Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism

1. Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism

2. Definitions • Authoritarian – regime in which a small group of individuals exercises power over the state with no constitutional responsibility to the public • Totalitarian – centralized regime that possesses some strong form of ideology that seeks to transform and absorb fundamental aspects of the state, society, and economy

3. Sources of Nondemocratic Rule • Economic • Wealthier society = greater desire to assert individual political rights • Well distributed wealth, large middle class would undermine nondemocratic regimes. • High level of poverty, inequality • Two possibilities • Few in power resort to tyranny to defend their wealth • Regime emerges to forcibly redistribute wealth

4. Sources of Nondemocratic Rule • Societal • Political Culture • Religion • Some are more prone to nondemocratic tendencies than others • Ex., Islam and “Islamism” • Religious codes are handed down from Allah • Not designed to protect/advance individual rights • View Western liberal democracy as egocentric, atomized, ungodly, destructive, etc.

5. Authoritarian Means of Control • Coercion – public obedience is forced through violence and surveillance • Co-Optation – public is brought into a beneficial relationship with the state or government • Corporatism – labor, businesses, other interest groups bargain with the state over economic policy • This occurs in democracies, too, but in authoritarian states, only state sanctioned groups may participate • Clientelism – state provides specific benefits to a person or group to elicit their support

6. Authoritarian Means of Control • Personality Cult – promotion of the image of a leader as someone who embodies the spirit of the nation • Think Putin, Mao, Fidel, Saddam

7. Types of Authoritarian Rule • Personal and Monarchical Rule • Rule by a single leader, no clear regime or rules to constrain the ruler • Tools of control • Patrimonialism – supporters benefit from alliance with the ruler (corruption, clientelism) • Examples • Saudi Arabian Royal Family • Mobutu Sese Seko in Zaire (now DRC) from 1965 to 1997 • Used nation’s diamond and copper wealth to enrich followers

8. Types of Authoritarian Rule • Military Rule • Rule by one or more military officials, brought to power through a coup d’etat • Tools of control • Control of armed forces • Bureaucratic authoritarianism - alliances with business and state elites • Examples • Augusto Pinochet in Chile, 1973 to 1990 • Nigeria, 1966 to 1999 (many successive coups)

9. Types of Authoritarian Rule • One-Party Rule • Rule by one political party, other groups banned or excluded from power • Tools of control • Large party membership mobilizes and maintains control in return for benefits • Examples • Mexico’s PRI Party, 1929 -1999 • Chinese Communist Party, 1949 - Present

10. Types of Authoritarian Rule • Theocracy • “Rule by God,” with religious texts as the foundation of the regime and politics • Tools of control • Religious leadership is fused with political leadership into one sovereign authority • Examples • Iran, 1979 – Present • Afghanistan, 1996 – 2001 • Elements of Saudi Arabian government, e.g., judicial matters must conform to Islamic law, conversion from Islam is punishable by death

11. Types of Authoritarian Rule • Illiberal Regimes • Rule by elected leadership, though procedures are of questionable democratic legitimacy • Tools of control • Vote rigging, harassment of opposition, propagandized control of the media • Examples • Nigeria in recent elections • Russia since Vladimir Putin’s election in 2000