maktmonopol

Maktmonopol is a political science term used to describe the concentration of sovereign authority in the hands of a single actor or a narrow group, resulting in a monopoly over decisive political power. It implies centralization of authority across political, economic, and security domains and often touches on the capacity to use coercive means with limited constraint from other institutions.

Mechanisms commonly associated with a maktmonopol include constitutional or legal changes that concentrate power, appointment of loyal officials to key positions, control or capture of security and intelligence services, suppression of opposition, and the use of censorship or information control. The judiciary and legislative bodies may be subordinated or hollowed out, while economic levers and clientelist networks reinforce loyalty and suppress dissent. In practice, the phenomenon can occur in monarchies, one-party systems, and personalist regimes, and may also emerge temporarily during crises in otherwise plural systems.

Implications of a maktmonopol include reduced political pluralism and checks on authority, which can lead to efficient decision-making in the short term but raise risks of abuse, corruption, and violation of civil liberties. Over time, the concentration of power risks delegitimization, institutional fragility, and heightened potential for political violence if opposition or external actors challenge the monopoly.

Counterweights and reforms aim to restore balance, such as independent judiciaries, free media, robust civil society, devolution of powers, and constitutional constraints designed to prevent the concentration of authority and protect pluralism.