Little Napoleons: A Growing Threat to Democratic Governance
The term "Little Napoleon" was coined by Malaysia’s fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah), to describe civil servants who mirror the arrogance, self-importance, and power-hungry tendencies of the 18th-century French emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Initially used to critique lower-level bureaucrats, the term now applies to a broader, more alarming trend where senior officials, including heads of departments, exhibit behaviors that undermine the principles of democracy and public service.