Authoritarianism is a leadership system by which the leader has absolute and authoritarian power and implements his goals and rules without seeking the guidance and advice of his followers.
This leadership system is characterized by a central power and the repression of individual freedoms of citizens.
An authoritarian believes that freedom is secondary to social order and that order must emanate from one person.
The leader is the supreme power, and there is no authority superior to him or her. In other words, authoritarians believe that individual freedom can be limited or suppressed to maintain order in society.
Authoritarians do not believe that people can be trusted to exercise their individual freedom in a civilized manner.
Authoritarianism is among the oldest systems of leadership and has been practiced by great nations for thousands of years.
What is an authoritarian regime?
The term authoritarian regime, in its broadest sense, encompasses all forms of undemocratic government.
Compared to democracies, an authoritarian regime does not maintain the institutions and procedures of participation and political competition, fundamental rights and power control characteristic of a democracy. For this reason, it has no democratic legitimacy.
In a more restricted view of the term, the authoritarian regime represents a specific form of autocratic government which was especially differentiated from totalitarian regimes.
The history of authoritarianism
Human societies exercised authoritarianism throughout history. Most ancient kingdoms, for example, exercised authoritarianism, where a monarch exercised absolute and complete power and made all decisions concerning the people and the kingdom.
These monarchs used manipulation or even force to make their subjects follow established laws and rules.
However, the modern form of authoritarianism has its roots in Slavic monarchs who ruled Eastern Europe in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
These monarchs practiced authoritarianism to distinguish themselves from the constitutional monarchs who ruled other parts of Europe, such as Great Britain.
See also the meaning of monarchical absolutism.
Characteristics of authoritarianism
There are several characteristics that define an authoritarian form of leadership. A key feature is that the leader has absolute power in the functioning of a country or organization, as mentioned above.
As a result of having absolute power, the leader's decisions are final and cannot be compromised. The decision-making process is therefore straightforward., as the leader requires little or no advice.
This decision-making process in an authoritarian system is rigid and totally dependent on the leader's wishes. Subordinates have limited entry into the operation of the organization or country.
In most cases, the leader uses coercion, manipulation, or brute force to make his subordinates or subjects meet his goals.
Characteristics of authoritarianism in a government
In an authoritarian political system, leaders do not trust their followers and feel that matters must be controlled.
An authoritarian government is also characterized by limited political pluralism, with political opponents of the ruling regime facing restrictions imposed by the authoritarian leader.
See also other meanings that can help your search:
- totalitarianism;
- Fascist;
- Characteristics of Fascism;
- Characteristics of military dictatorships;
- Difference between dictatorship and democracy.
