THE DICTATORSHIP CLASS

Did you ever get one of those detentions at school where the teachers would hold everyone back for some offence one child had committed? All the while the teachers would be saying "We know who's responsible, but we're going to keep everyone here until the culprit steps forward."

I never understood that. Now, let's be honest, they didn't know who had done it or they would just hold that one person behind. The idea here had to be that somehow peer group pressure would cause the guilty party, through some weird osmosis thing, to raise their hand and shout out "It was I! I wrote the rude words in the toilets. Me!"

I never knew these kids. I didn't associate with them. I doubt they knew who I was. What was I doing at that detention? Just cooling my heels until some authority figure stopped lying to me about knowing who was responsible and sent me home, as far as I could see. What lesson was I learning? That kind of detention was just a masterclass in how to be a despot. I'll be grateful to the preparation my school gave me if I ever become a ruthless dictator.

I've never heard of this tactic being used in the adult world. When there's a bank robbery the police don't get everyone in town to stand in the police station until someone admits it was them. "We know which one of you robbed that bank but unless he steps forward you're all going to prison."