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Disclaimer. This is not my opinion. I asked Grok AI for opinion.

Adolf Hitler (Germany): Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany on January 30, 1933, by President Paul von Hindenburg, following elections where the Nazi Party gained significant support.

In the November 1932 election, the Nazis secured 33.1% of the vote, becoming the largest party in the Reichstag but without a majority. His appointment resulted from political negotiations and pressure, not a direct election to the chancellorship.

After taking office, Hitler used the Reichstag fire to pass the Enabling Act, which granted him dictatorial powers, effectively ending democratic processes.

Benito Mussolini (Italy): Benito Mussolini was not elected in a democratic sense. He came to power in Italy through a combination of political maneuvering, intimidation, and force.

Mussolini, leader of the National Fascist Party, capitalized on Italy’s post-World War I economic and social unrest. In 1922, he organized the March on Rome, a show of strength by thousands of Fascist supporters, which pressured King Victor Emmanuel III to appoint him as Prime Minister.

While Mussolini initially held power legally, his appointment was not the result of a popular election but rather a response to the threat of violence and political instability. Once in power, Mussolini consolidated control by dismantling democratic institutions, banning opposition parties, and rigging elections. The 1924 election, for example, was heavily manipulated through violence and fraud, ensuring a Fascist majority.

Joseph Stalin (USSR): Stalin was not elected in any democratic sense. The Soviet Union operated as a one-party state under the Communist Party.

Stalin rose to power through internal party politics, outmaneuvering rivals like Leon Trotsky after Vladimir Lenin’s death in 1924. Soviet elections were not competitive; they were controlled to affirm the Communist Party’s authority, offering voters no real choice. Stalin’s leadership was secured through party dominance and suppression of opposition, not through a democratic mandate.

Conclusion:

Neither Hitler, Mussolini, nor Stalin came to power through free and fair democratic elections. Hitler’s appointment followed some electoral success for the Nazi Party, but relied on political deals. Mussolini’s rise was driven by coercion and the threat of violence. Stalin ascended through party control in a system without competitive elections. Each leader used undemocratic means to secure and maintain power.