Autocracy and dictatorship Flashcards
What is meant by the term totalitarianism?
A system of government which requires complete subservience to the state. It is commonly run by a dictatorship, and all opposition is crushed
What is a dictatorship?
A government ran by person who has total power of a country. This contrasts to a democratic system, where people have the ability to openly vote for their leader. Dictators often obtain power through force, and wield power through strict laws
Why can dictatorships be thought largely as a 20th and 21st century phenomenon?
The 19th century was dominated by global empires, and have little political space for dictators. The modern states were varying constitutional monarchies, with imperial possessions- ruled differently to their metropole. The breakup of these empires leave space for dictatorships
What did the break down of empires mean for colonies?
Left small states that usually weren’t economically viable. State borders that made sense at the time of intense competition no longer made sense to create viable, self-governing independent nations
What does Paul Collier argue about landlocked countries in Africa?
Believes that these landlocked countries and those with a heavy dependence on exploiting natural resources are at a greater risk of becoming unviable
What did the Cold War do to attitudes on dictatorships?
Truman doctrine- USA will provide political, economic, and military assistance to democratic nations under threat from authoritarian forces
Kirkpatrick thesis- right wing authoritarian governments are more amenable to democratic reform that left wing totalitarian states e.g. Mobutu in the Republic of Congo
How did the PRI stay in power for 71 years?
They consistently won elections, but changed the constitution in order to do so
Does longevity in power mean it is a dictatorship?
No- the Japanese Liberal Democrats and the Swedish Socialist party were both in power for roughly the same period of 45 years. but had they lost an election they would have lost power
Give some examples of how dictators maintain power.
Manipulate the press, military force, change the constitution
Why is military rule so frequent in developing countries?
The army offers the most viable alternative to a civilian state in terms of expertise, experience, cohesion, institutional structure, and nationalist credentials. They made up for what the imperial powers did not leave. They often promise to withdraw after establishing stability e.g. Latin America - Pinochet
Between 1946 and 2000, how many country years of democratic government were there in Africa?
189
Why might African dictatorships not seem wholly typical?
African dictators often have elections, legislatures, and organised political parties
What are the four traps that Paul Collier has identified that cause countries to fall behind and fall apart?
- the conflict trap
- the natural resources trap
- landlocked with bad neighbours
- bad governance in a small country
Are there advantages to dictatorships?
Tendency to grow faster than democracies in the early phases of modernisation and development
How does Ehret explain the idea of political religion?
Movements such as fascism cannot be explained merely through ideology, rather the term religion would be more accurate. Dictatorships are congruent with radical followers, the use of symbols and ceremonies. They encompass mass populations, and reinforce social solidarity
