[99] A 1953 coup overseen by the American and British governments restored Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the absolute monarch of Iran, who in turn was overthrown during the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that established Ruhollah Khomeini as the Supreme Leader of Iran under an Islamist government. Articles on Dictatorship. 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. 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. Human nature being what it is, dictators don't rise to power for the good of their nations (though they usually claim otherwise). Nglish: Translation of dictatorship for Spanish Speakers, Britannica English: Translation of dictatorship for Arabic Speakers, Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dictatorship. When letters make sounds that aren't associated w One goose, two geese. [90] These new African governments were marked by severe instability, which provided opportunities for regime change and made fair elections a rare occurrence on the continent. [49] In an absolute monarchy, power is limited to the royal family, and legitimacy is established by historical factors. The simple forms of oligarchic rule associated with pre-industrial societies are, of course, rapidly disappearing. [108], Dictatorship in Europe largely ended after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the liberalization of most communist states. 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. 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. The economic focus of a dictatorship often depends on the strength of the opposition, as a weaker opposition allows a dictator to extract additional wealth from the economy through corruption. 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. [78], At the same time, nationalist movements grew throughout Europe. The dictatorship is characterized by concentrating power in a single person or small group , while in the democratic government system the separation of powers allows freedom to be maintained and the powers control each other. Modern dictators, however, resemble ancient tyrants rather than ancient dictators. Amy has a master's of library and information science and a master's of arts in history. But monarchs usually inherit their position. Create your account. [132] In the 21st century, dictatorships have moved toward greater integration with the global community and increasingly attempt to present themselves as democratic. 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. Direct Democracy Examples in World History | Pros & Cons, What is Constitutional Monarchy? Oligarchic tendencies of a lesser degree have been detected in all the great bureaucratic structures of advanced political systems. The relations between the countries were strained by Soviet attempts to influence Yugoslavia, leading to the TitoStalin split in 1948. On paper, Russia is a federal democratic state. [130] Negotiated removals are more likely to end in democracy, while removals by force are more likely to result in a new dictatorial regime. The Pern regime, for example, was established by nationalistic army officers committed to a program of national reform and ideological goals. 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. [37], Personalist dictators typically favor loyalty over competence in their governments and have a general distrust of intelligentsia. Show question . Factions or divisions among the elites will mitigate their ability to bargain with the dictator, resulting in the dictator having more unrestrained power. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you [107] Dictatorships are often recipients of foreign aid on the condition that they make advances toward democratization. Updates? Dictatorship can be defined as a form of government in which the power is centralized. 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. Whether as presidential dictatorships or as military dictatorships, the regimes that came into being appear to have had common roots in the social and economic problems of the new state. [32], One-party dictatorships became prominent in Asia and Eastern Europe during the Cold War as communist governments were installed in several countries. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Korea experienced military dictatorships under the rule of Yeon Gaesomun in the 7th century[58] and under the rule of the Goryeo military regime in the 12th and 13th centuries. The National Liberation Front & People's Army of Vietnam | History, Purpose & Strategy, The Power of the Federal Judiciary: Sources & Consequences, Totalitarian Government | Characteristics & Examples. [79] Fascism developed in Europe as a rejection of liberalism, socialism, and modernism, and the first fascist political parties formed in the 1920s. 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. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix. [134], Most dictatorships hold elections to maintain legitimacy and stability, but these elections are typically uncompetitive and the opposition is not permitted to win. Dictators make unilateral decisions that affect their countries without having to consult any other branch of government. - Definition & Process, What is Neuroeconomics? [16], Most dictatorships are formed through military means or through a political party. [137] Dictatorships may influence the results of an election through electoral fraud, intimidation or bribing of candidates and voters, use of state resources such as media control, manipulation of electoral laws, restricting who may run as a candidate, or disenfranchising demographics that may oppose the dictatorship. [98] Several Middle Eastern countries were the subject of military coups in the 1950s and 1960s, including Iraq, Syria, North Yemen, and South Yemen. [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. In the Aristotelian classification of government, there were two forms of rule by the few: aristocracy and its debased form, oligarchy. There have been a very great many military dictators; their . As the dictatorship becomes more established, it moves away from violence by resorting to the use of other coercive measures, such as restricting people's access to information and tracking the political opposition. 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. [138], In the 20th century, most dictatorships held elections in which voters could only choose to support the dictatorship, with only one-quarter of partisan dictatorships permitting opposition candidates to participate. 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. [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. Dominant-party dictatorships or electoral authoritarian dictatorships are one-party dictatorships in which opposition parties are nominally legal but cannot meaningfully influence government. It is an authoritarian form of government where one person is in charge of enforcing and enacting the law. The leader of a dictatorship is called a dictator. 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. They may be military officers, party members, or friends and family of the dictator. Poverty has a destabilizing effect on government, causing democracy to fail and regimes to fall more often. They are more likely to end in violence and less likely to democratize than other forms of dictatorship. 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. The general population has no say in the functioning of the government. [28] Due to the structure of their leadership, one-party dictatorships are significantly less likely to face civil conflict, insurgency, or terrorism than other forms of dictatorship. [6], The opposition to a dictatorship represents all of the factions that are not part of the dictatorship and anyone that does not support the regime. Dictatorship means that system of Government which rests on a single person and that is of high authoritarianism. Indeed, in some circumstances, the new elites may use their power to convert themselves into a governing class whose interests are protected by every agency of the state. Far-left and far-right dictatorships used similar methods to maintain power, including cult of personality, concentration camps, forced labour, mass murder, and genocide. 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. Of the 197 countries in the world today, approximately 20 are classified as dictatorships, depending upon the source consulted. Dictatorship is an old form of government with origins in ancient Rome. Military dictatorships are controlled by military officers, one-party dictatorships are controlled by the leadership of a political party, and personalist dictatorships are controlled by a single individual. [106], The nature of dictatorship changed in much of the world at the onset of the 21st century. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen arrives at a government . The use of the term dictatorship originated in the Roman Republic. Today, dictators do not rise in response to an emergency and the position is not temporary. 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. [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. [71] The aftermath of World War I resulted in a major shift in European politics, establishing new governments, facilitating internal change in older governments, and redrawing the boundaries between countries, allowing opportunities for these movements to seize power. [48], An absolute monarchy is a monarchy in which the monarch rules without legal limitations. 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. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has inaugurated Turkey's first nuclear power plant via video link in his first public appearance since falling ill on live TV Tuesday night. In military dictatorships, it is the military that exerts complete or substantial control over the government rather than a political clique. Alfred says, [35][36] These dictatorships often emerge either from loosely organized seizures of power, giving the leader opportunity to consolidate power, or from democratically elected leaders in countries with weak institutions, giving the leader opportunity to change the constitution. [51] In the modern era, absolute monarchies are most common in the Middle East. Leadership Types and Styles: Help & Review, What is a Leader? There are three main characteristics of a dictatorship. [129] Revolution takes place when the opposition group grows large enough that elites in the regime cannot suppress it or choose not to. Marxist one-party states are sometimes distinguished from other one-party states, but they function similarly. They were national rather than provincial leaders and often were put in their position of power by nationalistic military officers. Personalist regimes diverge from other regimes when it comes to their longevity, methods of breakdown, levels of corruption, and proneness to conflicts. Current dictatorships include Russia, Equatorial New Guinea, and North Korea. President Biden is expected to make his reelection announcement as soon as Tuesday, beginning the 80-year-old career politician's final campaign. [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. | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples There are no checks and balances of power that these leaders need to conform to. 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. In oligarchies, the threat of a military coup comes from the strength of the military weighed against the concessions made to the military. 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. - 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?