INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 02,2025
Journal:
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page 621
THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF DICTATORSHIP: THE FEATURES OF DICTATORIAL
REGIMES, THEIR GOVERNANCE METHODS, AND CONTROL MECHANISMS
Mirzobek Abdullayev Norbek ugli
UzSWLU International Journalism Faculty
Political Science Major
@mirzoabdullayev5@gmail.com
Abstract:
Dictatorship is one of the political regimes widely used around the world and
continues to be relevant today. The main characteristic of this political regime is that citizens'
rights and freedoms are restricted under the rule of one or several individuals (dictators). Various
forms of dictatorship, such as totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and militarism, exist, each with
its own unique characteristics and differing impacts and socio-economic consequences.
Keywords:
dictatorship, totalitarianism, authoritarianism, militarism, non-democratic, media,
democratic, collectivization, corporatism, repression, sympathy, opposition.
Throughout human history, dictatorship has been the most dangerous political regime,
causing numerous casualties. Dictatorship (from Latin: dictatura — unlimited power) refers to a
system of government implemented through non-democratic means, characterized as either
authoritarian or totalitarian. In a political regime based on dictatorship, power is centralized in
the hands of one individual — the dictator — or a small group of individuals, where violence
and terror in politics are heightened. The establishment of a dictatorship is marked by the lack of
checks on dictatorial power, the violation of democratic rights and freedoms proclaimed by the
constitution, and the restriction of the rights of representative bodies. Power relies directly on
violence. This principle has led to the deaths of millions.
Historically, dictatorship has evolved over time, originating in Ancient Rome and
transforming its characteristics over centuries. Particularly in the 20th century, this political
regime took on one of the most dangerous forms in human history. Several dictators contributed
to this. One notable example is Francisco Franco's dictatorship in Spain, which lasted from 1939
to 1975. Franco established his rule based on an ideology called "national-syndicalism," which
included nationalism, Catholicism, and corporatism. Despite implementing numerous reforms,
Franco's policies were often detrimental to citizens, leading to social inequality and repression.
Similar processes were observed in the dictatorships of I. Stalin, A. Hitler, and M. Szewdun
during the 20th century. These dictators sacrificed countless lives to maintain their power and
implement reforms, leading scholars to classify them as classic dictators. In contrast, a new
category of dictators emerged in the 21st century with entirely different characteristics. These so-
called manipulative dictators employ new techniques centered around information manipulation,
artificially creating sympathy among the populace, and superficially mimicking democracy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 02,2025
Journal:
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page 622
The core reason for governing under these principles is that "people tend to believe in
appearances rather than reality; a ruler does not need to possess all good qualities but must seem
to have them." Manipulative dictators must convince the public and draw them to their side
regardless of the means. This is the primary goal of manipulative dictators. The first of this type
was Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, followed by manipulative dictators like V. Putin
in Russia and N. Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan.
Due to globalization in our time, the 21st century has seen a shift towards this new form of
dictatorship based on information manipulation, reaching its peak today.There are several
regimes of dictatorship, each with its own unique characteristics. Among the most widely used
are totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and militarism. Despite the common features of these
regimes, there are also several differences. Totalitarianism is a political governance form
characterized by centralized power that penetrates all spheres of social, economic, and spiritual
life, bringing them under complete control.
One of the German scholars expressed the main characteristics of totalitarianism as follows:
The dominance of a totalitarian ideology;
The existence of a single party, usually led by an individual loyal to this ideology;
A well-developed secret police system; Complete control of the state over the media, all
economic, social, and cultural institutions, and instruments of violence.
These characteristics of totalitarianism lead to the violation of human rights and the
restriction of freedom of thought and expression. These governance systems often have a
profound impact on people's lives and create an atmosphere of fear in society. Such processes
were notably observed in I. Stalin's USSR and A. Hitler's Nazi Germany. The reason is that I.
