Not too long ago, I discovered the work of Brian Klaas on how despots gain power. It is due to their personality (psychopaths, sociopaths, narcissists) and the public’s attraction to them. He develops his theses in the following books:
The Despot’s Accomplice: How the West is Aiding and Abetting the Decline of Democracy, 2016
The Despot’s Apprentice: Donald Trump’s Attack on Democracy, 2017
Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us, 2021
There are also many youtube presentations in which he explains his views: