Authoritarian regimes: concept, signs and types

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:40

Authoritarian regimes can be seen as a kind of "compromise" between democratic and totalitarian political systems. According to a study conducted in 1992 by the international organization Freedom House, out of 186 countries of the world, only 75 are “free” in terms of democracy, 38 are “not free”, and 73 are “partially free”. ". At the same time, Russia falls into the latter category, which means that its political structure can also be considered authoritarian. Is it really? Let's try to figure it out together.

Authoritarian regimes: the concept and conditions of occurrence

Everything in our life develops cyclically, including the structure of society. Being a transitional form from totalitarianism to democracy, authoritarian regimes often arise in countries where, simultaneously with a change in the social system, there is a pronounced polarization of political forces. Often they form where there are long-termpolitical and economic crises, overcoming of which in a democratic way is very problematic. Authoritarian regimes often start under emergency conditions, when the country needs to restore order and provide society with normal living conditions. One person or a small group of people concentrates in their hands the main functions of political power, the existence of the opposition, if allowed, then with very limited opportunities for action. There is strict censorship in the media, ruling organizations control public ones, and the participation of the population in governing the country is minimized. At the same time, authoritarian regimes allow the existence of representative bodies, discussions, referendums, etc. can be held. However, the results of voting are often falsified, and public opinion in the media is “fabricated” by the authorities, i.e. a certain ideology is imposed on society. Although the freedoms and rights of a citizen are proclaimed, the state does not really provide them. In order to maintain their existence, authoritarian regimes subjugate the courts and law enforcement agencies. Public administration is carried out mainly through command and administrative methods, while at the same time there is no mass terror.

Types and examples of an authoritarian regime

This type of device has many varieties, the main ones being tyrannical, despotic, military and clerical. In the first case, power is usurped by one person who exercises sole rule. In ancient times hewas very common in Greece, and is unacceptable in the modern world. The despotic regime is characterized by "unlimited" power and is typical for countries with an absolutist monarchy. A vivid example of it is the reign of Ivan the Terrible in Russia, as well as the reign of Peter I. Such a regime is a relic of the past.

The clerical (theocratic) regime is based on the domination of religious leaders who concentrate both secular and spiritual power in their hands. An example is Iran. The military-dictatorial or simply military regime is based on the power of the highest military elite, who seized power as a result of a coup. The army becomes the dominant socio-political force, which implements both external and internal functions of the state. Countries with an authoritarian regime of this type are Iraq under the rule of S. Hussein, Myanmar, as well as a number of countries in Tropical Africa.