Stalin strengthened the autocratic regime and halted the New Economic Policy (NEP), which had
started in 1921, in the mid-1920s, subsequently initiating a rapid industrialization and forced
collectivization policy in agriculture. A. Hitler's primary goal of the totalitarian regime was to
subjugate "inferior races" and prepare Germany for war to seize vast territories. Between 1936
and 1939, the German economy was entirely subordinated to war objectives, military
expenditures increased tenfold, the size of the army was brought to that of the German army in
1914, and the naval fleet was reformed. In 1935, the law on universal military service came into
effect. These introduced changes—namely, I. Stalin's management of the economy within a
totalitarian regime and A. Hitler's military reforms—indicate the main characteristics of
totalitarianism.
Authoritarianism is a regime where the government is strongly centralized, citizens'
freedoms are restricted, but complete control is not established. Elections may be held in
authoritarian regimes; however, these elections are often manipulated.
Authoritarianism also has its own key characteristics:
1) Centralized power: In authoritarian regimes, power is often controlled by one or a few
individuals or groups, centralizing the process of political decision-making.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 02,2025
Journal:
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page 623
2) Restrictions on political freedoms: In authoritarianism, citizens' political freedoms, including
freedom of speech and assembly, are typically limited.
3) State control: State organs and security forces play a crucial role in monitoring citizens,
leading to the suppression of dissenting opinions.
Moreover, there are various forms of authoritarianism, including military, party-based, and
personalized authoritarianism. A clear example of authoritarianism can be seen in Benito
Mussolini's dictatorship in Italy. Mussolini's authoritarianism generally encompasses a dictatorial
regime that involves centralized government and restrictions on political freedoms. Militarism is
a political system that relies on a military class and military power within society. In this system,
a significant portion of state expenditures is directed toward military purposes. The strengthening
of military power and making war or military preparedness an essential element of social and
political development is the goal of militarism. This system has its own fundamental
principles.Militarism: Key Characteristics:
Prioritizing Military Power: States view military power as the primary means to fully
satisfy and protect their interests. As a result, war or military preparedness takes precedence over
diplomacy or other peaceful methods.
Military Influence on Politics and Social Life: Once a military government is established,
power is based on military dictatorship. This allows the government to exert significant influence
over political and economic decisions. Such powers have been observed in the 20th century in
countries like Argentina, Chile, and Iran, and can also be found in the 21st century in Thailand,
Myanmar, and Egypt.
Military Preparedness and Army Development: Militarism focuses on the development of
the military-industrial complex, strengthening the army, and producing a large number of
weapons. This can lead to a significant portion of economic and social resources being allocated
for military needs.
Preparation for War: Militarism particularly involves preparing for war and integrating this
preparedness into national policy. We can observe these processes in Chile under the military
dictatorship led by Augusto Pinochet. After coming to power, Pinochet's reforms exhibited
several characteristics typical of militarism, such as the declaration of a state of siege, the
abolition of the constitution, and the cancellation of nearly all democratic freedoms.
Thus, each system has its own unique characteristics. In general, totalitarianism entails
complete state control over all areas, including personal life. Authoritarianism may allow for
more political freedom and government activity, but opposition and political freedoms are still
restricted. The main features of militarism are based on military power and combat readiness.
Although these systems have distinct differences, they all strive to establish centralized authority
in social governance. In our developed world, while we rarely see states employing these
systems, we can observe their modern adaptations, and the characteristics of these systems
continue to evolve with time and context.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
ISSN: 2692-5206, Impact Factor: 12,23
American Academic publishers, volume 05, issue 02,2025
Journal:
https://www.academicpublishers.org/journals/index.php/ijai
page 624
REFERENCES:
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2. https://oyina.uz/uz/teahause/1156
3. https://uz.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SovetSotsialistikRespublikalari_Ittifoqi
4. https://uz.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diktatura
5. Sergey Guriyev, Deniel Treisman "Manipulative Dictators" "TRUST AND SUPPORT"
Tashkent-2023
