dictatorship summary | Britannica Although the term oligarchy is rarely used to refer to contemporary political systems, the phenomenon of irresponsible rule by small groups has not vanished from the world. She has a B.S. The dictatorships that resulted proved highly unstable, and few of the individual dictators were able to satisfy for long the demands of the different groups that supported their bids for power. What Type Of Government Does Russia Have? - WorldAtlas [56] Caesar subverted the tradition of temporary dictatorships when he was made dictator perpetuo, or a dictator for life, which led to the creation of the Roman Empire. The 20th century also saw the rise of personalist dictatorships in Africa and military dictatorships in Latin America, both of which became prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. In the Roman Republic, the title "dictator" was temporarily given to an individual to deal with state crises and emergencies. By contrast, Soviet communism grew out of a revolutionary theory of society, pursued the goal of revolutionary overthrow of capitalist systems internationally, and employed the complex bureaucratic structures of the Communist Party as mechanisms of governmental organization. The figure who embodies this dictatorship is obviously the dictator and this always represents the maximum hierarchy and authority for all things related to the development of a society. [125] One-party dictatorships are generally more stable and last longer than military or personalist dictatorships. [79] Fascism developed in Europe as a rejection of liberalism, socialism, and modernism, and the first fascist political parties formed in the 1920s. Even as he tightens his grip on power the end is visible. [95] A similar phenomenon took place in Korea, where Kim Il-sung created a Soviet-backed communist dictatorship in North Korea[96] and Syngman Rhee created a US-backed nationalist dictatorship in South Korea. During times of domestic or foreign crisis, even most constitutional governments have conferred emergency powers on the chief executive, and in some notable cases this provided the opportunity for duly elected leaders to overthrow democracy and rule dictatorially thereafter. [61] In Europe, the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell, formed in 1649 after the Second English Civil War, has been described as a military dictatorship by its contemporary opponents and by some modern academics. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna in Mexico and Juan Manuel de Rosas in Argentina are examples of such leaders. The term dictatorship comes from the Latin title dictator, which in the Roman Republic designated a temporary magistrate who was granted extraordinary powers in order to deal with state crises. [115], The Middle East and Northern Africa did not undergo liberalization during the third wave of democratisation, and most countries in this region remain dictatorships in the 21st century. In other democracies, however, constitutional arrangements have survived quite lengthy periods of crisis, as in Great Britain and the United States during World War II, in which the use of extraordinary powers by the executive came to a halt with the end of the wartime emergency. Dictatorships that fail to repress the opposition are susceptible to collapse through a coup or a revolution. In the contemporary world, in some countries that have not experienced the full impact of industrialization, governing elites are still often recruited from a ruling classa stratum of society that monopolizes the chief social and economic functions in the system. Dictatorship means that system of Government which rests on a single person and that is of high authoritarianism. [76][77] The Russian Revolution inspired a wave of left-wing revolutionary movements in Europe between 1917 and 1923, but none saw the same level of success. Members of the group will typically make up the elites in a dictator's inner circle at the beginning of a new dictatorship, though the dictator may remove them as a means to gain additional power. Early African dictatorships were primarily personalist socialist dictatorships, in which a single socialist would take power instead of a ruling party. Most modern-day dictators rise to power for personal reasons, which are not usually benevolent or for the good of the country's citizens. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrives at a government . Monarchy Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts, Nigeria's Dictators & Their Impact on the Country. Write an essay of approximately one to two pages that describes the characteristics of life under a dictatorship. [11][12] He describes totalitarian regimes as exercising control over politics and political mobilization rather than merely suppressing it. A nation, government, or form of government in which absolute power is wielded by a dictator. Many others developed following a period of warlordism. [143], Terrorism is less common in dictatorships. Updates? [107] Dictatorships are often recipients of foreign aid on the condition that they make advances toward democratization. Dictators tend to resort to force or fraud to gain political power. Similarly, although the 1958 constitution of the Fifth Republic of France contained far-reaching emergency powers conferred on the