"The Dictator's Handbook" by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith explores how politicians maintain power through self-interested behavior, whether in democracies or authoritarian regimes. The book emphasizes the importance of satisfying a core group of power brokers and discusses the implications of this dynamic on governance and aid in developing countries.

• All leaders, democratic or authoritarian, prioritize satisfying the small "selectorate"/coalition needed to stay in power over serving the broader public good.
• The smaller the group of essential backers a leader depends on, the more they can rule through corruption, patronage, and repression rather than good policy.
• Foreign aid to developing countries often entrenches dictators by giving them more resources to reward their core supporters, worsening governance rather than improving it.