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Comment by TrapLord_Rhodo | Hacker News Reader

i'm not saying it's anything new... i'm pointing out that if we view Zelenskyy’s role through a Roman lens, where the term dictator originates, his broad wartime powers—granted under martial law, with elections and normal governance suspended—mirror the temporary, crisis-driven authority of a Roman dictator.

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Wasn't the word still nonetheless unjustifiably weaponized? Would it not be extremely reasonable to be upset if a sitting US president prior to the US getting involved in WW2 criticized Churchhill and strategically called him a dictator to delegitimize him?

UK’s parliamentary model spread power via coalition; Ukraine’s semi-presidential setup concentrates it in Zelensky, though Parliament retains legislative monopoly.

Why would we view him through a Roman lens with regards to a word used today in a modern context?

Because that's when the word was created and is the most applicable description of what zelensky is... What else would you call him?

A war-time president? The UK and Canada postponed elections during WW2, but no one is calling Churchill a dictator.

Using millennia-old definitions does nothing to further discussions.

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That's sort of what Trump was subtly trying to get at -- Zelenskyy's political power continues as long as the war continues. If we take the worst interpretation of his character that he is willing to do whatever it takes to hold onto power for as long as possible ... then he has an incentive to sabotage any peace deals.

I personally don't think that's likely, but it is a valid argument depending on how skeptical you are about Zelenskyy's motives.

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Sorry Dang <3 Thanks for your hard work!

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