How to Establish a Government, Lesson 3: Dealing With Rebellions
Per Bylund at Strike the Root
http://www.strike-the-root.com/61/bylund/bylund3.html
Mr. Bylund has already written articles on how to gain and maintain power. Now he has a few recommendations for how to regain it after a rebellion. [lew]
Go public with your seemingly genuine intentions and let your propaganda people (probably the same suck-ups as before) make sure you are understood as a true leader of the people. When you are sure you have regained your position as righteous ruler, do not forget the people in the rebellion questioned your power and acted on the belief that your power is unjust. Respond in Machiavellian terms--crush them with no mercy whatsoever. Kill them all or make sure they will never, ever question you again. If you have been successful in regaining popular support, you will get away with it without anyone asking questions; even if some people think your response was a little bit cruel, they will still conclude it was a "necessary" move in the name of the cause.