According to the 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 a group of persons 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 during democratic elections.
Authoritarian power is unlimited. Citizens cannot control it, even if their opinion counts for something by law. Documents such as the constitution are changed at the discretion of the authorities and take on a form that is comfortable for them. For example, the law establishes an unlimited number of terms that the head of state can hold office.
One-man power
The most important signs of authoritarianism lie in its desire to rely on power - potential or real. It is not at all necessary for such a regime to arrange repressions - it canbe popular with the people. However, if necessary, such a power will always be able to force uncontrolled citizens to obey.
What is authoritarianism? It is the avoidance of any competition or opposition. If the regime has existed for many years, then monotony 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 completely controlled and are a decoration.
Another important characteristic is the rejection of universal control over society. Power is mainly concerned with ensuring its own survival and eliminating the threats directed against it. The state and society in such a system can live in two parallel worlds, where officials do not interfere in the privacy of citizens, but do not allow themselves to be deprived of their posts.
Bureaucracy
The country's classic authoritarianism sets in at the moment when the political elite becomes the nomenklatura. In other words, it refuses its own rotation by competitive struggle in elections. Instead, officials are appointed by decree from above. The result is a nomenclature, vertical and closed environment.
Of all the signs that characterize 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 characterized by populism. The rhetoric of the "fathers of the nation" is based on the idea ofthe need to unite the whole country around the existing system. In foreign policy, such states behave aggressively and imperialistically, if there are enough resources for this.
Authoritarianism cannot exist without authority. It can be a charismatic leader or an organization (party), which is also a symbol (of sovereignty, a great past, etc.). These features are the main features of authoritarianism. At the same time, each such country has its own unique features.
Causes of occurrence
To better illustrate what authoritarianism is, it is necessary to list its most illustrative examples. These are the despotisms of the Ancient East, ancient tyrannies, absolute monarchies in the era of modern times, empires of the 19th century. History shows a great variety of forms of this phenomenon. This means that political authoritarianism can be combined with a variety of systems: feudalism, slavery, socialism, capitalism, monarchy and democracy. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to isolate a universal rule according to 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 can develop during the transitional period, when established traditions, the historical way of life and way of life break down. Such a process can cover a period during which one or two generations change. People who have not adapted to the new conditions of life (for example, those that have arisen as a result of economic reforms) strive for a “strong hand andorder”, that is, the sole power of the dictator.
The leader and enemies
Such phenomena as authoritarianism and democracy are incompatible. In the first case, a marginalized society delegates all decisions that are fundamentally important for the life of the country to one person. In an authoritarian country, the figure of the leader and the state represent the only hope for a better life for people at the bottom of the social ladder.
Also, the image of an indispensable enemy is sure to appear. It can be a certain social group), a public institution or a whole country (nation). There is a personality cult of the leader, on whom the last hopes of overcoming the crisis are pinned. There are other features that distinguish authoritarianism. This type of regime reinforces the importance of bureaucracy. Without it, the normal functioning of the executive branch is impossible.
Different examples of authoritarianism have taken place in history. They played different roles in the historical process. For example, Sulla's regime 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 progress everywhere, even today the world is still not completely democratic. States continue to exist, the basis of which is authoritarianism. Power in such countries is fundamentally different from exemplary Western European systems. An illustrative example of such a difference is the so-called "third world". ATit includes countries in Africa, Latin America and other regions of the world.
Until recently (until the second half of the 20th century), the “Black Continent” remained a colonial base for European metropolises: Great Britain, France, etc. When African countries gained independence, they adopted a democratic model from the Old World. However, it didn't work. Almost all African states eventually turned into authoritarian regimes.
This pattern is partly explained by the traditions of Eastern society. In Africa, Asia, and to a lesser extent in Latin America, the value of human life and individual autonomy has never been at its best. 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. It is much easier to do this 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. Totalitarian regimes, on the other hand, are obsessed with the utopian idea of rebuilding the whole world, thus influencing not only the lives of their own citizens, but also the existence of their neighbors. For example, the German Nazis dreamed of clearing Europe of"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 relationships with others. Thus, the state grossly interferes in human private life. It plays the role of an 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 social relations. People in such a country are characterized by poor awareness (unlike totalitarianism, where everyone is mobilized).
Society of Imaginary Freedom
Under authoritarianism, power is actually usurped, but the elite still maintains the appearance of democracy. What remains is the parliament, the formal separation of powers, parties and other attributes of a free society. Such a dictatorship can tolerate some internal social conflicts.
Influential groups (military, bureaucracy, industrialists, etc.) remain in an authoritarian country. Protecting their own interests (especially economic ones), they can block decisions that are undesirable for them. Totalitarianism means nothing of the kind.
Impact on the economy
Authoritarian government seeks to preserve the traditional and customary estate, class or tribal structure of society. Totalitarianism, on the contrary, completely changes the country according to its ideal. The old model and internal partitions are necessarily destroyed. Socialdifferentiation. Classes become masses.
Authorities in authoritarian countries (for example, in Latin America) are cautious about the economic structure. If the military (the junta) begins to rule, they become more like controllers of specialists. All economic policy is built according to dry pragmatics. If a crisis is approaching and it threatens the authorities, then reforms begin.
