History contains a number of leaders who, when they realized they were losing power and/or approaching death, deliberately pursued policies that caused widespread suffering rather than accept reality and deal elegantly with it. Their motives varied — revenge, ideological fanaticism, nihilism, or the belief that if they could not prevail, no one should. Nero, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Saddam Hussein are some examples.
Psychologists and historians have identified certain patterns:Narcissistic collapse: If the leader equates themselves with the nation, then their downfall justifies the nation’s destruction.Scorched-earth thinking: “If I cannot have it, no one will.”Revenge: Punishing those perceived as disloyal.Fear of accountability: Creating chaos to avoid justice or leave successors with impossible problems.
These motivations are not unique to political leaders; similar dynamics can occur on a smaller scale in families or businesses but with less catastrophic consequences. Historians point out that leaders with unchecked power, protected from criticism and surrounded by loyalists, are more likely to make destructive end-of-life or end-of-regime decisions.
Is Donald Trump embarking on an end-of-life escapade? We have witnessed his denial of climate change and global warming as a hoax. He is dismantling EPA and environmental regulations. He is increasing our reliance on fossil fuel energy even surprising oil producers and lobbyists. “Drill baby drill” is his slogan.
Allowing, even fostering, RFK to collapse the CDC, to endanger the nation with unsupported vaccine denunciations and quackery, public health policies begins to look like a death wish. Trump’s reluctance to regulate artificial intelligence and his push to accelerate its untethered growth borders on gross negligence.
Starting wars without adequate research and planning, ignoring the good judgment of historic diplomacy bespeak nihilistic behavior. Implementing inflationary tariffs, destroying lives of innocent immigrants, creating an oligarchy to the detriment of ordinary people set the stage for catastrophe.
Making government ineffective, removing subsidies from the poor and the sick, privatizing health care insurance knowing that will adversely affect people are signs of a bad closure.
Eliminating safety laws and regulations as burdensome with the goal of punishing people, destroying those who get in his way, who oppose him and being revengeful against those in his past begin to smell like “scorched earth.”
Will the American people be the victims of Trump’s narcissistic, scorched earth collapse?
Joe Haack of Naples is a retired attorney having practiced Trade Regulation and Antitrust Law.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Historic instances of narcissistic, scorched earth collapse | Opinion
Reporting by Joe Haack / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joe Haack | USA TODAY Network
