In How Tyrants Fall And How Nations Survive, Dr. Marcel Dirsus explores the profound paradox that the world’s most powerful tyrants are condemned to live in constant fear. Drawing on his expertise in regime instability and political violence—credentials honed advising organizations like NATO—Dirsus dissects the core vulnerabilities of authoritarian rule. To explain this vulnerability, Dirsus introduces two core concepts: the "Golden Gun paradox," which analyzes why a despot's power is often useless when needed most, and the "Dictator's Treadmill," the perilous trade-off that makes relinquishing power more hazardous than clinging to it. This relentless struggle for survival raises the book's critical questions: Why are the seemingly insane actions of dictators often rational strategies for survival? What are a regime’s key weaknesses? And, ultimately, how can they be brought down? Dirsus provides an essential guide for anyone, from diplomats to citizens, seeking to understand the mechanics of modern authoritarianism, framing it as a crucial resource for those who wish to "constrain them at home or limit their threat abroad."