Autocracy
noun
A system of government where one person has all the power.
North Korea is often accused of being an autocracy.
Often appears as...
- absolute autocracy
- alleged autocracy
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
The power or authority of a single person or party.
The king ruled with autocracy, making decisions without consulting his ministers.
Often appears as...
- rule in autocracy
- autocracy power
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
A system of government where one person has all the power.
North Korea is often accused of being an autocracy.
Often appears as...
- absolute autocracy
- alleged autocracy
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
noun
The power or authority of a single person or party.
The king ruled with autocracy, making decisions without consulting his ministers.
Often appears as...
- rule in autocracy
- autocracy power
Usage tips
Disapproving
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Power Concentration
Autocracy emphasizes one leader's total control, often neglecting public opinion.
In the autocracy, citizens had no say in government policies.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Autocracy' usually suggests a lack of freedom and is viewed negatively.
Activists criticized the government's shift toward autocracy.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Monarchy
Autocracies are sometimes confused with monarchies, but not all kings are autocrats.
Though the kingdom has a queen, it's not an autocracy since laws limit her power.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Concentration
Autocracy emphasizes one leader's total control, often neglecting public opinion.
In the autocracy, citizens had no say in government policies.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Autocracy' usually suggests a lack of freedom and is viewed negatively.
Activists criticized the government's shift toward autocracy.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Monarchy
Autocracies are sometimes confused with monarchies, but not all kings are autocrats.
Though the kingdom has a queen, it's not an autocracy since laws limit her power.
Pro Tip 1/3Power Concentration
Autocracy emphasizes one leader's total control, often neglecting public opinion.
In the autocracy, citizens had no say in government policies.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Autocracy' usually suggests a lack of freedom and is viewed negatively.
Activists criticized the government's shift toward autocracy.
Pro Tip 3/3Not a Monarchy
Autocracies are sometimes confused with monarchies, but not all kings are autocrats.
Though the kingdom has a queen, it's not an autocracy since laws limit her power.
Compare with
authoritariandespotismdictatorshipdominatormonarchyoppressiontotalitarianismtyranny
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Video examples
How to build a company...
In other words, not an autocracy in which I would lead and others would follow and not a democracy in which everybody's points of view were equally valued, but I wanted to have an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas would win out. And in order to do that, I realized that we would need radical truthfulness and radical transparency.
Video examples
Charles Robertson:...
And I'm showing you something else with these maps. I'm showing you democracy versus autocracy. Fragile democracies is the beige color. Strong democracies are the orange color. And what you'll see here is that most Africans are now living in democracies.
Video examples
History vs. Augustus -...
and a government still remembered as a model of civic virtue. His legacy was an empire that would go on to wage endless conquest until it collapsed, and a tradition of military autocracy. Any time a dictator in a general’s uniform commits atrocities
Video examples
Paul Collier: 4 ways to...
Maybe we can be more optimistic because of the spread of democracy. So, I looked. Democracy does have significant effects -- and unfortunately, they're adverse. Democracies make even more of a mess of these resource booms than autocracies.
Video examples
How can social media...
the country becomes uncomfortable so when I think about where are we now the question I'm worrying about is are we entering a world where it's harder to be an autocracy but it's also harder to be a democracy we'll see thank you
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
We live in a very cruel world. Dictators are cruel monsters, and I am not saying it to be nice. So yes, that is the final characteristic. The list goes on, but that's the final thing that I want to share about autocracies,
Video examples
The "bottom billion" -...
effects and unfortunately their adverse democracies make even more of a mess of these resorts films than autocracies at that stage I just wanted to abandon the research but it turns out that democracy is a little
Video examples
A free world needs...
They were jailed, they were fined, but they prevailed. And this caricature of the king by Daumier came to define the monarch. It marked history. It became the timeless symbol of satire triumphing over autocracy.
Video examples
Dalia Mogahed: The...
have very high expectations of the government. They're just victims of a long-time autocracy, expecting a paternal state to solve all their problems. But this conclusion would ignore
Video examples
Ukraine's Fight to Keep...
becoming more prosperous, more fair, more free. In 2004 and 2013, we marched for democracy, and we defeated autocracy. So I was stunned when the windows crushed in. I froze.
Video examples
How to build a company...
In other words, not an autocracy in which I would lead and others would follow and not a democracy in which everybody's points of view were equally valued, but I wanted to have an idea meritocracy in which the best ideas would win out. And in order to do that, I realized that we would need radical truthfulness and radical transparency.
Video examples
Charles Robertson:...
And I'm showing you something else with these maps. I'm showing you democracy versus autocracy. Fragile democracies is the beige color. Strong democracies are the orange color. And what you'll see here is that most Africans are now living in democracies.
Video examples
History vs. Augustus -...
and a government still remembered as a model of civic virtue. His legacy was an empire that would go on to wage endless conquest until it collapsed, and a tradition of military autocracy. Any time a dictator in a general’s uniform commits atrocities
Video examples
Paul Collier: 4 ways to...
