A study by political scientist R.J. Rummel has identified eight of history’s most brutal dictators, including three Ottoman sultans, responsible for an estimated three million deaths. Rummel’s research, conducted in the 1990s, focused on “demoscide” – the intentional killing of populations by their governments. This includes deaths stemming from state-sponsored famine, forced labor, and concentration camps. The analysis goes beyond traditional definitions of genocide to encompass a wider range of government-caused deaths. The findings present a chilling quantification of political violence throughout history. Rummel’s methodology sought to provide a comprehensive accounting of victims of oppressive regimes. His work highlights the devastating scale of state-sanctioned brutality.