History Main / IntellectuallySupportedTyranny

* ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheDeathlyHallows'' states that in his younger days, Dumbledore, the smartest wizard of his generation and the ChildProdigy of his time, came dangerously close to supporting Gellert Grindelwald's crusade to TakeOverTheWorld and [[SuperSupremacist civilize/conquer the Muggles]]. Dumbledore even admits it in a letter discovered by the protagonists, that they must accept and present "For the Greater Good" as the primary motivation to prospective converts, a phrase which became Grindelwald's slogan in his Dark Wizard campaign and his CultOfPersonality. A tragic mishap snaps Dumbledore out of this phase and he becomes for the rest of his life a committed anti-Dark Arts activist and philanthropist.

* Karl Popper believed that ''Literature/TheRepublic'' was an example of this, since the ideal state as defined by Creator/{{Plato}} is quite frighteningly totalitarian. He felt that it negatively influenced Western civilization given Plato's acclaim, which he saw born out with the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. It can be said Italian Fascism was ''The Republic'' GoneHorriblyRight. Giovanni Gentile, the head philosopher of the Italian Fascist Party, was strongly influenced by Plato.

* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'': You can have a materialistic monarchy, named Despotic Hegemony, with a research speed bonus and absolute disregard for political rights.

--->"This government is a materialistic form of autocracy, where citizens are viewed as little more than cogs in the state machinery. Efficiency and technological progress are valued above all things."

* ''VideoGame/{{Stellaris}}'': You can have a materialistic dictatorship, named Despotic Hegemony, with research speed bonus, and absolute disregard for political rights. "This government is a materialistic form of autocracy, where citizens are viewed as little more than cogs in the state machinery. Efficiency and technological progress are valued above all things."

This trope has historically been very much TruthInTelevision, despite the general assumption that intellectuals are supposed to be responsible in their social and political opinions. In these cases, the intellectuals themselves can be the ones pulling the levers of power, and genuinely believe that what they are doing is [[KnightTemplar for the greater good]]. Perhaps paradoxically, [[PersecutedIntellectuals other intellectuals are then still likely to be among the targets of their oppression]]: namely, those independent spirits who ''disagree'' with the approved ideologies of the regime.

** Anton Castillo, [[TheGeneralissimo the dictator]] of [[BananaRepublic Yara]] in the upcoming ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' appears to have such an opinion in the reveal trailer, as he tells his son Diego:

[[folder: Anime And Manga]]

* In ''Anime/DanganRonpa3'', [[spoiler:humanity's new leadership, the Future Foundation, is full of tyrants and weirdos, many of whom seem not much better than the bad guys. Tengan, the FF's seemingly sensible founder, turns out to be the worst of all -- he's decided a worldwide LotusEaterMachine is the only way to save mankind from itself.]]

[[folder: Comic Books]]
* In ''Comicbook/CivilWar'' [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Reed Richards]], [[spoiler:Skrull!]]ComicBook/AntMan, and Tony Stark together support the ([[DependingOnTheWriter inconsistently]]) brutal SuperRegistrationAct.
* In ''ComicBook/MarvelZombies'', Reed Richards becomes LesCollaborateurs for the army of zombified superheroes invading from another dimension. Though it's clear that the grief of losing his children left him.... slightly unhinged.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', [[spoiler:Alex Wilder]] dresses up his decision to betray his teammates to cultists who are trying to destroy the world as simply being the most logical play given the circumstances. Of course, it's left ambiguous whether he actually believes this or is just trying to make excuses for a selfish decision.

* As in the canon ''ComicBook/CivilWar'' story, in ''FanFic/OriginStory'' Tony Stark's justification for shredding the US Constitution when it comes to superhumans is a huge pile of intellectual justification that, in the end, boils down to intellectual support for slavery and fascism. When the consequences of his actions are blatantly thrown in his face, Tony Stark has a sudden and painful HeelRealization.

