This is a deeply held survival mechanism: when we see that the leader is doing his or her best to share whatever resources exist within the group so that as many as possible can survive and thrive, we take it as an important signal that the leadercares more about the success of the group than about protecting him or herself.
And that's what happens when you have a leader who cares more about clinging to power than they do about holding their country together and looking after their people.