Slip Sliding

You watch countries that had reasonably democratic governments fall under the sway of a dictator or a strongman and wonder how did they let that happen?

Its sometimes the result of military coup, and of course that is understandable, but the more common course or at least the more insidious one is when rights are taken away one at a time until one day, you are under the control of a dictator,

It has to start with the election of a person who rants against the current system as being corrupt and oppressive already with drastic measures needed.

Then they have to establish control by cowing or controlling certain institutions. 

The first is the press.

You need to discredit the press and suppress unfriendly press while creating a media that touts your praises. 

Clearly you need control of the law enforcement apparatus so you can arrest public enemies, those who oppose you.

Whatever legislative apparatus exists has to be brought under control.

And of course the excuse for doing this has to be an enemy to the state, either traitors within or enemies abroad, probably both.

Its a steady if slow process as each step needs to be accepted by the public as either necessary or at least understandable considering the danger we face from those enemies.

And finally you need to have the courts agree with everything you do or you need to suppress them.

You don't think it can happen in your country until one day you notice it is happening.

Bummer.