Politics of Despotic Leaders

«Hafizullah Emadi, a recognized authority on the Ismaili sect of Islam, has produced an extensively researched report on the community in Afghanistan whose leaders ("Pirs") deployed their sacred authority to build a cult of personality and dominate the social affairs of their followers. They became ever more dictatorial after the 1970s, ruling until their authority was abolished in 2002 by the pre-eminent leader of the Ismailis, the Aga Khan. This is a unique contribution to our understanding of