to pass time.
Yep, it's amazing :)
"The people only storm the palace when the soldiers let them.." That... aged well...
@@ShiningTitan ur not a chad...
@@ShiningTitan ah great. Someone comparing one jackass dying to the hundreds of unarmed people shot by police for peacefully marching.
So, what happened now? I dont watch news very often.
@@maximocaseres2526 Probably in reference to the capitol building thing that happened in the states at the start of the year.
I think he meant that the people storming a palace and succeeding only happens if the soldiers let them.
This isn’t dark, it’s just honest.
The two aren't opposites, it can be honest and dark at the same time
Being honest is dark, we live in a society
@@HeidenLam Go I'm so sick of this society around me.
@Je720 Republics fail because the people become lazy.
It isn't the whole truth. It's being relentlessly cynical for the sake of crafting a simple theoretical model, but it isn't backed up by a large chunk of history. The transition from dictatorships to democracies, for example.
This is so well made. It touches on so many topics without being drowned in so much detail about single one of them
Wow, just read some of the Prince for a class and am realizing how alike these ideas are. Machiavelli
It's almost as if Machiavelli understood these principles. Admittedly, in a different time to our but the basic principles of power remain the same.
"You can't eliminate those who don't vote for you." *Challenge Accepted*
Hillary, is that you? ;)
@AJ Kelly dude you have a lot to learn about reading comprehension since I was agreeing with you.
Cough cough voter ID laws cough cough
Good luck
@AJ Kelly nothing like some casual anti-Semitism in KZhead comments amirite?
1. Measure in cm and inches 2. Be transparent. 3. Be portable and safe to use
then: 1. Measure in bananas
Top meme m9
WHY ISN'T THIS TOP COMMENT!!!!!1!!111!11!!!!!!!
Beautiful!
Discriminating against wooden and metal rulers :(
That's why in Australia voting is mandatory. If everyone votes, everyone is a keyblock demographic that can't be overlooked or taken advantage of... Or at least that is the optimal health for Australia. Unfortunately we have extremely biased privatised news outlets so a lot of the plans and funding for lower keys and entire keyblocks are hidden or taken advantage of anyway
I actually agree that it should be mandatory in the us. Vote or be fined 1% of your income (or 100 USD), whichever is greater. Throw your vote away by voting for a third party or put in the write in part "I am doing this under duress" and just do your damn civic duty. Also all businesses have to give people time to go vote. Write in ballets is acceptable.
Ah yes, lets take notes from a prison colony :D You literally live in a dictatorship.
Doesn't work in practice. Mandatory voting is populist and corruption fodder. Poor ignorant people who normally wouldn't vote vote and get their vote purchased by some corrupt guy, or are brainwashed by a populist. Also happens in Brazil. In some places its still common for politicians to literally give people fuel, or farm animals, or whatever for their vote, often having entire networks of people to do this in a large scale.
Better to have varied biases in the privatized media than have a singular, government-controlled bias (see: Russia, China, etc).
This is probably the best overview of basic politics video ever made. Excelent work.
I thought that Rule 0 was: "Keep the army happy.""
Carlos Rios Military Industrial Complex, always worth learning about.
that's the main rule - have the power
The army is merely another Key supporter. A very important one, sure, but nothing more.
abschussrampe no, it is the key key supporter
can't pay the army without the bureaucrats
In the future Dictator : I would like to thank this youtube channel called cgp Grey for teaching me how to win power Edit: Wow 6k likes.... I'm famous, also thank you to Rise of Kingdoms for teaching me very important things about military doctrine such as a 5% buff at attack for [insert civilization here] which helped me in my conquests
CGP Grey: *gets promoted under them* Just as planned.....
@@Hell_O7 you see this goes against the cgp video . They might hepl them take power but are no longer necessary so no reward and they go to gulag beacuse they are no longer useful to the dictator
@@muhammedmansoor3406 This is just a preview of a full online dictator course.
This is probably the Key he will remove.
I would like to thank CGP Grey for teaching me how to win power.
The keys to power can be applied to pretty much everything. I watched this video 5yrs ago and ever since I saw it, I'm always looking for the HMFIC's keys. Thanks for the eye opener.
I didn't see the thumbnail, so I thought this was a video about the requirements to make a measuring ruler.
when you realize there are no such things as corrupt politicians, but they are just politicians
Makes you think, doesn't it?
Open to question, but it is a fair point... :/
That's not even remotely true at all.
+benblue3 You're right, there are non-corrupt politicians. They just don't stick around for very long because of the points presented here.
benblue3 what's not remotely true?
I know it's suppose to be educational, but this felt dark as fuck. Soul crushingly hopeless. Yet some part of me liked it.
Indeed. None of these systems work at scale to allow for a fair society. Once a system becomes large enough that any one person is not accountable to any other, the power structure begins to supersede humanity.
