Sign language

BBC Four HD

A Timewatch Guide

Documentaries

Factual: History

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Series looking at how the BBC has revealed and interpreted great moments in our history.

Series looking at how the BBC has revealed and interpreted monumental moments in our history. Using the BBC archive, the programmes examine changes in research covered in documentary television.

Dictators and Despots: A Timewatch Guide

BBC Four

David Olusoga

Jan Plamper

Joanna Lewis

Alex von Tunzelmann

Emma Parkins

Andy Webb

360 Production

A Timewatch Guide: Series 4: Episode 3: Dictators and Despots

Dictators and Despots

Episode 3

Episode 3: Dictators and Despots

Series 4

BBC Four - A Timewatch Guide, Series 4, Dictators and DespotsSearch BBC

David Olusoga uses BBC documentary archives to see why dictators can have such appeal.

David Olusoga examines fifty years of BBC documentary archives to try and discover why dictators can have such a powerful appeal and asks if our fascination has fed their power.

In recent years the world has become an unsettling place, from the mass movements of refugees to political upheaval, both in this country and abroad.

Disturbingly, history shows that it's at unsettled times like these that dictators can rise - leaders who promise they can solve every problem, if only they're granted supreme power. 
 
David Olusoga examines fifty years of BBC documentary archives to try and discover why dictators can have such a powerful appeal.
 
David uncovers the surprising optimism felt by the West towards men like Gaddafi and Mugabe early in their regimes, and examines the events that turned this optimism into horror. He questions why such men continue to fascinate us regardless of their actions, and asks whether, especially in an age of mass media, our fascination has fed their power.

A Timewatch Guide: Series 4

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

A Timewatch Guide

Series 4

Episode 3: Dictators and Despots

Contributors

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC Four HD

About BBC Four