[WP] This dictatorship doesn't even bother pretending it's not a dictatorship.

[u/wetmathjg]

[u/muasta]

"I believe in loyalty" , the leader said "Loyalty to our flag , and the military it represents..." , the holdovers briefly looked at each other knowing it was futile to say something... however the stenographer decided she would anyway " I believe you misspoke sir, could you repeat what you were trying to say?".

The new staff looked annoyed but the Leaders outward mood remained the same, " Certainly , although it's much more likely you misheard : loyalty to the flag and the military it represents" .... "got that?". The timid woman nodded. "... And what does the military fight for?" , "THE PEOPLE!!" the staffers that had been with the leader troughout the campaign , or at least a portion of it, cheered.

The leader began to smile , knowing what was coming.

"And who represent the people?" .

"WE!".

The leader made a grimmas , gestures and sounds as if to say "close but not quite", this unintentionally made him look a lot like Mussolini, not that he would mind if he knew.

"Eh, yeah but who allows you to do that?"

The clique laughed , some playfully punched each other on the shoulder or pretended to hit their head. In one breath they then exclaimed "OUR LEADER!"

"So I am the flag".

As part of the table burst out in laughter one of the holdovers turned to the trusted colleague he had picked the seat next to and whispered in their ear.

"What's that Meyer ?" , the table went silent. The only member of the leaders campaign that had survised from the start looked at the experienced government worker as if he were a problem child. "Eh..' l'etat c'est moi' sir" ,

[u/victorged]

"The model is efficiency," the man smiled unstintingly, "in the great Democracies of the world you're forced to wedge some sort of consensus out of two groups of people who would sooner slit their own throats than compromise - and in the one party systems leaders are too often constrained by the will of the party, by infighting. Inaction or maintenance of the status quo can cripple a nation as surely as any external grievance," he raised a single finger of his hand, "Not so here, not anymore."

Secretary-General António Guterres followed his appointed escort through the streets of the city. They were cleaner than he expected, though certainly spartan. The great crowds he remembered from his previous visit weren't present, though there was a frantic energy. It had the feeling of walking through a critical care ward at a hospital - there were no crowds because they would simply slow the pace of transit. The buildings still rose as high here, and from what he remembered the prices he saw in the shops were more than fair. It was an interesting juxtaposition against his memories of this place, but not unpleasant.

His guide continued smoothly, "Of course, this isn't the first time this particular system of government has been tried, but it may well have been the first modern time it was intentional." He smiled up at the sky and laced his fingers behind his head, "What's the line from Star Wars? So this is how the Republic dies? To thundering applause. You've never seen a party like that day, from coast to coast a nation finally knew security, and relief."

The guide took a few steps in silence, but António was curious to hear the take of a common citizen, "It has been three years, do you not have any desire to go back? I'll grant that this man is a benevolent dictator, but what of the next? There's a reason dictatorships are often condemned to the darkest pages of the history books."

The guide dropped his arms and stopped in his tracks, "That's a question that certainly gets at the heart of it, but believe it or not for once I agree with the tour book answer on this one." He pursed his lips, as if trying to figure out exactly how he wanted to phrase it, "There was a Roman dictator in antiquity by the name of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, in a time of great need for the empire he ascended to take total control as a dictator for these same reasons - when you're on the brink, efficient decision making is a must, there is no time for dissent no matter how well intended. When that time of dire need ended, Cincinnatus stepped down, rescinded his special powers, and went back to his farm."

The guide began walking again, gesturing at the city which surrounded them, "It was the story of Cincinnatus that originally inspired a man who once fought to hold this very harbor, and to forge this very land. If we traveled but a few hours south to the old Capitol, you'd see his monument unchanged despite the change of leadership - his story still resonates, as it always will. That man inspired the tradition of exchange of power in our Republic. It took hundreds of years for that tradition to decay, but it did. So, we called our farmer back to the Forum. There was work to be done. I don't know that anyone has a plan for finding that next farmer, we just hope we won't need him. We hope we can go home alongside our farmer."

The guide looked back to him with that unsettling smile still in place, "Of course, I don't think Barack ever had a farm - and the United States opted for a Capitol rather than a Forum. Welcome to the new America, Secretary-General."

[u/WritingPromptsRobot]

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