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. [118][119][120][121], Most dictatorships exist in countries with high levels of poverty. 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. 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. [48], An absolute monarchy is a monarchy in which the monarch rules without legal limitations. A personalist dictator will manage these appointees by segmenting the government so that they cannot collaborate. [102] The stability of the Soviet Union weakened in the 1980s. dictatorship, Form of government in which one person or an oligarchy possesses absolute power without effective constitutional checks. Early African dictatorships were primarily personalist socialist dictatorships, in which a single socialist would take power instead of a ruling party. Many of the classical conditions of oligarchic rule were found until the 20th century in those parts of Asia in which governing elites were recruited exclusively from a ruling castea hereditary social grouping set apart from the rest of society by religion, kinship, economic status, prestige, and even language. African nations such as Uganda and Zimbabwe; Asian nations such North Korea; Middle Eastern countries including Syria and Iran; South American countries like Venezuela; and a host of other nations throughout the world are recognized dictatorships with varying levels of corruption and brutality. Make a list of at least four leaders from world history that could be considered dictators. They are not held accountable for their actions and are free to do as they please, even limiting citizens' freedom and rights, including: To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. A dictator may address the opposition by repressing it through force, modifying laws to restrict its power, or appeasing it with limited benefits. In the Aristotelian classification of government, there were two forms of rule by the few: aristocracy and its debased form, oligarchy. Question . With the decline and disappearance in the 19th and 20th centuries of monarchies based on hereditary descent, dictatorship became one of the two chief forms of government in use by nations throughout the world, the other being constitutional democracy. Rule by dictator. In some circumstances, monarchies are also considered dictatorships if the monarchs hold a significant amount of political power. Dictatorship - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia They are more likely to end in violence and less likely to democratize than other forms of dictatorship. What is a dictatorship? Military dictatorships are more prone to conflict due to the inherent military strength associated with such a regime, and personalist dictatorships are more prone to conflict due to the weaker institutions to check the dictator's power. [18], A classification of dictatorships, which began with political scientist Barbara Geddes in 1999, focuses on where power lies. Politics in a dictatorship are controlled by the dictator and they are facilitated through an inner circle of elites that includes advisers, generals, and other high-ranking officials. 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. Dictatorship | Definition, Characteristics, Countries, & Facts [68] The Spanish American wars of independence took place in the early-19th century, creating many new Latin American governments. 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. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. These self-proclaimed dictators used private armies to establish control over territories. Direct Democracy Examples in World History | Pros & Cons, What is Constitutional Monarchy? Dictators are incentivized to avoid the use of violence once a reputation of violence is established, as it damages the dictatorship's other institutions and poses a threat to the dictator's rule should government forces become disloyal. While common in the 20th century, the prominence of military dictatorships declined in the 1970s and 1980s. The earliest military dictatorships developed in the post-classical era, particularly in Shogun-era Japan and in England under Cromwell. Dictatorship: Meaning, Its advantages and disadvantages Most dictatorship countries do not refer to their leader as a dictator, but rather as kings, presidents, prime ministers, etc. She has a B.S. [104] A one-party communist dictatorship was formed in Cuba when a US-backed dictatorship was overthrown in the Cuban Revolution, creating the only Soviet-backed dictatorship in the western hemisphere. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Approximately ten percent of the countries in the world today are considered dictatorships. [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. [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. [27] One-party rule also developed in several countries in Africa during decolonization in the 1960s and 1970s, some of which produced authoritarian regimes. [5] This is particularly true when the inner circle is made up of military officers that have the resources to carry out a military coup. [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. List Of Dictatorship Countries & Countries Ruled by Dictator - Ranker Definition of Dictatorship Noun Absolute, imperious, or haughty power or control. 