Name Recognition

Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader sometimes wonders about elections in 3rd World nations.

Take for example the recent elections in Togo. It appears as though the son of the recently deceased dictator of that African nation has won the presidency. If you assume that the election was not fraught with corruption, intimidation, and other irregularities (a strech), wouldn't the guy with high name recognition seem to have an advantage.

Your Maximum Leader will jump to a few conclusions. First, it seems unlikely that the population is particularly well-informed. Second, it seems as though the general economic situation in Togo is dire (to be charitable). And third, the last person democratically elected was overthrown in a coup. If those conclusions are accurate, wouldn't it make sense to elect the guy who is in cozy with the military? The guy who's dad ran the country for 40 years. And the guy who seems likely to overthrown the government if he loses (despite pledges to the contrary).

Makes you wonder.

Carry on.