presidentwhen the institutions of the Republic, the independence of the nation, the integrity of its territory or the fulfillment of its international obligations are threatened with immediate and grave danger, and when the regular functioning of the constitutional authority is interruptedtheir implicit threat to the constitutional order has not been realized. A dictatorship is a form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, who hold governmental powers with few to no limitations on them. Personalist dictators may be members of the military or leaders of a political party, but neither the military nor the party exercises power independently from the dictator. These countries maintain parliaments and human rights organizations, but these remain under the control of the countries' respective dictators. [11], A dictatorship is formed when a specific group seizes power, with the composition of this group affecting how power is seized and how the eventual dictatorship will rule. Make a list of at least four leaders from world history that could be considered dictators. Omissions? As you start to memorize this lesson's details, you'll grow in your ability to: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Hybrid dictatorships are regimes that have a combination of these classifications. Elites in personalist dictatorships often do not have a professional political career and are unqualified for positions they are given. To save this word, you'll need to log in. I feel like its a lifeline. The dictatorship was revived 120 years later by Sulla after his crushing of a populist movement, and 33 years after that by Julius Caesar. [103], Military dictatorships remained prominent in Latin America during the Cold War, though the number of coups declined starting in the 1980s. [103] Belarus under the rule of Alexander Lukashenko has been described as "the last European dictatorship",[109][110] though the rule of Vladimir Putin in Russia has also been described as a dictatorship. [29][30] The use of ruling parties also provides more legitimacy to its leadership and elites than other forms of dictatorship[31] and facilitates a peaceful transfer of power at the end of a dictator's rule. That's because 'dictator' is a pejorative term assigned to certain rulers by other nations, particularly the developed nations of the West - that is, countries with thriving economies - such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and many others. Semi-competitive elections also have the effect of incentivizing members of the ruling party to provide better treatment of citizens so they will be chosen as party nominees due to their popularity. In very few cases, a small group of people holds this power, which is called an oligarchy. In the new states of Africa and Asia after World War II, dictators quickly established themselves on the ruins of constitutional arrangements inherited from the Western colonial powers that had proved unworkable in the absence of a strong middle class and in the face of local traditions of autocratic rule. They may be military officers, party members, or friends and family of the dictator. [129] Revolution takes place when the opposition group grows large enough that elites in the regime cannot suppress it or choose not to. The complex decisions required of governments in a technological era, the perfectionist impulses of the great bureaucratic structures that have developed in all industrialized societies, and the imperatives of national survival in a nuclear world continue to add to the process of executive aggrandizement. What Is a Dictatorship? - Reference.com Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A dictatorship is a form of government in which most or all authority of the country is in the hands of a single individual; the leader. Current leader Kim Jong-un has consolidated his power, purging . However, modern dictators do not resemble ancient dictators as their absolute power is not in response to a crisis or emergency and is also not temporary. One moose, two moose. The ruler of a dictatorship is called a dictator. ", "The Cromwellian Protectorate: A Military Dictatorship? Dictatorship - Wikipedia [118][119][120][121], Most dictatorships exist in countries with high levels of poverty. Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, and Palestine are the only democratic nations in the region, with Israel being the only nation in this region that affords broad political liberties to its citizens. [24], Military dictatorships often have traits in common due to the shared background of military dictators. Direct Democracy Examples in World History | Pros & Cons, What is Constitutional Monarchy? Send us feedback about these examples. [142] The use of violence by a dictator is frequently most severe during the first few years of a dictatorship, because the regime has not yet solidified its rule and more detailed information for targeted coercion is not yet available. [43] This idea references the heavy reliance on repression of the public in order to stay in power, which creates incentives for all constituents to falsify their preferences, which does not allow for the dictator to know the genuine popular beliefs or his realistic measure of societal support. [32], One-party dictatorships became prominent in Asia and Eastern Europe during the Cold War