Arcana imperii...

Allow a tragety to occur, and then exploit the situation in order to tighten your grip upon control.
Convince the masses that their losses of freedom are exchanged for a higher degree of freedom.
Expand your reaches into the private lives of your constituents.
Create positions of influence and fill them with puppets.
Use fear mongering and religious rhetoric to dissuade dissent.
Redirect attention abroad as you rape and pilliage the homeland.
Keep the financially influential happy by providing them with perks in exchange for their support.
Classify all documentation that proves that your policies are harmful.
Encourage the consolidation of media and threaten the outlets with extreme punishment if they fail to follow your lead.
Annhilate or discredit competition.
Ensure that all members state and continue to restate the same lies.