When the Dictator is in Town

Abstract:

Do dictators need aligned bureaucrats? We examine the impact of exposure to the autocratic leader on one key tool at dictatorships’ disposal to maintain power: repression. Focusing on Italy’s Fascist dictatorship (1926-1939), the paper utilizes newly gathered data on visits by Mussolini. Using the temporal and geographical variation of these visits in a staggered difference-in-differences framework, we show that a visit by Mussolini significantly increased repression. The results suggest a top-down mechanism, driven by increased policing and allocation of bureaucrats aligned with the regime’s goals.