By definition, authoritarianism is one of the main types of political regimes. It is an intermediate step between totalitarianism and democracy, combining the features of these two systems.
Signs
To understand what authoritarianism is, it is necessary to highlight its features. There are several of them. The first is autocracy or autocracy. In other words, a person or group of people who has taken the helm of the state takes control of all the levers of governing the country and does not give them to competitors, as, for example, is done in democratic elections.
Authoritarian power is unlimited. Citizens cannot control it, even if by law their opinion means something. Documents such as the constitution are changed at the discretion of the government and take on a view that is comfortable for it. For example, the law establishes an unlimited number of terms that the head of state can occupy his post.
Sole authority
The most important signs of authoritarianism lie in its desire to rely on force - potential or real. It is not necessary for such a regime to organize repressions - it can be popular among the people. However, if necessary, such a government will always be able to force uncontrolled citizens to submit by force.
What is authoritarianism? This is to prevent any competition or opposition. If a regime has existed for many years, then uniformity will become the norm, and society will lose the need for an alternative. At the same time, authoritarianism allows the existence of trade unions, parties and other public organizations, but only if they are fully managed and are decoration.
Another important characteristic is the rejection of universal control over society. The authorities are mainly engaged in ensuring their own survival and eliminating threats against it. The state and society in such a system can live in two parallel worlds, where officials do not interfere in the personal lives of citizens, but also do not allow themselves to be deprived of their posts.
Bureaucracy
The country's classic authoritarianism comes at a time when the political elite becomes a nomenclature. In other words, it refuses its own rotation through competition in the elections. Instead, officials are appointed by decrees from above. The result is a nomenclature, vertical and enclosed environment.
Of all the signs characterizing what authoritarianism is, one of the most obvious is the merger of all branches of government (judicial, executive and legislative) into one. Such regimes are distinguished by populism. The rhetoric of the "fathers of the nation" is based on the idea of the need to unite the whole country around the existing system. In foreign policy, such states behave aggressively and imperialistly if there are enough resources for this.
Authoritarianism is not able to exist without authority. In its capacity may be a charismatic leader or organization (party), which is also a symbol (of sovereignty, a great past, etc.). These are the main signs of authoritarianism. Moreover, each such country has its own unique features.
Causes of occurrence
To illustrate more clearly what authoritarianism is, it is necessary to list its most illustrative examples. This despotism of the Ancient East, ancient tyranny, absolute monarchy in the era of the New Age, the empire of the XIX century. History shows a great many forms of this phenomenon. This means that political authoritarianism can be combined with a wide variety of systems: feudalism, slavery, socialism, capitalism, monarchy and democracy. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to isolate the universal rule by which such a system arises.
Most often, the prerequisite for the emergence of authoritarianism in the country is the political and social crisis of society. Such a situation may arise during the transition period, when established traditions, historical structure and way of life break down. A similar process can cover a period during which one or two generations change. People who have not adapted to new living conditions (for example, those that have arisen as a result of economic reforms) are striving for a “strong hand and order,” that is, the dictator’s sole power.
Leader and enemies
Phenomena such as authoritarianism and democracy are incompatible. In the first case, a marginalized society delegates all decisions fundamentally important for the life of the country to one person. In an authoritarian country, the figure of a leader and the state personify the only hope for a better life for people who are at the bottom of the social ladder.
Also, an image of an indispensable enemy appears. This may be a certain social group), a public institution or a whole country (nation). A cult of the leader’s personality arises, on which the last hopes of overcoming the crisis lay. There are other features that distinguish authoritarianism. A regime of this kind reinforces the importance of bureaucracy. Without it, the normal functioning of the executive branch is impossible.
Various examples of authoritarianism have taken place in history. They played various roles in the historical process. For example, the regime of Sulla in Ancient Rome was conservative, Hitler's power in Germany was reactionary, and the reigns of Peter I, Napoleon and Bismarck were progressive.
Modern authoritarianism
Despite widespread progress, even today, the world has not become completely democratic. States continue to exist, the basis of which is authoritarianism. Power in such countries is fundamentally different from the exemplary Western European systems. A telling example of such a difference is the so-called “third world”. It includes countries in Africa, Latin America and other regions of the world.
The “Black Continent” until recently (until the second half of the 20th century) remained the colonial base for the European metropolises: Great Britain, France, etc. When African countries gained independence, they adopted the democratic model from the Old World. However, it did not work. Almost all African states over time have become authoritarian regimes.
In part, this pattern is explained by the traditions of eastern society. In Africa, Asia, and to a lesser extent in Latin America, the value of human life and the independence of the individual has never been on top. Every citizen there is considered part of a common whole. The collective is more important than the personal. From this mentality authoritarianism arises. The definition of such a regime suggests that it deprives society of freedom. Making it much easier is where independence has never been considered something of value.
Differences from the totalitarian regime
As an intermediate step, authoritarianism is much more like totalitarianism than democracy and a free society. What, then, is the difference between these dictatorships? Authoritarianism is directed "inward." His doctrine applies only to his own country. The totalitarian regimes are obsessed with the utopian idea of rebuilding the whole world, thus affecting not only the lives of their own citizens, but also the existence of neighbors. For example, the German Nazis dreamed of cleansing Europe of the “wrong” peoples, and the Bolsheviks were going to arrange an international revolution.
Under totalitarianism, an ideology is built according to which everything in society should be redone: from everyday life to relations with others. Thus, the state grossly intervenes in human privacy. It plays the role of educator. The authoritarian regime, on the contrary, is trying to depoliticize the masses - to instill in them the habit of not being interested in politics and public relations. People in such a country are poorly informed (unlike totalitarianism, where everyone is mobilized).
Society of Imaginary Freedom
Under authoritarianism, power is actually usurped, but the elite still retains the appearance of democracy. There remains a parliament, a formal separation of powers, parties and other attributes of a free society. Such a dictatorship can put up with some internal social conflicts.
In an authoritarian country, influential groups remain (military, bureaucracy, industrialists, etc.). Protecting their own interests (especially economic), they can block undesirable decisions for them. Totalitarianism does not mean anything like that.
Impact on the economy
Authoritarian power seeks to preserve the traditional and familiar estate, class or tribal structure of society. Totalitarianism, by contrast, completely changes the country in accordance with its ideal. The previous model and internal partitions are necessarily destroyed. Social differentiation is being eliminated . Classes become masses.
Authorities in authoritarian countries (such as Latin America) are cautious about the economic structure. If the military begin to rule (the junta), they will soon become supervisors of specialists. All economic policies are built according to dry pragmatics. If a crisis draws near and it threatens the authorities, then reforms begin.