Rule by Fear

Abstract

In a world containing many police-states, much may be learned about political reality by examining how far the single motive of fear (of force) can go toward explaining obedience to the state. I begin this task by describing an interesting paradox concerning the very possibility of "rule by fear." To solve this paradox, I investigate the logic of tyranny. This investigation, though it involves a number of idealizations, draws attention to the importance of citizens' expectations about one another's behavior, and sheds some light on the general nature and conditions of political power.