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authoritarianism
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Written by
Natasha Lindstaedt
Natasha Lindstaedt
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Category: History & Society
Key People:
Heinrich von Treitschke
Robert Michels
Juan Linz
Guillermo O’Donnell
Related Topics:
political system
ideology
challenges to democracy
kleptocracy
patrimonialism
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authoritarianism, in politics and government, the blind submission to authority and the repression of individual freedom of thought and action. Authoritarian regimes are systems of government that have no established mechanism for the transfer of executive power and do not afford their citizens civil liberties or political rights. Power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or a small elite, whose decisions are taken without regard for the will of the people. The term authoritarianism is often used to denote any form of government that is not democratic, but studies have demonstrated that there is a great deal ...(100 of 3344 words)

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