[[folder: Literature]]

* Aldous Huxley's ''Literature/BraveNewWorld'' has a rare example of this character as the EvilOverlord himself, in Mustapha Mond. Also unique though is that he comes across as more complex/likely to be right than other examples. Mond is one of the few who realized how oppressive the system is since he is smart enough to see the science they practice is repeating what was already known to avoid upsetting the status quo with new breakthroughs. The difference between him and the protagonists is that the World controllers had an opening. When Mond realized it, he took their offer. He argues their system really does produce the most happiness, in spite of it being less meaningful than life before, and John never actually refutes this.

* ''Literature/{{Fahrenheit 451}}'' has Beatty, who is DaChief for the Firemen and typically of a dystopian novel, is a well-read intellectual devoted to his job of burning books. It's implied in the novel and more explicit in some adaptations that at heart, Beatty hates himself for what he has become.

* This type is very common in literary works with 19th-century anarchist characters, the originators of the TerroristsWithoutACause idea. This character is generally someone with a good knowledge of chemistry who applies it to arm the anarchists with explosives.

** In E. L. Doctorow's ''Ragtime'', one of the sons from the main family of wealthy [=WASPs=] starts out by making fireworks and ends up in this role in the actual anarchist movement (e.g. with Emma Goldman), but is presented sympathetically, more along the lines of HeWhoFightsMonsters. This contrasts with other "Professor" characters who lean in the direction of [[ChaoticEvil simply enjoying things going boom]] despite a basis in radical politics.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' by Creator/GeorgeRRMartin has the Citadel and the Order of Maesters. The Maesters are supported and patronized by the feudal lords and they write the court histories and advise the King or High Lord on matters of policies and educate the children. This results in many of them invoking HobbesWasRight, WorkingClassPeopleAreMorons, and other tropes to not only justify and cement the power of the aristocracy but to make them feel good about it. Maester Pycelle, the utterly corrupt Grand Maester of the Citadel, in particular serves as the propagandist for tyrannical Tywin Lannister and more or less justifies all his most heinous crimes for the greater good.
* Chinua Achebe's ''Literature/ThingsFallApart'' portrays colonial officers and others serving as part of [[EvilColonialist the British Crown justifying and enabling colonialism]] by elaborate intellectual justifications, being so trapped by their racist views of Africans and others that they are DramaticallyMissingThePoint of their actions and cruelty. The story which deals with the manner in which Okonkwo becomes a TragicHero ends with the nasty irony that his story will more or less become TheGreatestStoryNeverTold, a footnote in a book written by a chronicler documenting the pacification of African tribes in the local area.
* In the 1927 ''La Trahison des Clercs'' ("The Treason of the Intellectuals"), French philosopher Julien Benda accused most European intellectuals of the 19th and early 20th centuries of having done this, becoming apologists to tyranny by supporting ideas like nationalism, communism, warmongering, and racism; he critisizes them for dropping universalist ideals (truth, justice and reason) to advocate instead the promotion of collective egoism of groups such as nations and social classes. He republished the book [[HarsherInHindsight on 1946]].
* Karl Popper believed ''Literature/TheRepublic'' was an example of this, where {{Creator/Plato}} sets out his ideal state that is quite frighteningly totalitarian. He felt it negatively influenced Western civilization given Plato's acclaim, which he saw born out with the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. It can be said Italian Fascism was ''Literature/TheRepublic'' GoneHorriblyRight. Giovanni Gentile, the head philosopher of the Italian Fascist Party, was strongly influenced by Plato.
* ''Literature/AnimalFarm'': The pigs generally seem to be the smartest animals on the farm and all are the beneficiaries of Napoleon's dictatorship. Benjamin the donkey is usually taken to represent intellectuals who grumbled about the rise of the Stalin but did nothing to actually stop it, supporting it by inaction.
* Enforced in ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': Falcrest is the most scientifically advanced nation in the known world, and it uses that science to justify things like racism and eugenics. As a citizen of Falcrest, your career opportunities depend on your performance in the civil service exam, and to take the civil service exam you must grow up in and graduate from a Falcresti boarding school, which aside from educating you also does its best to assimilate you into Falcrest’s culture. In other words, if you want to have a world-class education and a position of authority in Falcrest, you must also learn its values by heart: intellectuals support Falcrest because Falcrest has taught them that’s what intellectuals do. The title character, an InternalReformist and mathematical genius from a culture Falcrest is trying to erase, almost finds herself parroting its own talking points to a rebel from another colonized nation when confronted with an example of the very brutality she wants ended.