Which is why you simply eliminate non-voluntary power structures.
that's a simple confirmationof the statement, that whoever has the power has anything
Americapox and The Trouble with Transporters were very much in the same tone. It's very different, if you compare to say, the Zebra vs Horses video (Which came after Americapox, IIRC, and on a related note) or even his Why the UK Elections were the Worst in History (Also on a fairly depressing subject). I don't know why, but it seems Mr. Grey is trying (And achieving) vastly different moods with educational videos. Like you, I like the variety... but I also like H.P. Lovecrafts work on the abject insignificance of humanity, and how all our dreams will eventually be wrought to naught by a being so far beyond our understanding that it's not even monstrous; it just never realised we were there to be ruined.
Yup. The saddest part is that there is no evil conspiracy. It's simply a result of game theory (i.e. mathematics), and just as unavoidable as water flowing downhill. And it's not just in politics - coordination problems are almost always the reason we can't have nice things. A (very long, slightly rambly) article that discusses this kind of problem in more detail would be Scott Alexander's "Meditations on Moloch": slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ TL;DR: Almost no one is evil. Almost everything is broken.
I think it was Ambrose Bierce who said, "An absolute ruler is onw who rules as he pleases so long as he pleases the assasins."
The current events in Ukraine and the swath of sanctions imposed by the west on Russia reminded me of this video and of The Dictator's Handbook
Instructions unclear, accidentally reuinited the Russian Empire and became the Tsar
Long Live the Tsar!!!
oopsieee
hey bro nice pfp
Actually taking power is easier than keeping power
Putin co-authored the video
"You can't eliminate those who don't vote for you." *Laughs in Stalin*
*laughs in communism*
*laughs in clinton*
@@ibuilder1175 NO!! DONT DO THAT!!! YOUR GONNA START AN ARGUMENT!
@@macaroon_nuggets8008 I had to do it
Isaac Roland *laughs in parenthood*
One key to rule them all: Resources. And you, the ruler, are responsible to distribute those resources. This is your one job.
15 years of spending time on this website and this video just so happens to take the top spot on my favourite videos.
"And Angels who build good works will always lose to Devils who don't" Damn bro..
Because there will always be an asshole who wants money for himself and not the greater good. Someone who value individual over society. Kinda like anti-masks "i dont care if i kill people by not wearing a mask, MY comfort is more important than THEIR lives ! "
@@kolkoki *pinochet noises*
@@alfredorotondo I am sorry as i do not know enough about him to understand what you are meaning
@@kolkoki As you are reading this comment, you are inhaling god only knows how many different viruses, bacteria, germs, infections, and god knows what else. Perhaps you are even inhaling Covid-19 right this very second. While most of these are fairly harmless and in certain cases even beneficial, your body is under attack 24/7. The only way for you to stop these attacks outright is to live in a completely sealed and scrubbed environment. The masks being forced on everyone at large to 'protect the citizens' don't even qualify as such. Biological sciences have proven that your immune system is very much like your muscles. If you fail to exercise them properly and also allow them adequate rest at times, they will fail you. The consequence of such failure of an immune system is your death. Living in a 'clean' environment is just as deadly as living in filth. If you live in filth, your immune system is overtaxed and cannot keep up. If you live in a 'clean' environment, your immune system will atrophy and when the time comes, it will fail you. Masks do nothing to help this process. At most they will help contain/prevent the spread depending on the state of the person on them. To a healthy person, they will contain nothing and they will prevent the immune system from learning how to fight an infection. Masks kill healthy populations. However the result is far different for those who are at-risk as it prevents a full on outbreak that a weakened immune system can't handle right away and contains those who ARE sick. Your best defense against disease is your own build in biological defenses. If that fails, medicines are designed to bolster or otherwise assist this process until your body can adapt. Those that fail die. That's life. You can't save everyone. We are well beyond the point where masks do anybody good and it's time to let biology take over. Help those who are at-risk but at this point, it's up to those murder death machines the White Blood Cells.
@@graveyardshift6691 I've got something you can breathe, asshole.
Rule 0 gives me chills. "Without power you can affect nothing"
It lead me on the rabbit hole to pursue magic.
Rule infinity.... With great power comes the great responsibility
@@Deepak-cu1mr Facts.
Rule 34: don't ask
@@Deepak-cu1mr with great power comes a great power bill
“No [person] rules alone” Now I want a movie about someone with a cloning machine running a country.
I think that even when cloning, the clones would think *they* should rule, and not the other clones. I think the worst mistake a power-hungry dictator could make is clone himself. Then there would be a multitude of power-hungry dictators instead of willing subordinates.
Maybe more something like "shadow doubles" who are aware that they are doubles and will dissapear if the original wishes so, that way they must follow their order.
