Monarchies may be dynastic, in which the royal family serves as a ruling institution similar to a political party in a one-party state, or they may be non-dynastic, in which the monarch rules independently of the royal family as a personalist dictator. Democracy Features & Examples | What is a Democratic Country? Be sure to explain the role of the cult of personality and human rights abuses. Dictatorships frequently hold elections in order to establish their legitimacy or provide incentives to members of the ruling party, but these elections are not competitive for the opposition. Even in constitutional regimes, no fully satisfactory answer has been found to the question of how these bureaucratic decision makers can be held accountable and their powers effectively restrained without, at the same time, jeopardizing the efficiency and rationality of the policy-making process. Indeed, the constitutions of some Western democracies explicitly provide for the grant of emergency powers to the executive in a time of crisis to protect the constitutional order. In modern times, it's not unusual to hear news stories about dictators being elected by their citizens, when in fact the elections are manipulated through intimidation of voters to ensure the dictator's victory. . [129] Revolution takes place when the opposition group grows large enough that elites in the regime cannot suppress it or choose not to. [18], A classification of dictatorships, which began with political scientist Barbara Geddes in 1999, focuses on where power lies. 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. [98] Several Middle Eastern countries were the subject of military coups in the 1950s and 1960s, including Iraq, Syria, North Yemen, and South Yemen. dictatorship, Form of government in which one person or an oligarchy possesses absolute power without effective constitutional checks. Most today are one of five types: Approximately 10% of countries today are considered dictatorships. Elections allow a dictatorship to exercise some control over the opposition by setting the terms under which the opposition challenges the regime. Other factors associated with military coups include extensive natural resources, limited use of the military internationally, and use of the military as an oppressive force domestically. 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. They are often unstable, and the average duration of a military dictatorship is only five years, but they are often followed by additional military coups and military dictatorships. Many dictatorships thrive on a cult of personality that results in the ruler being seen and even worshiped as a god. They differ from other forms of dictatorships in that the dictator has greater access to key political positions and the government's treasury, and they are more commonly subject to the discretion of the dictator. [80] Italian dictator Benito Mussolini seized power in 1922, and began implementing reforms in 1925 to create the first fascist dictatorship. [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. In other new countries, the armies seized power, and military dictatorships were established. Under this system, there are three types of dictatorships. They may be military officers, party members, or friends and family of the dictator. Thus, the proclamation of emergency rule was the beginning of the dictatorships of Mussolini in Italy, of Kemal Atatrk in Turkey, of Jzef Pisudski in Poland, of Antnio de Olveira Salazar in Portugal, of Franz von Papen and Hitler in Germany, and of Engelbert Dollfuss and Kurt von Schuschnigg in Austria. Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler and the Soviet Union under Joseph Stalin were the leading examples of such modern totalitarian dictatorships. Power is enforced through a steadfast collaboration between the government and a highly developed ideology. 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. The government was described as a dictatorship of the proletariat in which power was exercised by soviets. 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. These caudillos, or self-proclaimed leaders, usually led a private army and tried to establish control over a territory before marching upon a weak national government. It is not necessarily ruled by a theology or belief. They may also employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain their public support. Preference falsification, Internal politics, data scarcity, and restriction of media are just a few examples of the dangers of a personalistic authoritarian regime. scholarly analysis of Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and Mao, as well as Kim Il-sung of North Korea; Franois Duvalier, or Papa Doc, of Haiti; Nicolae Ceauescu of Romania; and Mengistu Haile Mariam of Ethiopia. [102] The stability of the Soviet Union weakened in the 1980s. