DICTATOR QUIZ

Steven Taylor of PoliBlog has a Pop Quiz on Dictatorship he published in yesterday’s Birmingham Post-Herald.

It is my experience that examinations and quizzes often focus the minds of students, and so I propose the following brief quiz to help those who are having trouble defining the term “dictator†and dealing with its significance. In each case the answer is either “Bush or Husseinâ€. Please don’t copy from your neighbor:

*Which President built for himself dozens of opulent palaces while the infant mortality rate in his country doubled from 1991 to 1999?
*Which President had a jail for children?
*Which President encourages his own citizens to blow themselves up?
*Which president used torture and terror to force his citizens to behave?
*Which President had to send out thugs to force his own citizens to fight to defend his regime?
*Which President created a cult of personality around himself and built statues to his own glory and covered the walls of his nation with photos and murals of himself?
*Which president spent millions on weapons while many of his people lacked food and basic utilities?
*Which President actually cares about the fate of the Iraqi people?

After reading the conclusion, I can’t imagine why it wasn’t picked up by WaPo:

If you are having trouble answering any of these, it may be time to go polish your “Dean for President†button and head off to watch The West Wing.

FILED UNDER: Political Theory, , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. PoliBlogger says:

    Actually, I sent that one to WaTi 🙂

  2. John Lemon says:

    Is this one of those quizzes where any answer is correct, so long as it builds self-esteem?