Rick and Morty did that.
Horatio
If the clones are not individual people that is. They still need to eat, drink, procreate and sleep.
The best video on your channel. And the most eye opening video about politics, leaders, dilomats, rulers and ruling systems. This video should be in every school room
Gotta love a good depressing video to destroy my faith in our political system first thing in the morning
our you mean on this fucking planet?
delpher32exe Our as a general umbrella term for the human race so yes
There are exceptions to this like the 1945 labour government in britain which never got in off the backs of rich people but instead from the people.
Alex A another exception is the state of Colorado legalized marijuana through referendum and legally bypassed the state congress that was against it at the time. Sometimes a lot of common folk getting together can make a difference ;)
But legalizing marijuana increase the (tax) treasury that allows them to do projects and build stuff that makes key supporters happy.
I love how the stick figures in this video are being paid with Bitcoin
El Salvador
maybe it's "banana money" because it comes from bananas?
All leaders use Bitcoin. Its just facts. This whole video is facts
TL;DR: Being a ruler is a fine balance of keeping your subordinates happy enough so they don't kick you out, and keeping the public happy enough so they don't kick you out either.
Thank you, CGP and [redacted] for all the help with the coup in [redacted]. It made everything very easy. One love ❤️
oh yeah, that coop. I gave them like 10 bucks
If we follow these rules, will we be top chicken?
+Victor Mapping + Top chicken 2016
We're top chicken *put glasses on*
But those would end up being Medium chickens. Right?
vape
topkek
As a Russian, this was very educational. The "Democracy that relies on natural resources" model was scarily accurate in every aspect of it. What this means is that Russia is too rich to be rich, you know? Because there's so much oil, diamonds and metals here the government will never care about us as much as we would prefer it to. We'll always stay on the lowest living standards that a democracy can keep without breaking.
Are you referring to Russia as a democracy?
@@8panthermodern2 It is. It's not a flawless one, in fact it is pretty corrupt, but it is a democracy. Regional leaders are actually elected, and i suspect that there is actually a lot of support for the current ruling party among the people, considering they've pulled the country out of a horrible crisis back in the day.
Hate to break it to you, but you're under a dictatorship, not a democracy.
@i hate anime I guess you don't know what a dictatorship is
@i hate anime if you think that you can easily say that we all live under a democracy
Just by putting little images of keys by these people, made me understand all of this a lot easier (great video!)
This is amazing. Some parts gave me chills? Thank you for explaining this concept so succinctly.
"Maybe, you'll be different" As the hat morphs to a dictator's hat.. message well sent
I always get a little chill at that part
And the cycle continues.
One of my favorite moments in the video
@@jeremyjackson8862 Right,because every revolunionary says that to themselves. Remember when Lenin wanted to be better than those "capitalist pigs" but ended up creating the TROPE CODIFIER for dictatorships?
I have lived through 2 Military Coups, 2 Revolutions and 1 democracy. After watching this video, now IT ALL MAKES SENSE..
Where do you live big fella
egypt im guessing?
Egypt yeah
things getting better?
@@antonyandrewson5803 apparently not :(
I sometimes think about how now there is a not insignificant number of young (early-to-mid 20s) local/state level elected politicians in minor positions of power, hoping to become presidents and prime ministers one day, that were directly inspired to enter politics in their teenage years by this video. With 19 million views, there must be quite a few of them, particularly young Americans.
well this was scarily enlightening... at the end of the day, democracies are amazing while dictatorships are terrible but everything in between are doomed to fail. Really puts things into a complicated perspective
HI BILLY MAYS HERE TO TELL YOU THAT WITH JUST THREE EASY STEPS, YOU CAN BE A DICTATOR TOO!
rofwl :-D
HistoryBuff97 hahaha
This makes me... Happy: Beutiful Meme Bro. Sad: I miss Billy...
This video would have been better if he was shouting at me the whole time instead of talking monotone.
shutup and take my money
This gets scarier when you consider the rise of automation. Our democracy is fueled by the productivity of our citizens, but what if the citizens are no longer needed?
Well better you on the throne than someone else
Companies are still productive automated or not, and they still need the citizens to buy their products. If the citizens still have power (money) being productive in other areas, they still fuel democracy.
Anarchism.
By that time citizens are nolonger citizens anymore, we are about going enter a world exactly like cyber-punk2077. Try join those big tech Corps, or killed by gangsters and die on the streets.
Well, then, common citizens get to live their lives without the looming anxieties of needing to subject yourself to long work weeks because you feel you aren't doing enough. (It really is not as healthy as you think it is.) Maybe developing hobbies, they can then develop into a career they actually enjoy, they can potentially earn money from. People aren't lazy, they just don't want to work for big bad corporations. And everything else such as making products will probably be taking care of by automation.
this video is 6 years old. i only saw it in recent years, and so many things have begun to make sense.
This video is one of the few things I can clearly say changed how I looked at the world. I ended up reading the book as well and I have never looked at politics in any regime the same way again, even years later. Great video
Which book ?
@@pepperpoop7729 In the video description "The Dictators Handbook"
**start furiously watching TheLockPickingLawyer tutorials**
In this video I'm gonna lock pick your government institutions.
So you can rule without keys?
"Corruption is not some kind of petty crime" Me who lives in Brazil: True, its a kind of big crime that ruined my entire country
as is the main attraction
corruption is simply a tool to keep power
Pfft! You guys are amateurs at corruption. Regards, Argentina
@@ironcito1101 Venezuela: pathetic
Hey there! We're also amateurs but we'll soon be there with you. Greetings from Turkey.
I honestly believe this is the best video in KZhead. I come and watch it every once in a while when I see something happening in the world.
I really feel like now is the time to try and come up with a new governing system. The options we have all fall victim to the same problems... money rules all. When money rules all, individuals stop mattering, greed is taught to be a survival tactic, threat of competition diverts resources, and things fall apart
We can't do anything about the core problem of power but we can make the situation a little better. Democracy made things better in comparison so we should do more of that. The reason we're even talking about money being the biggest issue at this point and not something like bloodlines shows where the problem is right now. The problem is that our economy which holds an insane amount of power over us is (outside of regulations) completely undemocratic. I mean when it comes to the economy we basically operate on a system where we tell the dictators they can't do the bad stuff because it's illegal and we don't like it. If you want to get a better idea on how to make a government you should probably look into the anarchist stuff. You can't make everyone a saint but you can't take away their power and insenitive to do bad things.
This is literally darker and more devious than even Machiavelli. In the Prince, Machiavelli talks about ruling with the lightest touch and avoiding bloodshed. This is straight up darker
Machiavelli advice is just commons sense
@@karlklaus2736 i am reading the prince and it says to rule a place it is better to be feared than loved which makes sense they are not a grandma the ruler needs to get things done
Karl Klaus Not everything is common sense in the Prince, the chapters on how to hold a state you have gained by luck is not common sense, the chapter on mercenaries and auxiliaries is not common sense. What to do in conquered territory is not common sense.
i_am_hydraa Not everything is common sense in the Prince, the chapters on how to hold a state you have gained by luck is not common sense, the chapter on mercenaries and auxiliaries is not common sense. What to do in conquered territory is not common sense.
Karl Klaus I suggest you also read his book, discourses on Livy. It is basically the Prince, but made towards a politician in a republic not a king.
18:03 The ruler turns into a dictator as the screen fades to black, beautiful.
Didn't even catch that...
And winks.
ikr? looking for this comment
and also the music turns from a major into a minor key. great catch
Because everyone always says, "when I'm in charge, I'll be different!" When in reality you'll be just as corrupt and amoral as every ruler before you. There are very few exceptions in history.
14:38 one little issue with the translation. I noticed in the Swedish subtitles translates "the court" as "domstolen", which is incorrect. The word "domstol" in Swedish refers to criminal courts where legal proceedings happens. The proper word to use in this context would be "hovet", which refers more to a royal court, like that of a king or dictator in this case. So a proper Swedish translation of the phrase "The people didn't replace the king, the court replaced the king,.." would be "Folket ersatte inte kungen, hovet ersatte kungen,..".
This inspired me to try and write a book where a man tries to do everything in the country alone. It's set in a magical world, which gives our MC enough powers to keep an iron grip on the nation, so he gets cocky, but soon he realises that it is impossible even for a near- omnipotent being.
You know the phrase: "You either die as a hero or live long enough to watch yourself become a villain."? This video fits perfectly.
Maximilian Robespierre and those kings in the bible
Or you can be merciless and destroy every single opponent who is in it for their own profit. Then you, albeit being a villain from purely moral perspective, still remain a hero, the common interest remaining as foundation of your rule.
@@Hr1s7i and who is going to do the destroying for you? You cant do it on your own. Nobody rules alone. No matter your goal or what you do you need others to accomplish stuff. Your keys. There is no escape
@@Destroyer120296 Choose keys who are not greedy ass hats. It's that easy, and that hard at the same time.
@@Hr1s7i and those keys have to manage their own keys lest they get kicked out themselves. The chain of power goes all the way down, and it’s impossible to get non-greedy or at least not self interested people for every position every step of the way.
*Interveiwer:* So, how'd you start your county? *Me:* It was on my KZhead recommendations.
1000 Subscribers With No Content huh
I had to subscribe to you, for some reason
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Just finished the book this video is based off of and I highly recommend it! Wish Grey would make more videos on foreign aid and other themes touched by the book :)