Modi, Trump and the ‘Wounded Strongman’ Problem | Pratap Bhanu Mehta | Express Opinion

India and the United States face a shared political crisis characterized by the emergence of the "wounded strongman," where leaders Narendra Modi and Donald Trump grapple with collapsing personal auras. Despite official economic growth, both nations suffer from deep-seated anxieties regarding unemployment, inflation, and stagnant life prospects. As these leaders reach a governance dead end and lose their perceived status as infallible geniuses, they increasingly pivot toward institutional repression, deinstitutionalization, and the potential manufacture of crises to maintain political survival. While Modi utilizes a robust ideological organization and communalism, and Trump leans into cultural grievances and the delegitimization of electoral processes, both demonstrate that political weakness often amplifies state coercion rather than diminishing it. This shift toward vigilante action and the weaponization of state agencies marks a dangerous transition from rule by popularity to rule through administrative ruthlessness.