"Aristotle (d. 322 BCE) reminds us

that all tyrants invariably surround themselves with sycophants because they cannot bear to hear the truth. But the tyrant also needs these yes-men because he demands tacit approval of his beliefs and actions, and what he fears most is an honest and critical look at himself. The more a tyrant's power increases, the less he tolerates dissent. And what is true for a tyrant is also true for a tyrannical nation."

-Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Introduction to the Prayer of the Oppressed, p. 5.