The tyrants of classical times were popularly supported and would have majority/plurality support from the populace and take ground incrementally at first before making far larger and more absolutist power grabs,. This often began with restrictions on fundamental aspects of life -- including transportation, finance, consumption, etc. A good history lesson would show that tyranny was a classical manifestation of mob rule desire -- esp. by and for the scared chickens and chickenhawk mob -- and would be vested in a unitary executive and excercised by the unitary executive and people who claimed to be loyalists to such unitary executive. And it is no surprise that waving the flag of "popular" concerns related to safety/security of the majority were routine.

Thankfully, we were previously given a Constitution that is supposed to protect us from such excess and excuses; unfortunately, too many people nowadays are surrender monkeys willing to give "security" increased resources and powers while stripping down -- at least in practical terms -- checks and balances.