What happens when narcissism rules the country?

We can analyze famous figures like Napoleon and Hitler, who underestimated the Russian winter because their perception of reality was already distorted, or Mussolini, whose self-image as “Il Duce,” infallible leader of Italy, blinded him to failure. But often overlooked in historical studies is a continent that suffered profoundly under such dynamics – Africa. Specifically, the “Pearl of Africa,” a landlocked country in East Africa: Uganda.

Idi Amin Dada Oumee was born in 1925 in Koboko, a town in northwestern Uganda, then part of the British Protectorate. He belonged to the Kakwa ethnic group, a minority in Uganda. Raised by his mother, Amin received limited formal education. He was said to have worked as a cook before joining the King’s African Rifles, a regiment of the British colonial army, in 1946.

A big part of Idi Amin’s power came from his intimidating appearance. He stood around 6 feet 4 inches tall, was heavily built, and had a commanding presence that made others wary of confronting him. Amin was also an accomplished boxer and rugby player, Commander of the Ugandan Army- a position that gave him the power to orchestrate the 1971 coup and take control of the country.

On January 25, 1971, while the former president Obote was out of the country, Idi Amin seized power in a military coup. He claimed he was acting to save Uganda from corruption and promised to restore democracy, as well as hold free and fair elections. Many Ugandans initially welcomed his takeover.

In the first year alone, an estimated 10,000 people were murdered by the regime. Countless others were imprisoned and tortured. Overall, his regime has taken the lives of approximately half a million people, cementing Idi Amin’s place as one of the most brutal dictators of the 20th century and earning him the title ‘‘The Butcher of Uganda’’. He systematically targeted political opponents, ethnic minorities such as the Acholi and Lango, and anyone perceived as a threat, executing or “disappearing” them without trial. Amin turned Uganda into a police state, relying on a pervasive network of secret police and the army to monitor, intimidate, and punish citizens, ensuring that dissent was virtually impossible. He eliminated almost all senior officers in the military, replacing them with loyal followers. At the same time, his policies- including the expulsion of the Indian and Pakistani communities in 1972 and reckless economic decisions- crashed the economy, causing widespread shortages, unemployment, and a collapse of trade. Torture, public executions, and beatings were common, leaving the country traumatized and isolated internationally, while Amin’s personal whims dictated the lives and deaths of thousands.

What is curious is how he managed to maintain his power. Yes, narcissism. He used colonial history to create division and empower Africans, tapping into their anger over years of colonial rule. But to do this, he had to completely reject the West and blame it for the past. The clearest signs of his narcissism were in his rhetoric. He called himself “His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular”. As modest as that sounds, he was not joking. Giveaway number one? A disconnection from reality. Robert Keeley, Deputy Chief of Mission in Kampala, Uganda, 1971-1973, gives more insight into Amin and his self-image, including his claims to have fought in Burma and World War II. The math does not add up – he was far too young – but he told these stories to inflate his ego and give himself more reasons to be admired.

Yet Amin also worked to secure the support of his people. He traveled the country on a charm offensive during his first year as dictator – and later, expelled Uganda’s Asian community, who ran many businesses. Amin championed himself as a defender of women’s rights and made a show of placing women in high-profile government positions. But behind the rhetoric, he exploited traditional ideas about how women “should” behave – a way to further control the population. He famously outlawed miniskirts in 1972, casting fashion-following women as ‘immoral’ and subjecting them to public humiliation and assault.

‘‘The Butcher of Uganda’’ projected his own ego onto the state, creating a system in which his personal authority became synonymous with the power of Uganda itself. This allowed him to intimidate, manipulate, and control people, as the population’s loyalty and fear reinforced his sense of grandeur. Opportunistic and self-serving behaviors were rewarded, so many adopted traits that mirrored his self-centered worldview. In effect, society became a reflection of his ego, where survival depended on mimicking his grandiosity, ambition, and relentless self-interest.

As much as Amin’s rule belongs to the past and Uganda is recovering economically and culturally, its effects are still present and serve as a cautionary example. Narcissism is the same everywhere – just view it through a modern perspective, and you might even consider claiming Greenland.