What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedStrongmen
Ruth Ben-Ghiat · Book
If you loved Strongmen, start with How to Become a Tyrant (2021) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 1 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Strongmen across media.
What hooked you in Strongmen was the unsettling way personal ambition and fragile egos dictate the fate of entire nations.
Films on the same thread
The Death of Stalin
Film · 2017
Explores: Power struggle, Authoritarianism, Bureaucratic incompetence.
If you valued the breakdown of authoritarian power structures in Strongmen, you will appreciate how this film exposes the frantic, murderous incompetence of sycophants fighting for control after a leader dies.
The Great Dictator
Film · 1940
Explores: Anti-fascism, Humanism, Totalitarianism.
Strongmen examined the construction of personality cults, and this film provides the essential cinematic counterpoint, stripping away the propaganda to reveal the pathetic absurdity behind the facade of total power.
The Conformist
Bernardo Bertolucci · Film · 1971
Explores: Fascism, Political Conformity, Moral Ambiguity.
Much like the psychological profiles in Strongmen, this film explores the moral rot of conformity, showing how weak individuals enable the rise of fascist regimes through their own existential desperation.
Oppenheimer
Film · 2023
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Scientific ethics, Cold War paranoia.
Strongmen highlights how political power relies on legacy and manipulation, a theme mirrored here as you witness the heavy burden of scientific ambition colliding with cold, unforgiving political machinery.
Series on the same thread
How to Become a Tyrant
Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Strongmen: propaganda.
This documentary series serves as the practical companion to the theories in Strongmen, mapping out the precise, recurring steps these figures use to consolidate absolute authority over their nations.
Podcasts on the same thread
Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra
Rachel Maddow, MS NOW · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Authoritarianism, Domestic Espionage, Threats to Democracy.
If the warning signs of democratic backsliding in Strongmen resonated with you, this investigation of historical domestic threats provides a chilling look at how authoritarian movements infiltrate modern political systems.
Focus on Politics
Podcast
Explores: US Politics, Government, Policy Analysis.
Strongmen grounded your understanding of historical autocracy, and this podcast offers the necessary modern context to track how current political power dynamics continue to strain our democratic institutions today.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the primary focus of Strongmen?
Strongmen by Ruth Ben-Ghiat profiles various authoritarian leaders throughout history. The book provides an analytical examination of the specific political tactics and methods these figures have utilized to gain and maintain power over their respective nations.
Does Strongmen explain how authoritarian leaders operate?
Yes, Strongmen details the specific tactics employed by authoritarian leaders. The book explores the patterns and strategies these figures use to consolidate control, offering a historical perspective on how such individuals influence governance and suppress opposition in their countries.
Is Strongmen a biographical collection of leaders?
Strongmen functions as a study of authoritarian leadership rather than a standard biography. It focuses on the common tactics used by these figures to exert influence, helping readers understand the mechanisms of power that define the careers of the leaders profiled in the book.
What can I learn about political tactics in Strongmen?
Strongmen provides a detailed look at the methods authoritarian leaders use to achieve dominance. By analyzing the actions of these historical figures, the book illustrates the recurring strategies and political maneuvers that characterize authoritarian rule and the impact these tactics have on modern society.