Real Dictators

by NOISER
4,426
History #29

Real Dictators is the award-winning podcast that explores the hidden lives of history's tyrants. Hosted by Paul McGann, with contributions from eyewitnesses and expert historians.New episodes available one week early for Noiser+ subscribers. You'll also get ad-free listening and exclusive content. To find out more about Noiser+, head to noiser.com/subscriptions.For advertising enquiries, email info@adelicious.fmProduction: Joel Duddell, Ed Baranski, Miriam Baines, Tom Pink, George Tapp, Dorry Macaulay, Cian Ryan-Morgan, Anisha Devadasan, Joseph McGann. Compositions by Oliver Baines, Dorry Macaulay, Tom Pink.We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/real for £100 sponsored credit.

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Recent Reviews
  • Barbarisimo
    Great Podcast!!!!
    I look forward to the next episode after I finish the current one. My favorite podcast in my feed.
  • Chris in SoCal
    When Leftists. Same as it ever was.
    What tripe this podcast truly is. Beyond getting basic facts on time & place correct, the episode on the Franco/Spanish Civil War is tired leftist propaganda. The “Republican” side consisted of progressives as the front and an assortment of anarchists, radical leftists unionists, socialists, communists and they were ultimately led by Bolsheviks and Moscow. Largo Caballero “Republican” stated the following on January 12, 1936 - “Before the Republic, our duty was to bring it about; but with the Republic established, our duty is to bring about socialism. And when I speak of Socialism, I do not speak of Socialism alone; I speak of Marxist Socialism, I speak of revolutionary socialism; I speak of Marxist socialism, I speak of revolutionary socialism…our aspiration is the conquest of political power. Method? That which we are able to use”. BTW, the leftists were more murderous and far more sadistic. Refer to the magisterial study by Ramon Salas Larrazabal (1977). Executions in the Republican zone (1936-1939) 72,344. In the Nationalist zone (1936-1950) 57,662. Both sides engaged in mass reprisals and murder but, the leftists were particularly sadistic in nature by “violating” women, children, public torture, displaying the corpses of Nuns, seizing private property, burning churches and disgracing Catholic artifacts, etc. Recommended reading: “The Last Crusade” Warren H. Carroll “Franco” A Personal & Political Biography by Stanley Payne & Jesus Palacios
  • Joe987664
    Awesome
    I absolutely love this podcast! I am not going to be taking a quiz at the end so I just get to enjoy the awesome narration, interesting anecdotes, and learn something. 10/10.
  • Lagor123
    What a joke
    The “far right ultra libertarian” Javier milei is saving Argentina. Their housing crisis is ended and he’s dropped inflation below 3% and was democratically elected. This show has gotten so unbelievably biased it’s insane. Use a source that isn’t a psycho left wing academic for once.
  • JLD921
    Academic View
    From the perspective of a history professor. The dramatization of McGinn’s voice plays a huge part in the narratives projected. But anyone claiming this is either “left” or “right” leaning is inherently biased. They produce a predominantly factual narrative, albeit not necessarily nuanced which is to be expected within short series. This is form of intellectual entertainment, not a lecture. And whoever is venerating Franco in the reviews, certainly is not well versed in the systemic oppression that occurred during the White Terror. Political opinion should be encouraged, genocide on the other hand should not.
  • IntertMold764500
    HamyColo you realize that them running out of dictators is a good thing
    HamyColo you realize that them running out of dictators means that there are less people dying than thee would be if they never ran out. Yes I love this podcast and it’s amazingly entertaining and informational, but the less living dictators the better because less people die. So HamyColo I understand that you love the podcast but hope that they run out of dictators really soon for the fact that less people die and not because I hate the podcast. HamyColo I really hope that I don’t offend you.
  • Idiza
    High Quality Great Podcast
    This is what a podcast should be. So interesting. Well produced. Great narrator. I look forward to each new episode!
  • HamyColo
    Keep Hammering
    The recent Gen. Vidalia / Argentina content is some of your best work to date. The formula is perfect maestro. You’ve knocked it out of park once again. I unabashedly hope that we never run out of dictators for you to dazzle us with.
  • samuel123834098309480934
    Great show
    Do one on the Italian dictator, Mussolini who was dictator during ww2 and founded facism.
  • Lola R2
    Amazing Show
    I really love this show. Y’all keep doing what you’re doing. I would also like to request that you guys do Nicolae Ceausescu, the communist leader of Romania.
  • Original Recipe
    Ads ruin a mediocre podcast
    This podcast, and its advertisers, ruin a mediocre show.