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. Corrections? [143], Terrorism is less common in dictatorships. [107] The development of the internet and digital communication in the 21st century have prompted dictatorships to shift from traditional means of control to digital ones, including the use of artificial intelligence to analyze mass communications, internet censorship to restrict the flow of information, and troll farms to manipulate public opinion. Communist dictatorships in the region aligned with China following the latter's establishment as a communist state. A dictatorship is a form of government characterized by the absolute rule of one person or a very small group of people who hold all political power. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix. [54][55] The concept of "dictator" was first developed during the Roman Republic. [88] European fascism was imported to Latin America as well, and the Vargas Era of Brazil was heavily influenced by the corporatism practiced in fascist Italy. [130] Negotiated removals are more likely to end in democracy, while removals by force are more likely to result in a new dictatorial regime. Dictators usually come to power through some kind of violent struggle, rather than the peaceful passage of power that we take for granted in the United States. Elections also support the legitimacy of a dictatorship by presenting the image of a democracy, establishing plausible deniability of its status as a dictatorship for both the populace and foreign governments. International Retailing Strategy & Operations, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, Intro to Excel: Essential Training & Tutorials, Financial Accounting: Homework Help Resource, UExcel Business Law: Study Guide & Test Prep, Introduction to Human Resource Management: Certificate Program, Human Resource Management: Help and Review, College Macroeconomics: Homework Help Resource, Introduction to Macroeconomics: Help and Review, UExcel Business Ethics: Study Guide & Test Prep, Principles of Business Ethics: Certificate Program, DSST Computing and Information Technology Prep, Create an account to start this course today. Delivered to your inbox! By contrast, dictators take power by force or by misleading the people. [72] The societal upheaval caused by World War I and the unstable peace it produced further contributed to instability that benefited extremist movements and rallied support for their causes. Nglish: Translation of dictatorship for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of dictatorship for Arabic Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictatorship. This means that the ruler or party has complete control. Putin's Russia is headed for a military dictatorship - and total collapse. [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. [114] The countries of Central Asia did not liberalize after the fall of the Soviet Union, instead forming as dictatorships led by former elites of the Communist Party and then later by successive dictators. Dictatorship - Definition, Examples, Cases, Processes - Legal Dictionary [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. This person is called a dictator. For example, in 19th century Latin America, various dictators came into power after central authority collapsed in the nations recently freed from Spanish colonial rule. [91], The Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, splitting the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek and the People's Republic of China under Mao Zedong. 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. The person dominates all the subjects of the country or state which he's ruling. [131], Dictatorships are typically more aggressive than democracy when in conflict with other nations, as dictators do not have to fear electoral costs of war. [136] Should a dictatorship fail, elections also permit dictators and elites to accept defeat without fearing violent recourse. [98], During World War II, many countries of Central and Eastern Europe had been occupied by the Soviet Union. 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. [133] A study found that dictatorships that engage in oil drilling are more likely to remain in power, with 70.63% of the dictators who engage in oil drilling still being in power after 5 years of dictatorship, while only 59.92% of the non-oil producing dictators survive the first 5 years. Stability can be weakened when opposition groups grow and unify or when elites are not loyal to the regime. [98], One of the tasks in political science is to measure and classify regimes as either democracies or dictatorship (authoritarian) countries. Strict government-imposed constraints on social freedoms such as suppression of political opponents and anti-regime activity The presence of a ruling executive with vague, shifting, and loosely-defined powers Modern dictatorships such as Venezuela under Hugo Chvez and Cuba under Fidel Castro typify authoritarian governments. Presidential System of Government Overview & Function | 7 Roles of the President, Landmark Cases Based on Constitutional Amendments. Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws). [139] Since the end of the Cold War, more dictatorships have established "semi-competitive" elections in which opposition is allowed to participate in elections but is not allowed to win, with approximately two-thirds of dictatorships permitting opposition candidates in 2018. Be sure to explain the role of the cult of personality and human rights abuses. The 20th century saw the rise of fascist and communist dictatorships in Europe; fascism was eradicated in the aftermath of World War II in 1945, while communism spread to other continents, maintaining prominence until the end of the Cold War in 1991. Dictators employ techniques of mass propaganda to sustain public support. - 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? Later 20th-century dictators in Latin America were different. Create your account, 20 chapters | The role of dictator was created for instances when a single leader was needed to command and restore stability. - Definition & Examples, Carl Von Clausewitz: Biography, Theory & Quotes, Small Business Project Management: Planning & Tools, Horizontal Expansion in Business: Definition & Examples, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. [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. Sovereignty Concept & Kinds | What is Sovereignty? [98] Several Middle Eastern countries were the subject of military coups in the 1950s and 1960s, including Iraq, Syria, North Yemen, and South Yemen. The country suffered for many years under his, His enemies accused him of establishing a, Today, Russia under President Vladimir Putin is an autocracy verging on military, Lest this only conjure up images of a repressive, The latter includes the now-defunct dark web market Hydra as well as North Koreas infamous Lazarus Group, a team of hackers that carries out sophisticated cyber and crypto robberies to support the, After seven brutal years in power, the Armed Forces finally withdrew from the Executive, allowing open elections in which Alfonsn handily took the popular vote with a mandate to investigate the crimes committed during the 1976-1983 military, Inevitably, during his life, Pel encountered problems: his commercial activities were sometimes mired in controversy; at one stage he was labeled a left-wing antagonist of the Brazilian government, then was later described as being too conservative in his views of the Brazilian, Chilean author Nona Fernndez grew up alongside the violence of the Pinochet, At least since the infamous dread pirate Captain Flint haunted the pages of Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island, pirate vessels have been treated in the popular imagination as floating, Post the Definition of dictatorship to Facebook, Share the Definition of dictatorship on Twitter. Poverty has a destabilizing effect on government, causing democracy to fail and regimes to fall more often. Such elites have typically exercised power to maintain the economic and political status quo. Totalitarian Countries 2023 - worldpopulationreview.com [128] A dictator may negotiate the end of a regime if it has lost legitimacy or if a violent removal seems likely. A dictator is an individual who forms a government where they make decisions without effective constitutional limitations. The relations between the countries were strained by Soviet attempts to influence Yugoslavia, leading to the TitoStalin split in 1948. [116] Dictatorships in the Middle East are primarily guided by Islamic nationalism. Ancient philosophers descriptions of the tyrannies of Greece and Sicily go far toward characterizing modern dictatorships. In recent centuries, the dictatorships that replaced monarchies also evolved. 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. A totalitarian government has "total control of mass communications and social and economic organizations". 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. By definition, a dictatorship is an absolute authority in any sphere. [101] Albania was established as a communist dictatorship under Enver Hoxha in 1944. Amy has a master's of library and information science and a master's of arts in history. ", "The Cromwellian Protectorate: A Military Dictatorship? Soviet-type communist dictatorships arose in central and eastern Europe, China, and other countries in the wake of World War II, though most of them (as well as the Soviet Union itself) had collapsed by the last decade of the 20th century. [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. Dictators tend to resort to force or fraud to gain political power. Make a poster, chart, or some other type of graphic organizer that shows the methods dictators use to control their people. [126] A military coup is often carried out when a regime is threatening the country's stability or during periods of societal unrest. 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. In its 19th-century form, caudillismo was the result of the breakdown of central authority. In an essay of about two to three paragraphs, define dictatorship and explain how a dictator can rise to power. In which one may be a senior politician or any group owns all the authority for ruling over the country. Human nature being what it is, dictators don't rise to power for the good of their nations (though they usually claim otherwise). Governments classified by mode of succession, Succession by constitutional prescription, Governments classified by stage of development, Protection of political and social rights, Development and change in political systems. It either lies with a single person or a small group of people. Leadership Types and Styles: Help & Review, What is a Leader? To enact policy, a dictator must either appease the regime's elites or attempt to replace them. [78], At the same time, nationalist movements grew throughout Europe. D.C.'s favorite parlor game is coming to an end. Updates? The modern caudillo proved to be less a provincial leader than a national one. During this time, the country was ruled by a military junta headed by General Augusto . [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. Freedom House, the Polity data series, and the Democracy-Dictatorship Index are three of the most used data series by political scientists. [124], Several factors determine the stability of a dictatorship, and they must maintain some degree of popular support to prevent resistance groups from growing. [33] A ruling party in a one-party dictatorship may rule under any ideology or it may have no guiding ideology. