So... How people like Stalin and Mao was able to kill like millions of other people? Surely, possible victims can realize that they are fucked by tyrant and try to rebel or something. Elites can see how crazy the guy is and overthrow him. People could just leave the country or something. Why citizens doesn't even tried to oppose only one crazy guy?
>>1306579
in-group psychology, those involved believed they were safe
>>1306579
it's not like Mao and Stalin directly went out into the country with a shotgun and started shooting people. Many of the people who died under their regimes died due to starvation from mismanagement (collectivization or in Mao's case also failed attempts at increasing production). They also had powerful people working under them who due to sycophancy, incompetence or both were a large part of the problem as well. There were individuals within the party that opposed Stalin or Mao respectively but they either were proscribed or purged by the loyal faction.
>>1306579
>Surely, possible victims can realize that they are fucked by tyrant and try to rebel or something
Can't say anything about Mao but Russians have a bad case of "Kind Czar surrounded by evil boyars".
>Comrade Stalin is eliminating all those enemies of the people! How great that is!
>What do you mean, I'm the enemy of the people? It's just a mistake!
>Stalin just wasn't informed well! Surely it's a misunderstanding! He doesn't know!
Doesn't help that despotism is essentially their natural habitat.
