“The three aims of the tyrant are:
one, the humiliation of his subjects;
he knows that a mean-spirited man will not conspire against anybody;

two, the creation of mistrust among them;
for a tyrant is not to be overthrown until men begin to have confidence in one another —

and this is the reason why tyrants are at war with the
good; they are under the idea that their power is
endangered by them, not only because they [the good] will
not be ruled despotically, but also because
they are too loyal to one another and to other men, and do
not inform against one another or against other men —

three, the tyrant desires that all his subjects shall be incapable of action,
for no one attempts what is impossible and they will not attempt to overthrow
a tyranny if they are powerless.”

– Aristotle
Source: Politics, Book V Chapter 11