Dictatorship

Guiding Premise

Dictatorships and military dictatorships are political systems in which an individual or military organization holds absolute power. Dictatorships are led by a single individual, under whom all political control is consolidated. Military dictatorships are similar in purpose but place the system under the control of a military organization comprised of a single senior officer or a small group of officers. Often, dictatorships and military dictatorships are imposed as the result of a coup d'état in which the regime in question directly removes the previous regime or after a power vacuum creates chaos in the nation. They can also arise amid other types of crises, such as economic depressions and foreign policy incidents. In such situations, the consolidation of absolute power is designed to establish a state of strict law and order. Indeed, this type of government can offer stability and efficient governance.

Nations generally do not refer to themselves as dictatorships. They may display authoritarian characteristics despite officially maintaining various forms of government, such as presidential democracy, parliamentary monarchy, or a communist state. Because dictatorships are defined by others—and may end abruptly or gradually with reforms, a coup, or the death of a leader—it is difficult to establish a precise, widely agreed-upon number of dictatorships worldwide. However, in 2023, the human rights advocacy organization Freedom House suggested there were fifty-seven authoritarian governments around the globe, with notable increases in government repression following the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019.

Typical Structure

Dictatorships and military dictatorships vary in structure and nature. Some come about through the overthrow of other regimes, while others are installed through the democratic process and then become authoritarian as democratic rights are withdrawn. Still others are installed following a breakdown of government, often with the promise of reestablishing order.

Many examples of dictatorships can be found from the twentieth century, including the personalist regimes of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union, Mao Zedong in China, Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, Idi Amin in Uganda, Charles Taylor in Liberia, Pol Pot in Democratic Kampuchea (now Cambodia), and Muammar al-Qaddafi in Libya, among others. Dictatorships such as these consolidated power in the hands of an individual megalomaniacal, self-serving, and unsympathetic leader and are often also classified as authoritarian or totalitarian. A dictator serves as the sole decision-maker in the government, frequently using the military, secret police, or other security agencies to enforce the leader's will and to intimidate or silence opponents.

Dictators also have control over state institutions like legislatures. A legislature may have the ability to develop and pass laws, but if its actions run counter to the dictator's will, the latter can—and frequently does—dissolve the body, replacing its members with those more loyal to the dictator's agenda. Dictators typically use the mechanisms of state to enrich themselves and to buy the loyalty of close associates. They may or may not attempt to invest in nation-building initiatives, such as education. In the twenty-first century, dictators have increasingly formed temporary alliances with one another to achieve specific ends, such as maintaining their positions and wealth, undermining democracy, and seeking to legitimate an alternative international order.

Dictators may continue to hold elections. Despite the immediate-term threat of political violence and instability around elections, research suggests election campaigns and results can strengthen a dictator's standing and help them gauge their favorability and that of their opposition.

Because dictatorships rely on the personal cult formed around a single leader, they are vulnerable to rapid dissolution after the leader's death. Military dictatorships, by contrast, consolidate power not in the hands of one civilian but in an individual or small group of military officers—the latter of which are often called “juntas”—and thus tend to be longer lasting. Because military dictatorships are frequently installed following a period of civil war and/or a coup d'état, the primary focus of the dictatorship is to achieve strict order through the application of military force. Military dictatorships are often installed with the promise of an eventual return to civilian and/or democratic control once the nation has regained stability. In the case of North Korea, one-party communist rule turned into a communist military dictatorship as its leader, Kim Il-Sung, assumed control of the military and brought its leadership into the government. Kim eventually was succeeded by his son and then his grandson, continuing the dictatorial hold on power.

In the twenty-first century, dictatorships and military dictatorships are most commonly found in developing nations, where poverty rates are high and regional stability is tenuous at best. Many are former European colonies, where charismatic leaders who boast of their national heritage have stepped in to replace colonial governments. However, notable world powers, including China and Russia, are also considered dictatorships by some international observers—or at least display many characteristics of such while projecting an image otherwise. In all dictatorships, national resources are typically directed toward military and security organizations in an attempt to ensure security and internal stability, keeping the regime in power and containing rivals. Human rights records in such political systems are typically heavily criticized by the international community.

Role of the Citizen

Dictatorships and military dictatorships are frequently installed because of the absence of viable democratic governments. There is often a disconnect, therefore, between the people and their leaders in a dictatorship. Of course, many dictatorships are identified as such by external entities and not by their own people. For example, the government of Zimbabwe was long technically identified as a parliamentary democracy, with Robert Mugabe entrenched as the ostensibly elected president from 1980 until 2017. However, the international community complained that Mugabe “won” his positions through political corruption, including alleged ballot stuffing. In 2008, Mugabe lost his first reelection campaign but demanded a recount. While the recount continued, his supporters attacked opposition voters, utilizing violence and intimidation until his opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, withdrew his candidacy, and Mugabe was restored as president. Mugabe was finally removed from power in 2017 through a coup d'état, though many observers felt his dictatorship seriously eroded democratic norms in Zimbabwean politics.

By definition, citizens do not have a role in changing the course of a dictatorship's agenda. The people are usually conscripted into the military in support of the regime and may be required to cast their vote consistently in favor of the ruling regime. Freedom of speech, the press, and assembly are virtually nonexistent, as those who speak out against the ruling regime are commonly jailed, tortured, or killed. Propaganda is common. In some countries, the citizens may be required to participate in programs of mandatory ideological indoctrination intended to maintain the power of the dictatorship.

Bibliography

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Iritani, Evelyn. “Why Some Dictators Build Schools—and Others Don’t.” UCLA Anderson Review, Regents of the University of California, 20 Oct. 2021, anderson-review.ucla.edu/why-some-dictators-build-schools-and-others-dont/. Accessed 17 July 2024.

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