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. [25], One-party dictatorships are governments in which a single political party dominates politics. A dictatorship is a government in which a single person or small group holds all the power, and has absolute authority over politics and the population. What is a Dictatorship? Examples and Characteristics - Study.com [14], Unless they have undertaken a self-coup, those seizing power typically have little governmental experience and do not have a detailed policy plan in advance. Allowing the opposition to have representation in the regime, such as through a legislature, further reduces the likelihood of terrorist attacks in a dictatorship. They tended to ally with a particular social class and attempted either to maintain the interests of wealthy and privileged elites or institute far-reaching left-wing social reforms. Create your account. A dictatorship is a form of government characterized by the rule of one person or a small group of people who have no checks and balances on their power. [111][112][113] Latin America saw a period of liberalization similar to that of Europe at the end of the Cold War, with Cuba being the only Latin American country that did not experience any degree of liberalization between 1992 and 2010. 1 : the office of dictator 2 : autocratic rule, control, or leadership people suffering under his dictatorship 3 a : a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique Communism and dictatorship b : a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated Most dictatorship countries do not refer to their leader as a dictator, but rather as kings, presidents, prime ministers, etc. Speaking on May Day, he said, "Today our working-class . [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 earliest military dictatorships developed in the post-classical era, particularly in Shogun-era Japan and in England under Cromwell. Democracy and Dictatorship: Conceptualization and Measurement", "Democracy and Dictatorship: Conceptualization and Measurement", Divergent Incentives for Dictators: Domestic Institutions and (International Promises Not to) Torture, "Cooperation, Cooptation, and Rebellion Under Dictatorships", "How Foreign Aid Can Foster Democratization in Authoritarian Regimes", "Tyrants and Terrorism: Why Some Autocrats are Terrorized While Others are Not", "Dictatorship: Modern Tyranny Between Leviathan and Behemoth (Version 2.0) (english version)", 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198716204.001.0001, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dictatorship&oldid=1152037614. The ruler of a dictatorship is called a dictator. [82], Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party created a second fascist dictatorship in Germany in 1933,[83] obtaining absolute power through a combination of electoral victory, violence, and emergency powers. [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. [103], Military dictatorships remained prominent in Latin America during the Cold War, though the number of coups declined starting in the 1980s. succeed. 6 Startling Advantages of Dictatorship That You Never Thought Of Hours after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaid landed in Miami after being thrown out of Colombia, I talked with him extensively about Colombian President Gustavo Petro's initiative to . Between 1967 and 1991, 12 Latin American countries underwent at least one military coup, with Haiti and Honduras experiencing three and Bolivia experiencing eight. Most caudillos came from a military background, and their rule was typically associated with pageantry and glamor. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. FM to become first Israeli minister in nearly 30 years to visit the closed central Asian dictatorship, an oil-rich state on Iranian border . [98], During World War II, many countries of Central and Eastern Europe had been occupied by the Soviet Union. Parties formed after the seizure of power often have little influence and only exist to serve the dictator. Unfortunately, dictatorships seldom usher in a nation's prosperity. A nation, government, or form of government in which absolute power is wielded by a dictator. [47] Personalist dictatorships also experience growth differently, as they often lack the institutions or qualified leadership to sustain an economy. In a dictatorship, the dictator has absolute power. Sovereignty Concept & Kinds | What is Sovereignty? [8], Totalitarianism is a variation of dictatorship characterized by the presence of a single political party and more specifically, by a powerful leader who imposes personal and political prominence. - Definition, Facts, Characteristics & Examples, Army Leadership: Attributes, Philosophy & Principles, Strategic Leadership: Definition, Characteristics & Examples, Human Resources Management: Help & Review, International Business Management: Help & Review, Using Kanban in Business Management: Help & Review, U.S. Labor Law in the Private Sector Post-1960, High School Business for Teachers: Help & Review, Introduction to Financial Accounting: Certificate Program, Information Systems and Computer Applications: Certificate Program, Introduction to Management: Help and Review, Dictatorship Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts, Robinson-Patman Act Of 1936: Summary, Overview, Interactive Marketing: Strategies & Examples, What Is Cultural Awareness in Business? Totalitarian Countries 2023 - worldpopulationreview.com This makes it distinct from constitutional monarchy and ceremonial monarchy. Military dictatorship of Chile (1973-1990) - Wikipedia [34] When a one-party dictatorship develops gradually through legal means, in can result in conflict between the party organization and the state apparatus and civil service, as the party rules in parallel and increasingly appoints its own members to positions of power. Leadership Types and Styles: Help & Review, What is a Leader? To save this word, you'll need to log in. Elites are also the primary political threats of a dictator, as they can leverage their power to influence or overthrow the dictatorship. It has fewer advantages than disadvantages Advantages Low crime rates. Absolute monarchs (kings) are another type of ruler with unlimited power. The meaning of dictator is to grant a person absolute or unlimited government power during an emergency. [16], Most dictatorships are formed through military means or through a political party. [2] The inner circle's support is necessary for a dictator's orders to be carried out, causing elites to serve as a check on the dictator's power. