How do unpopular regimes stay in power, even in the face of widespread opposition? And what allows an individual or a group to take control of a society and institute the worst kinds of tyrannies, seemingly with the consent of the governed?In this far-ranging and lively study, Karim Lalani explores the diverse and insidiously effective "tools" that governments and individual rulers have used throughout history to maintain their power base and keep the mass of people under control. From ancient Rome and China, to the Spain of Ferdinand and Isabella, to sixteenth-century England and imperial Russia, Lalani shows the ways in which patronage, propaganda and state-sponsored violence have been employed by tyrannical regimes, and demonstrates that extraordinary phenomena such as the Spanish Inquisition are but extreme examples of oppression as usual. While Lalani mostly confines his exploration to earlier historical periods in order to maintain a critical distance from events, the relevance of his analysis to contemporary society is obvious and the issues he raises speak directly to more recent examples of governmental abuses.In its clear-sighted, colorful - and occasionally humorous - treatment of a very serious subject, The Oppressor's Toolkit offers an eye-opening and incisive look at a little-explored area of political history. More importantly, it provides a crucial perspective, giving us a lens through which to analyze and understand modern political systems and movements.
About the Author: Karim Lalani is an international human rights lawyer and activist, who holds advanced degrees in both law and anthropology. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh Law School, Karim spent time in Nepal assisting a collection of NGOs in the tracking down and prosecution of individuals, including government officials, responsible for the sexual abuse and trafficking of women and children in the region. Eventually becoming disillusioned with what he saw as the political posturing of both governmental and nongovernmental agencies, he returned to his native Canada and began to create his own brand of international humanitarian projects, funded by income streams from his Calgary-based real estate investment company. Karim's activism, which he jokingly describes as "Human Rights Hockey," concentrates on global issue awareness followed by the fearless and sustainable implementation of nonpartisan, education-focused, community-centric, grassroots development projects. A humorist by nature, when faced with the all too often death threat in his work fighting against human traffickers, Karim simply responds with the popular quote by NHL Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate, "In Canada, you're not a hockey player until you've lost some teeth." Among his current projects are education programs in Asia designed to teach young generations about human dignity, respecting others, and to inform them about their rights. As well, he continues to support women's shelters and AIDS orphanages. He also is continuing his efforts by funding projects to develop small industry in villages, in order to provide an alternative to the traffickers. While all of these projects are still in their early stages, they are gradually growing and becoming self-sustaining. When not making enemies of corrupt politicians, bigots, and other undesirable elements or running his Calgary real estate business, Karim moonlights as an amateur stand-up comedian, undersea adventurer, and blogs on "Human Rights Hockey." He spends the rest of his time with his beautiful wife-to-be, Zahra, and his other great love, The Calgary Flames.