  • EtzelofTroy
    Fascists missing the point entirely
    Really interesting how many wackos are listening to this show rooting for these disgusting pieces of human waste. Fascists, today as yesterday, completely misreading history in favor of their warped world view. Keep talking about these monsters, guys. Lest we forget
  • Tommjuibfx
    Paul McGann is opinionated, biased, and dramatic
    So far his opinion of the subject is the primary thrust of his shows. If he likes the individual, they can do no wrong, if he doesn’t, they are a monster. I’m hoping he has grown out of this in later shows.
  • Sissarae27
    Socialism and communism played out
    We in the US NEED to pay attention to history. Socialism and communism never work!!!!!!
  • SoCalBannon
    Inversion
    Franco was super based. Funny, how many of these “bad men” rule coincided with the nation’s zenith….makes you wonder….
  • Dejan T
    10/10
    Love love love this podcast. Really interesting subjects, although I have to say Paul the narrator might be my favorite aspect! He is amazing. Can’t wait for more episodes!
  • JiMmYbOb32
    FIRE🔥🔥🔥🔥
    I been listening to this podcast for a while now and it’s absolutely fire
  • Geoplanter
    August 2024
    Hey guys, are you still doing this podcast?
  • indieperfume
    excellent voice and fascinating background info
    gives details and history that reveals much about why things are the way they are today, on the many egomaniacs that have seized too much power over the centuries and in our lifetimes. Human nature at it's worst playing itself out when enabled by unfortunate circumstances. Delivered with calm and with beautifully articulated British vowels, without shouting or distraction. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • Danohawker
    It’s good
    Great stories- not crazy about Paul’s overly dramatic voice. He sounds like he’s trying to be John Hopkins and not doing a very good job. Otherwise I recommend it
  • DrDave3078
    Paul is a legend
    Paul has such a soothing voice. His silky smooth vocals provide the perfect background for murders and corruption of the highest degree. 100/10 🔥🔥🔥
  • LOVEcows15
    My Favorite
    Absolutely love this show! Heard every episode and I always keep a handful of my favorite episodes downloaded for long trips.
  • Mikey Likes Podcasts
    five stars plus plus plus plus
    This is a five-star podcast. Excellent all the way around. Nothing else needs to be said it stands on its own with five stars. Cromwell Episodes show that when only two political factions are allowed to usurp any type of government, left or right, royalists or parliamentarians, Labor or Conservative, Democrats or Republicans The end result is the same. Two different paths to the same destination. Permanent Despotism.
  • lanne anne
    Great.
    So well put together, thank you ! Loved it.
  • Begown
    Awesome
    My favorite part about going through the reviews was watching the progression of conservatives loving the pod when it covered Stalin to complaining that it was left-wing propaganda once they got to the episodes on Hitler. Sorry folks, Hitler was as right wing as it gets. You’ll find fascism at the equal and opposite end of the political spectrum from communism.
  • raul on hinge
    Good stuff
    One of my favorites
  • Equestrian Rider
    Excellent podcast!
    The Great Dictators podcast is my go to podcast when I’m working out at the gym. What I like about it is the great research and script writing but most importantly the straightforward and excellent narration by seasoned British actor Paul McGann whose voice is easy to listen to. I would rate The Great Dictators as the best podcast of all I’ve ever listened to. 👏👏
  • gdhehsnxhdjrhhcd
    Syria
    I love this show and I think one of the next dictators should be Assad since he is still in power People who call this show left winged baffle me because this show covers dictators in a more historical context. This show has fantastic intros for dictators and the detail on their lives and motivations can only be described a perfect medium cooked steak. (The point of their motivations could be addressed a little bit sooner but other than that they’re no real complaints from me.)
  • cornettesracket
    Very left-wing podcast
    After listening to almost all of the episodes, it’s so clear that this is a very left-leaning podcast.
  • Snorfulus
    Seriously favorite podcast
    I heard about this podcast while listening to a short history podcast. I love the narrator. The content is highly addictive and fascinating. I can’t get enough. It’s like reading a brilliant book.
  • Legal Eagle 28
    Super Interesting
    Love this podcast! Can't stop listening.
  • Tangent1.57
    Stalin’s life story literally changed my life
    I listened to the episodes about Joseph Stalin February 2022. It literally hit me so hard and changed my life. I’ve become quite interested in his life, and I’ve even read his mother’s (Keke Geladze) small book, and I’m reading a book now called “Young Stalin.” Stalin defied odds at all corners. • he was an ethnic Georgian who ruled over a multi-ethnic nation in which Georgians were a minority. • he was in the background of the Bolsheviks. As the secretary, his job wasn’t that glamorous. He was so overshadowed. But he rose up. • he developed the USSR at a huge cost. • he escaped Siberia on exile many times - 6 times in fact. • he got away with killing 700,000 or so high ranking military officials.