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. There are no checks and balances of power that these leaders need to conform to. Dictators make unilateral decisions that affect their countries without having to consult any other branch of government. Elites in personalist dictatorships often do not have a professional political career and are unqualified for positions they are given. Secret police are used to gather information about specific political opponents and carry out targeted acts of violence against them, paramilitary forces defend the regime from coups, and formal militaries defend the dictatorship during foreign invasions and major civil conflicts. Think back to what you have previously learned about history. Dictators employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain public support. The famous 19th-century caudillosAntonio Lpez de Santa Anna of Mexico or Juan Manuel de Rosas of Argentina, for examplewere thus essentially provincial leaders who seized control of the national government to maintain the social and economic power of provincial groups. Dictators employ techniques of mass propaganda to sustain public support. In some such countries, elected presidents and prime ministers captured personal power by establishing one-party rule and suppressing the opposition, while in others the army seized power and established military dictatorships. Dictatorships can be formed by a military coup that overthrows the previous government through force or they can be formed by a self-coup in which elected leaders make their rule permanent. [38] Due to the lack of accountability and the smaller group of elites, personalist dictatorships are more prone to corruption than other forms of dictatorship,[39] and they are more repressive than other forms of dictatorship. What Type Of Government Does Russia Have? - WorldAtlas Dictatorship or Totalitarianism is a situation where a single person or political party rules the entire country. Lesley has taught American and World History at the university level for the past seven years. The people do not have any choice with regards to by whom or how their country will be run. 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. Often, too, 20th-century dictators in Latin America allied themselves with a particular social class, attempting either to maintain the interests of established economic groupings or to press social reforms. dictator + -ship, as translation of Latin dicttra. In the Roman Republic, the title "dictator" was temporarily given to an individual to deal with state crises and emergencies. - Definition & Process, What is Neuroeconomics? Several dictatorships have persisted into the 21st century, particularly in Africa and Asia. Personalist dictatorships are more common in Sub-Saharan Africa due to less established institutions in the region. 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. See examples of ancient and modern dictatorships. Poverty has a destabilizing effect on government, causing democracy to fail and regimes to fall more often. [27], One-party dictatorships are more stable than other forms of authoritarian rule, as they are less susceptible to insurgency and see higher economic growth. Totalitarianism is a type of governmental system in which the government exerts a domineering level of control over the population. There are three main characteristics of a dictatorship. [135] Elections are also used to control elites within the dictatorship by requiring them to compete with one another and incentivizing them to build support with the populace, allowing the most popular and most competent elites to be promoted in the regime. 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. [60] During the L dynasty of Vietnam between the 16th and 18th centuries, the country was under de facto military rule by two rival military families: the Trnh lords in the north and the Nguyn lords in the south. Theocracy Overview & Examples | What is Theocracy? Meaning of Dictatorship. [87] Populist movements were strengthened following the economic turmoil of the Great Depression, producing populist dictatorships in several Latin American countries. [144] Military and one-party dictatorships are more likely to experience terrorism than personalist dictatorships, as these regimes are under more pressure to undergo institutional change in response to terrorism. