Definition

1. Noun:
   • A political system or principle of governance characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the concentration of power in a leader or small elite, and the limited political freedoms of citizens. It emphasizes strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom and often involves the suppression of dissent.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The country's shift toward authoritarianism worried human rights observers.
  • Historians studied the rise of authoritarianism in the 20th century.
  • Critics accused the regime of sliding into authoritarianism.

Advanced Usage

• "Soft authoritarianism": A system that maintains authoritarian control while having some superficial features of democracy, such as elections.
  • The political scientists described the state as an example of soft authoritarianism.
• Used in academic and political discourse to analyze and classify non-democratic systems of rule.

Variants and Related Words

• Authoritarian (adj): Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority.
  • an authoritarian regime
• Authoritarian (n): A person who favors authoritarian principles.
  • He was a staunch authoritarian.
• Authoritarianistically (adv): In an authoritarian manner. (Rare)

Synonyms

• Dictatorship: A form of government with absolute power held by a single leader or small group.
• Autocracy: A system of government by one person with absolute power.
• Totalitarianism: A more extreme form seeking to control all aspects of public and private life.
• Despotism: The exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.

Antonyms

• Democracy: A system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives.
• Liberalism: A political philosophy based on liberty, consent of the governed, and equality before the law.
• Pluralism: A condition or system in which multiple groups, principles, or sources of power coexist.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Cult of personality: A situation where a leader uses mass media to create an idealized and heroic public image, often associated with authoritarianism.
• One-party state: A state where only one political party has the right to form the government, often linked to authoritarian rule.
• Rule by decree: Governing by issuing orders (decrees) that have the force of law, bypassing legislative processes, common in authoritarian systems.

Noun

1. a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)