autokratik

Autokratik (autocratic) is a term describing a form of governance in which supreme political authority is concentrated in a single individual or a small group that is not constitutionally responsible to the governed. The word derives from Greek auto- 'self' and kratos 'power'.

Key features include centralized decision-making, limited political pluralism, and restricted checks on the ruler’s power. Legal institutions, media, and civil society may be subordinated to the ruler or used to legitimize authority. Elections, if held, are often non-competitive or ceremonial, and opposition is constrained.

Historically, autocratic rule has appeared in monarchies, empires, and centralized modern regimes. Notable examples include the Russian Empire under the tsars, the Chinese imperial system, and the Ottoman Empire, where power rested with a sovereign or narrow elite. In the contemporary era, regimes such as North Korea, Turkmenistan, and Belarus are frequently described as autocratic.

Autocracy is debated: supporters argue it can enable decisive action and long-term planning, while critics point to the absence of accountability, potential for abuse, and suppression of human rights. The term autokratik is used in multiple languages to denote this style of rule.