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini coined the term totalitario in the early 1920s to characterize the new fascist state of Italy, which he further described as "all within the state, none outside the state, none . Hybrid dictatorships are regimes that have a combination of these classifications. Example: Dictators frequently use psychological manipulation. Nglish: Translation of dictatorship for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of dictatorship for Arabic Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictatorship. The proclamation of emergency rule, for example, was the beginning of the dictatorships of Hitler in Germany, Benito Mussolini in Italy, Kemal Atatrk in Turkey, Jzef Pisudki in Poland, and Antnio de Oliveira Salazar in Portugal. dictatorship, form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional limitations. Unitary Government Examples, Pros & Cons | What is a Unitary Government? [42] Within a personalist regime an issue called "The dictators dilemma" arises. The rights of the people are typically suppressed in a dictatorship, sometimes to a great degree. Stability can be weakened when opposition groups grow and unify or when elites are not loyal to the regime. Factions or divisions among the elites will mitigate their ability to bargain with the dictator, resulting in the dictator having more unrestrained power. [140] Dictatorships may hold semi-competitive elections to qualify for foreign aid, to demonstrate a dictator's control over the government, or to incentivize the party to expand its information-gathering capacity, particularly at the local level. Although similar in some respects to the dictatorships of the new countries, the caudillos of 19th- and 20th-century Latin America represented a very different type of monocratic rule. [75] Lenin was followed by Joseph Stalin in 1924, who consolidated total power and implemented totalitarian rule by 1929. Russia has all the working parts of a democratic state, but since Putin took power, experts believe these working parts have been made to serve him and those close to him. A Roman dictator was a special magistrate that was temporarily appointed by the consul during times of crisis and granted total executive authority. These individuals form an inner circle, making up a class of elites that hold a degree of power within the dictatorship and receive benefits in exchange for their support. [73] During World War II, Italy and Germany occupied several countries in Europe, imposing fascist puppet states upon many of the countries that they invaded. Example: A dictatorship exists when a leader has absolute power that is unchecked by any other branches of government. [20][21] They are most common in developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Government Overview, Purpose & Types | What is a Government? [4] A unified inner circle has the capacity to overthrow a dictator, and the dictator must make greater concessions to the inner circle to stay in power. Military Dictatorship: Definition and Examples - ThoughtCo Today, the term "dictator" is associated with cruel and oppressive rulers who violate human rights and maintain their power by jailing and executing their opponents. Amy has a master's of library and information science and a master's of arts in history. [48], An absolute monarchy is a monarchy in which the monarch rules without legal limitations. In a dictatorial government, power rests with one supreme ruler. President Biden is expected to make his reelection announcement as soon as Tuesday, beginning the 80-year-old career politician's final campaign. 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. 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. Articles on Dictatorship. Mao consolidated his control of the People's Republic of China with the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, which involved the destruction of all elements of capitalism and traditionalism in China. A dictatorship is an authoritarian style of government in which one leader has complete control over the country. Totalitarianism | Definition, Characteristics, Examples, & Facts Dictatorship definition: Dictatorship is government by a dictator. [127] Foreign intervention takes place when another country seeks to topple a regime by invading the country or supporting the opposition. Forms of Government: Definition & Types | StudySmarter The predominance of violent force in military training manifests in an acceptance of violence as a political tool and the ability to organize violence on a large scale. [23] Military coups do not necessarily result in military dictatorships, as power may then be passed to an individual or the military may allow democratic elections to take place. Monarchy Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts, Nigeria's Dictators & Their Impact on the Country. New forms of oligarchic rule have also made their appearance in many advanced industrial societies. Delivered to your inbox! In 1989, the Soviet Union was dissolved, and communism was abandoned by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe through a series of revolutions. The communist and fascist dictatorships that arose in various technologically advanced countries in the first half of the 20th century were distinctively different from the authoritarian regimes of Latin America or the postcolonial dictatorships of Africa and Asia. A dictatorship is a form of government where one person, or a small group of individuals, can make decisions without effective constitutional limitations. [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?
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