Why English Press likes to Talk About So Called Strongman Stereotype

Media sometimes likes to talk about so call strongman type. Often pundits go in great length about how, according to them, some people like this type of leader and consistently reelect them and backslide from democracy.

Often Vladimir Putin of Russia is presented as one of such types.

As someone who actually was born and grew up in Russia, I can tell that that is not how it actually works. I made another blog post on this recently. In fact, is is not even how it looks from Moscow or from a perspective of someone who lived there for almost 20 years.

However why the very idea that a 'strongman type' has its appeal does have such broad discussions in English speaking press.

Perhaps the answer lies deep in history. British islands perhaps were the only country that mostly benefited from protection of a strong authority and rarely suffered from tyranny a strongman can inflict upon people. Even when they did, they often could eventually depose such a tyrannical overlord and the whole ordeal seemed more like and exception than a rule.

Even back in Roman times when Romans conquered modern England and Wales and build a Hadrian Wall, they did it to keep Picts in what is nowadays Scotland from raiding and pillaging the south.

Roman authority brough with it peace and protection to those south of the wall.

During the third century crisis when various roman generals would proclaim themselves and then go to fight others just like them for control over the empire. They will come and bring war, pillage and tyranny upon people who were caught in the middle of the conflict.

However, that would happen mostly to other provinces of Rome. After all opportunistic generals and their armies would like to if not conquer themselves the whole empire, then at least grab a wealthy and prosperous part of it. Because Britannia was rather poor compared to other Roman provinces, no legion ever came to invade and conquer it. However, plenty probably left it to conquer themselves something more lucrative further south, leaving the Brits to the mercy of the Picts and Scots. For people of other provinces, Roman armies were often looters and oppressors rather than protectors form hostile neighbors. For ancient Britannia they perhaps were mostly protectors from Picts and Scots.

That more or less continued in later times as well. Saxons protected Brits from Vicing Raids. Normans who conquer and expelled Saxon rulers, did it fast and without too much impact on common people. Then they went to actually expand into Wales and Ireland. They even tried to subjugate Scotland.

Each new dynasty on the throne added some land to the Crown and expanded horizons for British people.

England especially mostly benefitted than suffered from these types of people. That is why this stereotype of a benevolent strongman exist in English psyche even if most people nowadays support democracy. 

However, world's experience with strongman types were different and the reasons modern dictators can stay in power in various countries are vastly different from so called 'strongman appeal'.