How do dictators gain power?

Dictators come to power primarily during time of national weakness, such as economic downturns and during national emergencies. They take advantage of the surge of emotion during those times, and convince people that they need to give up some of their freedom, or cast the blame on a certain group, and that they will take care of them. After they have the people's help to gain power, they quickly dismantle laws that could ever cast them out of power, or balance their power.