Lord Vetinari in Terry Pratchett's Discworld is an interesting study in tyranny. He is referred to in-world as a tyrant, but Pratchett frequently lampshades that that isn't a great word to describe what he actually does. Vetinari has no life outside running the city, no personal goals, no individual ego. In his words, "it is always about the city"[0]. He views the city as an organism and himself as its caretaker, and he does a remarkably good job. He can be ruthless and brutal when necessary to protect the city, but the city thrives under him.

Vetinari has a direct parallel in the Benevolent Dictator for Life in FOSS communities, or dang on HN. Individuals often hate these "tyrants" and wish them gone, but the community as a whole only thrives because of their careful, patient, and deliberate care. You can't easily replace a BDFL with a democratic process without losing the community's soul.

The problem with the BDFL model is that if your dictator isn't benevolent, what you have is a normal, flawed monarchy. And very few people are capable of being as ego-free as a benevolent dictator needs to be.

[0] Making Money, page 98