The Nature of Tyranny and the Perils of Misidentification

Tyranny, at its core, is not simply about force, violence, or oppression—it is about the misidentification of the nature of things, whether that’s the nature of the human individual, society, or the very laws that govern us. Throughout history, the most dangerous tyrants have thrived not because they possessed superior power, but because they were able to distort or obscure the truth of what a human being truly is, or what justice ought to look like in society.

The greatest tyranny is often an ignorance of the natural order—the rightful relationships between individuals, the recognition of their inherent rights, and the understanding that freedom is the natural state of human beings. Just as a sailor who lacks knowledge of navigation is doomed to sail aimlessly, or a person without shelter-building skills may be overwhelmed by a storm, so too is a society doomed when it fails to recognize the fundamental laws of human natureand individual rights. When a system of governance forgets these truths, tyranny becomes inevitable.

This ignorance is not merely academic or intellectual; it is deeply practical and destructive. A society that misunderstands the nature of freedom, that treats individuals as if they were property—as in the case of slavery—is fundamentally unjust, no matter how orderly or efficient the structures of such a society appear. And the deeper tragedy is that the people themselves, having misidentified their own nature, may willingly cooperate in their own oppression, often unable to discern the tyranny around them.

If we are to understand the difference between order and tyranny, we must first recognize that order itself is not inherently oppressive. Systems like symphonies, football games, or cooperative endeavors can provide an orderly structure within which freedom thrives, provided they respect the individuality of those involved. A football game has rules, yes, but it is a voluntary participation in a shared goal—the teamwork, the creativity, and the freedom of the players to express themselves within the structure of the game are integral to its very nature. The same applies to a symphony, where each musician follows a conductor's guidance, but their individual expression and musicality are central to the harmony of the performance.

These systems do not violate natural law, they respect it. They allow for creativity within a structured framework, and they celebrate the individual contributions of each participant. True order is not about uniformity or subjugation; it is about creating conditions under which human flourishing—through cooperation, creativity, and respect for each individual’s role—is possible.

The misidentification of the nature of things occurs when a system is set up that denies individual rights or treats human beings as mere cogs in a machine, rather than as free and autonomous individuals. Tyranny arises when a government, a ruler, or a collective force mistakes its role and attempts to impose a false order by denying the freedom and dignity of the individual.

At the heart of every tyranny is a misunderstanding of human nature. Tyranny does not necessarily need to be brutal or chaotic—it can appear orderly and well-organized while still being fundamentally unjust. The British Redcoatsduring the American Revolution were an example of this kind of orderly tyranny. They sought to impose a uniform system of control over the colonies, based on the idea of imperial authority. The system of control appeared rational, orderly, and structured. However, it was a system that denied the inherent rights of the colonists to self-governance and individual liberty, and therefore, it was fundamentally tyrannical.

Similarly, the chaotic tyranny of African warlords, though seemingly a more disordered and less organized form of oppression, still rested on a similar misunderstanding of what human life and freedom should be. In both cases, whether orderly or chaotic, the system that was in place denied the natural rights of the individuals living under it.

What separates order from tyranny is the recognition and respect for individual rights. True order arises when individuals are free to live according to their nature—the laws that govern them must align with the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. Tyranny, by contrast, is an imposition of artificial rules that violate these natural rights, whether in the name of imperial authority, bureaucratic efficiency, or centralized power.

The most fundamental misidentification, and perhaps the most damaging, is the treatment of free individuals as if they were slaves. This is not just a legal or political betrayal; it is a betrayal of the very essence of humanity. When we fail to recognize the inherent dignity of the human person, we treat individuals as means to an end, as objects to be used, rather than as ends in themselves, worthy of respect and autonomy.

This misidentification of human nature has profound consequences. It creates a society of exploitation, where those who use power over others treat the people as mere tools for their own gain. It is this system of exploitation, dressed up in the false clothing of order, that leads to the degradation of society itself. When people no longer recognize each other as autonomous individuals with inalienable rights, society descends into corruption, plunder, and ultimately, anarchy—not in the chaotic sense, but in a deeply ordered chaos that undermines the very fabric of justice.

Those who use power against others must eventually confront the irony of their own actions. By subjugating the minds and freedoms of others, they unwittingly undermine the very systems that allow them to maintain their position. As they focus on controlling thought, they begin to realize that thought itself becomes more elusive and more difficult to manage. They desire to dominate the thoughts of others, but in doing so, they make themselves the target of those very same powers they sought to wield against the population.

The paranoia that naturally arises from this dynamic is profound. The more they seek to control others' thoughts, the more they expose their own vulnerabilities. Eventually, they are unable to escape the consequences of their own actions. Depression, self-doubt, and even suicide often follow as the internal contradictions of their tyranny become too overwhelming to bear. Those who lust for power over others are often destroyed by the very power they wield.

This system of tyranny operates largely because of ignorance—not just ignorance of facts, but ignorance of fundamental principles. Just as a sailor ignorant of navigation will be lost at sea, so too will a society that refuses to recognize the natural law and the rights of individuals find itself adrift in an unjust system. Those who fail to see the injustice in their government’s actions are often complicit in their own oppression, unable or unwilling to break free from the systems of control that have been imposed on them.

This ignorance also breeds delusion—the belief that crime, fraud, and corruption are somehow legitimate forms of behavior, especially when they are sanctioned by the state. People may be fooled into believing that those who are in charge have the right to manipulate the system to their advantage. However, as with Ponzi schemes or financial fraud, those who participate in these systems will ultimately face accountability. Ignorance may allow tyranny to flourish for a time, but knowledge and recognition of the true natural rights of individuals will eventually expose the fraud, and those who perpetuate it will find themselves held accountable for their actions.

In the final analysis, tyranny arises from the misidentification of the nature of things—whether it’s the nature of human rights, society, or law. When individuals fail to understand the inherent dignity and freedom of the human person, they risk becoming complicit in systems of oppression, whether orderly or chaotic. Whether in the case of King George’s orderly Redcoats or the chaotic tyranny of warlords, the essence of tyranny remains the same: a denial of individual rights and freedoms.

True law is not about imposing control, but about recognizing the natural rights that each individual possesses. It is about understanding the nature of human beings and building systems that respect their rights to life, liberty, and property. Only through a proper education in these principles—rooted in natural law—can we escape the tyranny of ignorance and live in freedom.

The ultimate takeaway is clear: Those who use power against others are bound to find that the very power they wield will eventually turn against them, for the same principles that apply to the freedom of the individual apply equally to the misuse of power. Tyranny, though it may appear orderly, is always built on a foundation of misidentification—and it is only through a true understanding of individual rights, natural law, and the inherent dignity of the human person that we can escape it.