[[folder: Video Games]]

* ''VisualNovel/Danganronpa2GoodbyeDespair'': We learn [[spoiler:the answer to ApocalypseHow. There's been a global revolution of murderous nihilism -- led by mankind's best and brightest, the 77th Hope's Peak graduating class.]] The subsequent anime {{retcon}}ned this somewhat, ([[spoiler:they were brainwashed by Junko and may even have thought they were doing ''good'']]) but also introduced new examples, as noted above.
* The United Front for Labor and Liberation in ''VideoGame/FarCry2'' is implied to be this; their name evokes socialist left-wing nationalist academia, and their leader is strictly ArmchairMilitary. Of course, nothing about their ideology is spelled out for certain, and they're all but identical to their enemies, the Alliance for Popular Resistance (implied to be monarchists and military elites).
* Anton Castillo, [[TheGeneralissimo the dictator]] of [[BananaRepublic Yara]] in the upcoming ''VideoGame/FarCry6'' appears to have such an opinion in the reveal trailer, as he tells his son Diego:
-->'''Anton Castillo''': I am ''el presidenté''. Which means that, someday, ''[[OverlordJr you]]'' will be ''el presidenté''. And our people, they do not know how to be happy. They are torn apart by opinions, noise, indecision... [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill strangled by their own freedom]]. And even if you have love in your heart... even if [[WellIntentionedExtremist you want what's best for them]]... if you only want to save them from themselves... they will ''hate you'', Diego. Everything you say, do, believe... will be wrong.

[[folder: Web Comics]]

* In ''Webcomic/TheBMovieComic'', Professor Dr. [[http://www.bmoviecomic.com/?cid=626 instantly supports]] captain Emo's tyrannical regime. This whole trope is lampshaded in TheRant.

* Enforced in ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': Falcrest is the most scientifically advanced nation in the known world, and it uses that science to justify things like racism and eugenics. As a citizen of Falcrest, your career opportunities depend on your performance in the civil service exam, and to take the civil service exam you must grow up in and graduate from a Falcresti boarding school, which aside from educating you also does its best to assimilate you into Falcrest’s culture. In other words, if you want to have a world-class education and a position of authority in Falcrest, you must also learn its values by heart: intellectuals support Falcrest because Falcrest has taught them that’s what intellectuals do. The title character, an InternalReformist and mathematical genius from a culture Falcrest is trying to erase, almost finds herself parroting its own talking points to a rebel from another colonized nation.

* Enforced in ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': Falcrest is the most scientifically advanced nation in the known world, and it uses that science to justify things like racism and eugenics. As a citizen of Falcrest, your career opportunities depend on your performance in the civil service exam, and to take the civil service exam you must grow up in and graduate from a Falcresti boarding school, which aside from educating you also does its best to assimilate you into Falcrest’s culture. In other words, if you want to have a world-class education and a position of authority in Falcrest, you must also learn its values by heart. The title character, an InternalReformist and mathematical genius from a culture Falcrest is trying to erase, almost finds herself parroting Falcrest’s own talking points to a rebel from another colonized nation.

* Enforced in ''Literature/TheTraitorBaruCormorant'': Falcrest is the most scientifically advanced nation in the known world, and it uses that science to justify things like racism and eugenics. As a citizen of Falcrest, your career opportunities depend on your performance in the civil service exam, and to take the civil service exam you must grow up in and graduate from a Falcresti boarding school, which aside from educating you also does its best to assimilate you into Falcrest’s culture. In other words, if you want to have a position of authority in Falcrest, you must first learn its values by heart — especially if you’re a foreigner from a culture it’s deemed “unsanitary”, just as boarding schools have been used in real life to erase indigenous cultures.