  • Henekdjej
    Real dictators opinion as a seventh grader
    My favorite was the Hitler series just because he’s definitely one of the most recognizable dictators in history, but no matter how iconic in a way historically iconic he is and how he’s everywhere in history still people don’t know much about him I’m in seventh grade and learning about all this really sparked my interest in dictators so after Hitler podcast episode, I’m definitely moving onto Stalin. They don’t hold back anything that could be sensitive and they really only state mainly fax and the music is amazing by the way so to whoever said that this was a really bad podcast I am a seventh grader and I loved this.
  • Yellow Parenti
    More the legend of Stalin than the actual history
    I listened to the Stalin episodes. This podcast definitely obscures more than it actually reveals - it’s a tremendous piece of propaganda masquerading as objective history. I gave it two stars because it was very entertaining to listen to with all it’s over the top editorializing and wild speculation. I’m so befuddled by the people calling this a left wing podcast. The perspective of the narrative is so solidly anti communist it’s like saying the Siberian winter isn’t nearly cold enough.
  • hayden15
    Interesting content
    It appears the show uses “ right wing “ so much more often vs “ left wing “ . I suggest the show should use more historical terms instead of the current political terms which make one question the objective views of the shows. We all need to understand it’s the history we are talking about, not in the lenses of the current political world.
  • Firemedic380
    Podcast is brilliant, review section is ridiculous.
    The person calling this podcast radical leftism is definitely someone who is in favor of autocracy or someone similar, since this podcast simply tells history facts and occasionally rebukes war crimes and despots. Some people hate education
  • country_boy201487
    Great podcast
    I love the podcast, I would love to hear a series on Robespierre.
  • Tmchief77
    Leftist’s Revising History (historically inaccurate)
    This podcast is full left-wing crazy and never stops relating the stories to current politics. Left-wing politics guide the show and alter history to match current left-wing propaganda.
  • cevabe
    Awesomeness
    Such a great podcast, but I don’t understand why everyone is saying it’s now a ‘Hitler podcast’. Hitler was undeniably the most evil person in human history, so don’t you think it would make sense to do an in depth dive into his life? I know I do.
  • ian879571
    Revealing the Dictator’s Playbook
    This might be the best history podcast out there. The research is thorough and production quality is high. I most appreciate the more obscure dictators (eg Papa Doc, Noriega) because I find that the most interesting things about dictators are what they have in common. It’s like they work out of a dictator’s playbook. Therefore, I much prefer more breadth to reveal these patterns among dictators, rather than 20 something Hitler episodes. While good, I admittedly got lost and tired during that long series.
  • AlMurk
    Interesting history!
    I am not a fan of history but am amazed at the way you get it across! Listen to the podcast on my daily walks. Thanks for making History interesting to me.
  • Nursefriday
    Love this Podcast
    I cannot wait to hear the next series. Your voice and stories make my commute something that I look forward to each day. Thank you
  • dickydipper
    None better
    Thank you, Paul. This podcast is EXCELLENT and you re a FANTASTIC story teller. Thank you again! I will subscribe.
  • gcmonsterg
    The best
    Paul thank you for the story telling. The Hitler story was well told almost as living in that era watching from afar. Would love for you to do Trujillo and Pinochet next
  • Ginane72
    Real Dictaors
    In my culture when you want to say something is heavy & serious you say this Na-Man-Talk…I enjoy Paul’s stoic professional piercing presentation of the REAL DICTATORS podcast the small anecdotes and subtle remarks brings life and revives those dark but real moments in our colorful history moments when men just simply put went too far…we ALL have a darkness within us it just comes easier for some…dat wan na MAN TALK. Emmanuel Samci
  • TheWarthog
    Not sure how it could be any better
    Paul might be the perfect narrator for this podcast. Sound a little older than his picture suggests, yet the eyes on the picture highlight the subtle cynicism that seems to come through in the narration AS IT SHOULD being a podcast about dictators. The use of dramatic pauses is brilliant. Most of the guests are perfect for the show. Don’t change a thing, don’t run out of content and please don’t make it a premium pay for service.
  • shanesweeney720
    Great
    Great podcast! My only complaint is how the feed is ordered. Newest shows at the bottom is inconvenient.
  • 6milliondollardude
    Incredible
    By far the best podcast that I have ever listened to. Being someone who created their own podcast I know how much time, attention and amount of work it takes to create a podcast at this level. This is an A+++ production. My dog has never been walked so much.
  • K Squared
    ENOUGH WITH HITLER!!!
    This is now the Hitler podcast and it’s awful.
  • Chlolololoo
    best narrator on any pod
    i love his voice, soothing and informative, excellent research and narrative, appreciate that it’s so professional and just history in a compelling intelligent way w relevant experts. what history channel used to be. love this pod
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