Summary:
The book presents a political theory that leaders, regardless of being dictators or democrats, prioritize their own power and interests by maintaining a loyal coalition of supporters through a system of rewards and punishments. It argues that the size of this coalition and the number of people a leader needs to please determines the level of corruption and the quality of governance.
Key points:
1. Leader's Dilemma: The book discusses the leader's challenge of pleasing supporters while retaining power, by carefully distributing resources to avoid empowering rivals.
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