despotism

Despotism is a form of government in which a single ruler or a small group holds absolute political power that is not constrained by a constitution, laws, or established legal norms. In practice, despotism relies on centralized authority, discretionary rule, and the suppression of political pluralism and civil liberties. The term is usually pejorative in modern usage.

Etymology traces to the Greek despotēs, meaning master or lord. Historically, despotism has described rulers who wield unchecked power in ancient, medieval, or early modern states, and in contemporary discourse it is commonly applied to regimes characterized by autocratic dominance and lack of meaningful accountability, regardless of the ruler’s stated aims.

Core features include the centralization of power, a dismissive attitude toward constitutional constraints, and governing by decree. The judiciary, legislature, and press are often subordinated or eliminated as independent checks. Dissent may be censored, opposition parties outlawed, and security forces deployed to enforce the ruler’s will. The ruler or ruling elite usually maintains authority through patronage, coercion, or a combination of both, and may claim to act for stability, order, or the common good, even as arbitrary rules govern daily life.

In political theory, despotism is contrasted with constitutionalism, where power is limited by law and accountability mechanisms. The term has been used to describe various regimes across history and remains a critical category in analyses of authoritarian governance, even as contemporary governments may blur the line with forms such as authoritarianism or autocracy.