His education was sketchy, his knowledge of the world even more so.
He was a bully from his earliest years, vain and consumed with the urge to win.
He started life as a socialist but later became an ardent nationalist, founding the fascist movement.
On becoming ruler he removed political opposition, establishing an elaborate and powerful secret service that did his bidding.
After the world slump his aim was to create jobs. This he partially did, but strikes were declared illegal.
His aim was a totalitarian state. He ruled constitutionally until 1925, when he dropped all pretense of democracy.
So self-confident was he that at one point he held seven ministerial posts simultaneously.
He sought to restore the greatness of of his country in the time of the Emperor Augustus.
There was no self-doubt. He posed as a new ubermensch, and promoted the idea that he had quasi-divine attributes.
His support came chiefly from the countryside and the small towns, not the cities.
He gave rousing speeches in which facts were what he said they were.
To maintain power he created “Blackshirt” armed militias, who terrorized opponents.
He had to have a Great Enemy to attack and berate in order to give a focus for his supporters: in this case it was communism.
Who was he?
You can argue about whether or not history repeats itself, but one thing seems to be predictable: after every wrenching economic disaster the mood of the people turns populist and hostile to the establishment, welcoming the facile potential dictator, and overturner- in- chief. Why are we surprised at present?
Is your mystery dictator Mussolini ?
Yes! A parallel example is Franco in Spain. Both have striking similaroties to Trump