Can there be a more contradictory jumble of emotions than when a tyrant’s subjects learn of his demise? Many will feel relief, and perhaps jubilation, over the disappearance of their oppressor. But they may also be fearful over what happens next. Before long, some may even succumb to dictator nostalgia.

The peoples of two countries are now going through this ordeal. In Uzbekistan, President Islam Karimov died last week after dominating his country throughout its 25 years as an independent state. Karimov treated Uzbekistan as a personal fiefdom, crushing all dissent – occasionally going so far as to boil his opponents alive – while allowing his relatives and allies to enrich themselves on a huge scale. He helped set the standard for the post-Soviet dictator.

His rule was grotesquely unjust, but it did bring a measure of stability to a country surrounded by stricken neighbours, including Afghanistan. If forced to choose between the order imposed by a tyrant, or the chaos that so often accompanies an attempt to achieve justice, most people would probably prefer stability.