If you control the media you can literally just tell your people that you've saved them, and they'll buy it hook line and sinker.
China exported food every year of the great famine, people here still spout off about how wonderful a hero Mao was, especially those old enough to have suffered through the famine. Younger people have a more nuanced view but even then are generally supportive.
Turtl3Bear t1_j9o7exp wrote
Reply to comment by Far_Quote_5336 in North Korean state media urges rejection of 'poisoned candy' foreign aid despite food shortages | World News | Sky News by rmaccr
Worked out fine for Mao Zedong
If you control the media you can literally just tell your people that you've saved them, and they'll buy it hook line and sinker.
China exported food every year of the great famine, people here still spout off about how wonderful a hero Mao was, especially those old enough to have suffered through the famine. Younger people have a more nuanced view but even then are generally supportive.