Maybe we can be more optimistic because of the spread of democracy. So, I looked. Democracy does have significant effects -- and unfortunately, they're adverse. Democracies make even more of a mess of these resource booms than autocracies.
Video examples
How can social media...
the country becomes uncomfortable so when I think about where are we now the question I'm worrying about is are we entering a world where it's harder to be an autocracy but it's also harder to be a democracy we'll see thank you
Video examples
Is your country at risk...
We live in a very cruel world. Dictators are cruel monsters, and I am not saying it to be nice. So yes, that is the final characteristic. The list goes on, but that's the final thing that I want to share about autocracies,
Video examples
The "bottom billion" -...
effects and unfortunately their adverse democracies make even more of a mess of these resorts films than autocracies at that stage I just wanted to abandon the research but it turns out that democracy is a little
Video examples
A free world needs...
They were jailed, they were fined, but they prevailed. And this caricature of the king by Daumier came to define the monarch. It marked history. It became the timeless symbol of satire triumphing over autocracy.
Video examples
Dalia Mogahed: The...
have very high expectations of the government. They're just victims of a long-time autocracy, expecting a paternal state to solve all their problems. But this conclusion would ignore
Video examples
Ukraine's Fight to Keep...
becoming more prosperous, more fair, more free. In 2004 and 2013, we marched for democracy, and we defeated autocracy. So I was stunned when the windows crushed in. I froze.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Tom Stoppard
English Dramatist
I was interested by the idea that artists working in a totalitarian dictatorship or tsarist autocracy are secretly and slightly shamefully envied by artists who work in freedom. They have the gratification of intense interest: the authorities want to put them in jail, while there are younger readers for whom what they write is pure oxygen.
Quote examples
Joe Sestak
American Politician
Our 21st-century world is an incredibly dangerous one. Between brutal civil wars, violent extremism, spreading autocracy, rising inequality, territorial expansionism, election interference, and nuclear proliferation, our policymakers have their hands full.
Quote examples
Simon Sebag Montefiore
British Historian
It was always presumptuous to expect Russia, an ancient nation-state and proud empire of distinct culture with a tradition of autocracy, to become an Anglo-American democracy overnight - just as it is naive to expect it in other parts of the world.
Quote examples
Kerry Kennedy
American Activist
We need autocracies and failing democracies alike to understand that they cannot scapegoat LGBT citizens to distract from their own shortcomings.
Quote examples
James Surowiecki
American Journalist
The autocracies of the Arab world have been as economically destructive as they've been politically repressive.
Quote examples
Mamata Banerjee
Indian Politician
Sometimes, when democracy has to fight with autocracy, what can be done? We have to fight; somebody has to.
Quote examples
Ameen Rihani
Lebanese Writer
Autocracy is a government of the few from above; Bolshevism is a government of the few from below.
Quote examples
Malcolm Nance
American Author
The Republicans want an autocracy where the rights of minorities and others are not protected.
Quote examples
Otto Hermann Kahn
German Businessman
The deadliest foe of democracy is not autocracy but liberty frenzied.
Quote examples
John Polanyi
Hungarian Scientist
In nation after nation, democracy has taken the place of autocracy.
Quote examples
Tom Stoppard
English Dramatist
I was interested by the idea that artists working in a totalitarian dictatorship or tsarist autocracy are secretly and slightly shamefully envied by artists who work in freedom. They have the gratification of intense interest: the authorities want to put them in jail, while there are younger readers for whom what they write is pure oxygen.
Quote examples
Joe Sestak
American Politician
Our 21st-century world is an incredibly dangerous one. Between brutal civil wars, violent extremism, spreading autocracy, rising inequality, territorial expansionism, election interference, and nuclear proliferation, our policymakers have their hands full.
Quote examples
Simon Sebag Montefiore
British Historian
It was always presumptuous to expect Russia, an ancient nation-state and proud empire of distinct culture with a tradition of autocracy, to become an Anglo-American democracy overnight - just as it is naive to expect it in other parts of the world.
Quote examples
Kerry Kennedy
American Activist
We need autocracies and failing democracies alike to understand that they cannot scapegoat LGBT citizens to distract from their own shortcomings.
Quote examples
James Surowiecki
American Journalist
The autocracies of the Arab world have been as economically destructive as they've been politically repressive.
Quote examples
Mamata Banerjee
Indian Politician
Sometimes, when democracy has to fight with autocracy, what can be done? We have to fight; somebody has to.
Quote examples
Ameen Rihani
Lebanese Writer
Autocracy is a government of the few from above; Bolshevism is a government of the few from below.
Quote examples
Malcolm Nance
American Author
The Republicans want an autocracy where the rights of minorities and others are not protected.
Quote examples
Otto Hermann Kahn
German Businessman
The deadliest foe of democracy is not autocracy but liberty frenzied.
Quote examples
John Polanyi
Hungarian Scientist
In nation after nation, democracy has taken the place of autocracy.
Example 1 of 10
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