Big Caesars and Little Caesars: How They Rise and Fall—From Julius Caesar to Boris Johnson

Mount insists that this is an era of charismatic “little” Caesars, such as former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and former U.S. President Donald Trump. In some ways, these figures resemble historical “big” Caesars, such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, and Julius himself. All abuse power—telling propagandistic lies, breaking the law, rigging political institutions, empowering cronies, and unleashing violence—to achieve political dominance. The difference is a matter of degree: historical figures sought power on “a limitless scale,” while their diminutive modern-day imitators simply do what is needed to prevail in the next election. No matter how spicy the writing, such sweeping comparisons between modern demagogues and world-historical figures can come across as clever rather than deep. Mount’s faith that courts, constitutions, and common sense will ultimately defeat the authoritarian turn may not convince everyone. The book nonetheless provides a useful reminder of the tools populist leaders have always employed and the remarkable willingness of people to defer to them.