*The article reviewed does not necessarily reflect my own opinion nor that of the U.S. Navy.
In Andrew Sullivan’s article “America Takes the Next Step Toward Tyranny” from NYMag, he asserts that tyranny has not only gained footing in America, but that the second phase of tyranny has begun. Early in the article, Sullivan discusses the first phase of tyranny as described by Plato. This phase is a period of calm, during which the tyrant cancels debts, redistributes the land, among other things with the purpose of pleasing the people. Sullivan points to President Trumps tax cuts as one such act. This early phase of tyranny closely fits the pre-democratic definition of tyranny because the leader is beneficent and likely popular. Oxford English Dictionary defines “tyrant” several different ways including “(especially in ancient Greece) a ruler who seized absolute power without legal right.” While President Trump does not fit that description, it is important to note that the definition does not mention cruelty by the leader or displeasure from the citizens. As described by the article, the tyrant in the first phase could fit this definition.
As Plato’s narrative goes on to the second phase, however, the leader expels from government those who speak against him and replaces them with his allies. This description of a tyranny fits the post-rise of democracy stereotype that tyrannies are good at first but become corrupted. He writes about how President Trump has replaced many high ranking government officials with people who will do what he wants. Aside from this purge that Plato describes in his description of tyranny, he also writes about the need for a tyrant to stir up war in order to validate the need for a leader. Sullivan argues that President Trump does this through rhetoric wars with our allies and trade wars with nations such as China, as well as with increasing our military presence overseas. At the end of the article, he writes that as the President is backed into a corner, he may employ this greatest distraction, war. Oxford English Dictionary also defines “tyrant” as “a cruel and oppressive ruler.” This definition is closer to the second phase tyrant that the article describes, and a more fitting description of how the article uses the word tyrant.
The West in the Pre-Modern World 
MIDN 3/C Ionatan A. Soule
This is a great blog post simply because I learned something new. I was unaware that there are multiple phases of tyranny. I find the parallel you draw between modern day events and the past definition to be rather thought-provoking. Though President Trump did rise to power in a legal manner, thus not fulfilling the classical definition of tyranny, it is interesting to note that his recent political moves have aligned with the second phase’s definition. It begs the question of whether or not you must start a tyrant to be a tyrant. Or is it possible for someone to jump into one of the later phases of tyranny and bypass the initial stages? Additionally, tyrants are not only negative. In fact, there are cases where tyranny actually improved the situation (benevolent dictators, etc.). Could it be possible for someone to match the description of a tyrant without incorporating any negative connotation? In my opinion, this would be impossible because tyrant naturally carries a negative connotation.
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