Hubris Arc: How Elected Leaders Become Authoritarians

2025-08-06 08:12:16

(MENAFN- Asia Times) What turns a democratically elected leader into an authoritarian? The process is rarely abrupt. It unfolds gradually and is often justified as a necessary reform. It is framed as what the people wanted. All this makes it difficult for citizens to recognize what is happening until it's too late.

Consider Viktor Orban's transformation in Hungary. Once celebrated as a liberal democrat who challenged communist rule, Orban now controls 90% of the Hungarian media and has systematically packed the country's constitutional court. His trajectory is now widely recognised as a textbook case of democratic backsliding.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was initially praised for showing that democracy and Islamic governance could coexist. In early reforms, he lifted millions from poverty by challenging Turkey's secular establishment – a feat that required exceptional confidence and a bold vision.

Now, a decade on, Erdogan has turned Turkey into what political scientists call a competitive authoritarian regime .

In the US, Donald Trump rose to power promising to“drain the swamp.” In Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro campaigned as an anti-corruption crusader who would restore the country's moral foundations. Both have since weaponised democratic institutions to consolidate their own power.

Part of this shift is a psychological process we term the hubris arc. This sees a visionary leader become increasingly myopic once in office. Their early successes bolster their belief in their transformative capabilities, which gradually diminishes their capacity for self-criticism.

The visionary stage typically coincides with systemic failure. When established institutions prove inadequate for addressing public grievances, it provides fertile ground for leaders with exceptional self-confidence to emerge.

These outsiders succeed precisely because they possess the psychological conviction that they can challenge entrenched systems and mobilise mass support through bold, unconventional approaches.

Such leaders excel at crafting compelling narratives that enable them to transform public frustration into electoral momentum. They offer simplified solutions to complex problems, providing certainty where establishment politicians offer only incrementalism and compromise.

Losing perspective

But as visionary capacity increases, so too does myopia. Seeing a singular path with exceptional clarity necessitates narrowing one's perceptual field.

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