Full Metal Alchemist is a reminder that a benevolent dictator does not exist

When it comes to themes and allegories, there are not many anime with as much depth as Full Metal Alchemist. The anime is a classic and sits at the same table as other Shonen works such as Hunter X Hunter and Death Note. It can even be argued that Full Metal Alchemist supersedes all Shonen anime.

The world of Full Metal Alchemist appears simple at first, just like any other Shonen work, but upon a deeper dive, it unveils its complexity. The world is one that centers on Alchemy, a form of magic that works on equivalent exchange.

Equivalent exchange states that for something of value to be created, something of value must be offered. With this simple law, the entire Full Metal Alchemist story unfolds. This law resonates even through the characters, and nobody exemplifies this more than Fuhrer Bradley.

Fuhrer Bradley is the leader of Amestris, and for most of Full Metal Alchemist, he looks like a benevolent and kind leader. However, as FMA progresses, Fuhrer Bradley’s mask starts slipping and his real self emerges.

There is no benevolent dictator; under the smiles, there is a man who is committed to himself and no one else. This is the true nature of dictators, as the absolute power they possess can only come with unimaginable terror. Keep reading to find out more.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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Why Fuhrer Bradley’s character in Full Metal Alchemist is proof that benevolent dictatorship is a fallacy

Bradley's real face in FMA (Image via Studio Bones)

Amestris at the beginning of Full Metal Alchemist is portrayed as a fantastical, prosperous nation where everything is peaceful and just. Viewers see a state-sanctioned alchemy and think that the nation has some sort of balance, but this is a glass castle. At the core of Amestris's prosperity lies the deaths of so many, ranging from the Ishvalan genocide to the countless experiments done underground.

At the center of Amestris lies a leader who seems strict and kind. Ironically, and in hindsight, not so ironically, he is called the Führer. This is a master stroke from mangaka, Hiromu Arakawa, who put this overlooked easter egg for fans to feast on. The meaning of Fuhrer is a tyrannical leader, and for the ruler of Amestris to be called that was the first sign that he was a tyrant.

Many question Bradley's decisions, but mostly behind his back (Image via Studio Bones)

Full Metal Alchemist shows viewers why dictatorships can’t work, and it does this using Führer Bradley’s martial might.

Like most dictators, their grasp on any nation is usually made by force or controlled by it. Bradley enjoys the goodwill of the people, and that is because he controls what they know, and how he does that is with power. Any dissenting voice that goes against the Führer gets put down, and in the end, the Führer’s plans are absolute.

With Fuhrer Bradley, FMA is simply showing viewers that no matter how well-intentioned a dictator may appear to be, all they are concerned with is power. Apart from Fuhrer Bradley, FMA also has another benevolent authoritarian figure in Cornello. Cornello provides succor to the people of Reole, but that comfort was fraudulent, and it was a grand scheme for him to take over Amestris.

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Final thoughts

The law of equivalent exchange in FMA is a bit similar to the golden rule, and it is one of the reasons that benevolent dictators are impossible.

The nature of dictatorship is to take and control; it does not matter whether the dictator is riding on the whims of the public. All dictators do is control a narrative. When the wave they are riding on settles, and the people have grown beyond them, dictators do not leave; instead, they create distractions.

The Ishvalan genocide is one such example that distracts the citizens of Amestris from the subtle mishaps that are happening. One mishap is the Amestrian government creating Homunculi. They also conjure up other crises in Reole, which gives the illusion to citizens that the hands of the government are full.

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Edited by Arunava Dutta