Bribe government officials
Install your own people within the government to control the laws
Replace sovereign money with fiat money and control the supply via a private central bank that pretends to be a government entity
Buy all types of media companies via shares and shell companies and put out propaganda that supports your agenda
Control the culture via the media; tell the people what or what not to value
Use it's military and at the cost of the taxpayers to fight your battles
Make sure all movies promote nationalism while putting down or mocking other countries; never show the truth about countries that are ahead in terms of quality of life; make the people think they are the only free society and they must fight for it
Keep pay low enough the people can't become too powerful and high enough to keep taxes coming in
Allow foreign companies you control to exploit the nation's natural resources: Water, agriculture, minerals, oil and so on
Create ridiculous laws and punishments to get away with slave labor
Promote polarities to keep the people divided; religion vs non-religion, opposing political parties, team sports, issues that can never be resolved but will keep them fighting
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From @melanieswolfe