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [132] In the 21st century, dictatorships have moved toward greater integration with the global community and increasingly attempt to present themselves as democratic. In a dictatorship, a single person, a dictator, has absolute power over the state. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Many forces at work in the late 20th and early 21st centuries have appeared to lend impetus to the rise of monocratic forms of rule. [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. The growing complexity of modern society and its government thrusts ever greater power into the hands of administrators and committees of experts. [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. Indeed, the 20th century, which witnessed the careers of Atatrk, Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Francisco Franco, Mao Tse-tung, Juan Pern, Tito, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Sukarno, Kwame Nkrumah, and Charles de Gaulle, could appear in history as the age of plebiscitary dictatorship. They may be military officers, party members, or friends and family of the dictator. Omissions? [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. Most modern-day dictators rise to power for personal reasons, which are not usually benevolent or for the good of the country's citizens. [123], The type of economy in a dictatorship can affect how it functions. [141], In a dictatorship, violence is used to coerce or repress all opposition to the dictator's rule, and the strength of a dictatorship depends on its use of violence. 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 . Many dictatorships thrive on a cult of personality that results in the ruler being seen and even worshiped as a god. They may also employ techniques of mass propaganda in order to sustain their public support. Most caudillos came from a military background, and their rule was typically associated with pageantry and glamor. [94], Marxist and nationalist movements became popular in Southeast Asia as a response to colonial control and the subsequent Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia, with both ideologies facilitating the creation of dictatorships after World War II. The people living in dictatorships are often subjected to human rights abuses and severe limits to their personal freedom. 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. Alfred says, It is not necessarily ruled by a theology or belief. A dictatorship is a system of government in which a single person or party has complete political power; the dictator often maintains power by employing oppressive methods. Dictators tend to resort to force or fraud to gain political power. The dictator maintains control by influencing and appeasing the inner circle and repressing any opposition, which may include rival political parties, armed resistance, or disloyal members of the dictator's inner circle. In practice, however, many regard it as a dictatorship built around one man, President Vladimir Putin, who has been the leader of the Russian Federation since the year 2000. [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. [17] Between 1946 and 2010, 42% of dictatorships began by overthrowing a different dictatorship, and 26% began after achieving independence from a foreign government. While the People's Republic of China was initially aligned with the Soviet Union, relations between the two countries deteriorated as the Soviet Union underwent de-Stalinization in the late-1950s. What Makes a Ruler a Dictator? Definition and List of Dictators - ThoughtCo [74] The Bolsheviks consolidated power by 1922, forming the Soviet Union. As the Cold War went on, the Soviet Union increased its influence in Africa, and MarxistLeninist dictatorships developed in several African countries. Origin 1540-1580 Middle English < Latin dicttor (dictator + ship) What is a Dictatorship [51] In the modern era, absolute monarchies are most common in the Middle East. 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. Dictatorship in the technologically advanced totalitarian regimes of modern fascism and communism was distinctively different from the authoritarian regimes of either Latin America or the postcolonial states of Africa and Asia. [73], The first communist state was created by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks with the establishment of Soviet Russia during the Russian Revolution in 1917. Send us feedback about these examples. He can rule on anyone,. [122] The form of government does not correlate with the amount of economic growth, and dictatorships on average grow at the same rate as democracies, though dictatorships have been found to have larger fluctuations.