In modern times, democracies are often considered the best form of governance. However, there are other types of governance in place, such as dictatorship and autocracy. Both of these political systems involve power resting in the hands of an individual, but there are subtle differences between them. This article will discuss the main distinctions between dictatorship and autocracy.
Dictatorship is a political system where an individual or a class of people, such as a military junta, holds unlimited and uncontrolled power. This individual, called a dictator, is not accountable to anyone and none of their actions are subject to judicial review. As a result, a dictator often becomes tyrannical, as they do not need to justify their decisions or policies. A dictator is supreme in their country and does not require the consent of the people to enact their desires.
Dictatorship can result from a single party ruling the country with its leader being the dictator, or it can be a military dictatorship with the head of the military assuming all powers. Dictatorships are often characterized by deaths, killings, or genocide due to greed, hatred, pride, and power. Adolf Hitler in Germany and Idi Amin in Uganda are infamous examples of dictators responsible for the deaths of millions.
Key Takeaways
- In a dictatorship, power is held by an individual or a class of people, such as a military junta, with unlimited and uncontrolled authority.
- Dictators are not accountable to anyone and are not subject to judicial review, often leading to tyrannical rule.
- Dictatorship can result from a single party ruling a country or a military dictatorship, with infamous examples including Adolf Hitler and Idi Amin.
Autocracy is a political system where a single person controls the lives and destinies of all the people in their country. This individual makes all decisions, which are not subject to any law. The term “autocracy” comes from a Greek word meaning “self-rule.” However, this translation implies a situation where one person rules all others by themselves. In an autocracy, there is no rule of law or consultation with others when making decisions.
There are not significant differences between dictatorship and autocracy, as both involve a single person ruling a country. However, dictatorship has negative connotations, while autocracy is perceived as a lesser evil. An autocrat may lack the personality cult or charisma of a dictator, which could restrain them from making extreme decisions that could severely hurt their people. Another distinction is that dictatorship could involve the rule of a particular party or class (such as a single-party rule like Hitler’s Germany or the military junta in Myanmar), while in an autocracy, it is always a single individual who is in charge.
