A good strong man is a tough act to follow. If you don’t believe me, just ask Maduro.
The essence of being a strong man is that you eliminate all other centers of power. Everyone else is always in a perpetual battle to win your favor. Stability only exists at the top. You are the indispensable man. Everything revolves around you and your whims. The law and political institutions, by themselves, are nearly meaningless, and the public cannot rely on them in a crisis.
That is why the succession is such a difficult problem to solve, why Putin will find it difficult to retire, and why Russia will be looking at a new period of serious instability when he finally leaves.
If you’re looking for a good analogy, think about Michael Corleone in “Godfather III.” The mob boss and the strong man are more alike than you probably think.