Conquest is murder & theft Conquerors are vicious criminals Vicious criminals become kings Kings designed civilization ...and we are the products of civilization. Right wing movements are rising around the globe, but our attention is misdirected. The problem is not the authoritarian leader, but the blinkered supporters who unthinkingly follow him. Without them, the despot is irrelevant. Why do we attach ourselves to dictators & demagogues? Why do we defend even their most obvious hypocrisies & lies? The answer lies in the roots of civilization. Despite our romantic traditions, monarchs were never wise, just, nor generous. History shows that, without exception, kings were the most vicious psychopaths, narcissists, & sadists who ever lived. And the only path for survival required blindly believing & obeying anything the king said. • • • Winner World History: Independent Press Award Winner Current Events: Indie Book Awards Winner World History: NYC Big Book Gold Medal Non Fiction Author Awards Short List Grand Prize: Eric Hoffer Awards 1st Runner-Up Legacy Nonfiction: Eric Hoffer Awards Bronze Medal Historical Nonfiction: Readers' Favorite ...and 7 others