as communist governments were installed in several countries. Most caudillos came from a military background, and their rule was typically associated with pageantry and glamor. Ruler often rises to power out of conflict, Dictators control all branches of government and the media, Intimidation, murder, imprisonment, violence and other human rights abuses are used to control the population, A cult of personality makes the ruler appear divine, Consider the factors that make a country a dictatorship, Describe the quality of life under a dictator's rule. A dictator is a government leader who rules with unquestioned and unlimited power. [132] In the 21st century, dictatorships have moved toward greater integration with the global community and increasingly attempt to present themselves as democratic. Most today are one of five types: Approximately 10% of countries today are considered dictatorships. Totalitarianism is a type of governmental system in which the government exerts a domineering level of control over the population. While portrayed to their people as benevolent, loving rulers, dictators typically come to power simply to benefit themselves. [13] After power is seized, the group must determine what positions its members will hold in the new government and how this government will operate, sometimes resulting in disagreements that split the group. [69], In the time between World War I and World War II, several dictatorships were established in Europe through coups which were carried out by far-left and far-right movements. This was replaced by a trend of developing a positive public image to maintain support among the populace and moderating rhetoric to integrate with the global community. [145], Van den Bosch, Jeroen J. J., Personalist Rule in Africa and Other World Regions, (London-New York: Routledge, 2021): 13-16, wave of left-wing revolutionary movements, List of countries by system of government, "Review: Totalitarianism, Social Science, and the Margins", "Generals, Dictators, and Kings: Authoritarian Regimes and Civil Conflict, 19732004", "Elites, Single Parties and Political Decision-making in Fascist-era Dictatorships", "Theories of dictatorships: sub-types and explanations", "Personalization of Power and Repression in Dictatorships", "The Tyranny of Dictatorship: When the Greek Tyrant Met the Roman Dictator", "The Five Ancient Criteria of Democracy: The Apotheosis of Equality", "When was the title Dictator perpetuus given to Caesar? Dictatorship or Totalitarianism is a situation where a single person or political party rules the entire country. Organized opposition is a threat to the stability of a dictatorship, as it seeks to undermine public support for the dictator and calls for regime change. A self-proclaimed leader, usually an army officer, heading a private army typically formed from the peasantry with the support of provincial landowners, established his control over one or more provinces, and then marched upon the national capital. - Definition & Examples, Probationary Period of Employment: Policy & Termination, Historical Cost: Definition, Principle & Advantages, What is Strategic Sourcing? [117] Generally, two research approaches exist: the minimalist approach, which focuses on whether a country has continued elections that are competitive, and the substantive approach, which expands the concept of democracy to include human rights, freedom of the press, and the rule of law. The Soviet Union occupied nationalist dictatorships in the east and replaced them with communist dictatorships, while others established liberal democratic governments in the Western Bloc. . These nationalist movements supported non-alignment, keeping most Middle Eastern dictatorships out of the American and Soviet spheres of influence. [41], Personalist dictatorships fit the exact classic stereotype of authoritarian rule. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. Corrections? [10] Political scientist Juan Jos Linz identifies a spectrum of political systems with democracies and totalitarian regimes separated by authoritarian regimes with varied classifications of hybrid systems. They are more likely to end in violence and less likely to democratize than other forms of dictatorship. [123], The type of economy in a dictatorship can affect how it functions. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. [105] To maintain power, Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet organized Operation Condor with other South American dictators to facilitate cooperation between their respective intelligence agencies and secret police organizations. Personalist regimes diverge from other regimes when it comes to their longevity, methods of breakdown, levels of corruption, and proneness to conflicts. Turkey's Erdogan appears via video link after health scare Delivered to your inbox! They are not held accountable for their actions and are free to do as they please, even limiting citizens' freedom and rights. Dictators employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain public support. Dictatorship is the special type of ruling over a country. totalitarianism, form of government that theoretically permits no individual freedom and that seeks to subordinate all aspects of individual life to the authority of the state.

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