Regime

Regime refers to the established set of political structures, norms, and rules that shape how authority is exercised and how power transitions occur within a state. It encompasses the institutions, laws, practices, and legitimacy claims that organize government and public life, and it tends to outlast any single administration. The term is distinct from the individuals who occupy office and from specific policy programs.

In political science, regimes are often evaluated by the degree to which they constrain rulers, enable or limit participation, and protect civil liberties and the rule of law. Broad classifications distinguish democratic regimes—characterized by regular elections, political pluralism, accountability, and legal-rational authority—from authoritarian regimes, which concentrate power and restrict political competition and civil rights. Between these poles lie hybrid or semi-democratic regimes that combine formal pluralism with substantial coercive control.

Within authoritarianism, several forms are identified, including personalist regimes centered on a single leader, military regimes governed by armed forces, single-party systems, and bureaucratic-authoritarian models that rely on technocratic rule. Some discussions also differentiate liberal-democratic regimes from totalitarian regimes, the latter seeking comprehensive social and ideological control.

Regime change denotes a fundamental shift in the governing framework, not just a change of leaders, and can occur through elections, revolutions, coups, or negotiated transitions. The study of regimes focuses on legitimacy, state capacity, economic performance, and resilience to conflict, aiming to explain why some regimes endure, collapse, or transform and how transitions affect rights and governance.