The trick is to set a reasonable limit for political assassinations and idiotic massive construction projects ahead of time, and then keep to those limits.

No because narcissistic psychopathic yes-men would flood my surroundings and I’d probably quickly become paranoid (with reasons to be that).

Except if it was in a Douglas Addams way.

There’s a famous phrase: power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It’s guaranteed to happen. The theme is played upon in LOTR when both Gandalf and Galadriel refuse the ring, knowing what it will do to them. It’s the most important metaphor Tolkien put into the stories for a good reason. Peter Jackson made those moments stand out, as he also understood the assignment. Nobody is capable of resisting the call of corruption when given absolute power. You are not an exception.

I would instantly be assassinated for helping out people too much and handing too much power to workers syndicates

I think there are many people out there who could.

To me, the problem isn’t being a benevolent dictator; it’s getting a benevolent person there in a benevolent way.

I’d like to think so. When we read 1984 in high school, a friend and I were studying together. I remember saying (in my naïveté), “I loved the book and I get the history but why would you want to be in charge of a place that sucks?” She was like, “You’re just going to have to get used to the fact that a lot of people care about power more than beaches.”

Well, I still think those people are foolish. I’d rather be in charge of my own tiny slice of paradise than rule over some wack ass dictatorship where everyone else is miserable. Not wanting to be in charge is probably the basic pre-requisite for being a benevolent dictator. I like to cook for people and stuff. I’d use my power and wealth to do that.

That being said, I’m a dirtbag. I’d have a cool house somewhere with mountain and ocean views. Probably 3 or 4 beauty queens who also have Ms. Congeniality pageant sashes who are in charge of laughing at my jokes and charming me. No more than one or two rhythmic gymnastics teams that delight us all by throwing ribbons to each other with their feet. (Other apparatuses are cool too. Hula hoop. Clubs. Ball. Variety is the spice of life.)

With my dictatorial powers … my first action would be to seize and outlaw extreme wealth. No one would be allowed to own more than $1 million.

All the money collected would be used for government and providing a Universal Basic Income for everyone.

And I’d get a designer to make me a big fancy hat.

I’d be awful

I don’t think most dictators think that they’re evil. So even if I say I’m not or won’t be, it’s meaningless. History will be the judge.

I’m less worried about getting corrupted and turning evil, and more about having the powerful people of the country/world go after me with all their might after I declare a transition into anarchism/socialism.

If you’re offering me the job, I’ll give it a go. I think I’d do a shockingly great job, but even if I didn’t, there is no universe where I’m as evil and incompetent as the people who are currently in charge.

One can not be a dictator and benevolent

I’d like to think I wouldn’t, but my chances probably aren’t any better than the average person. I don’t think I’d ever get anywhere near the worst leaders in history, but I wouldn’t count on me being perfectly incorruptible.

But even if I was, that wouldn’t be enough. Either I’d have to run the entire government myself, which is impossible, or I’d have to reliably find other incorruptible people to work for me and replace me when I die, which will never be reliable enough. If I didn’t find incorruptible people, what’s to stop them getting bribed into not letting me do anything until I let the corrupt people have their way?

My Tropico track record says that I absolutely can.

We’re getting into paradox territory