Despotism: definition, history, characteristics and modern forms

The despot in the Greek word origin is the lord, especially over slaves and also in the sense of master of the house. The Greek polis was characterized by a separation of household (oikos) and public sphere. When a politician behaves in the public sphere as he does in the private household, that is, treats the free citizens as slaves, the ancient tradition speaks of despotism. Despotism is one of the oldest forms of rule, for time and again monarchical as well as democratic governments have degenerated into despotisms. Already in antiquity with the Greeks (Dionysius I of Syracuse) and in Roman imperial times (Caligula) many examples can be found, and also at the time of the migration of peoples numerous tribal princes ruled their peoples in a despotic manner.

In the Middle Ages, some princes strove for absolute power and thus princely despotism is born. In the 17th century, Louis XIV of France called himself the "Sun King" and eliminated the influence of the nobility. In Germany, patriarchal despotism emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, characterized by a more paternalistic relationship between sovereign and sovereign's children.

Strongly despotic empires also appeared in Asia, with the Emperor of China wielding the most power and establishing an enlightened despotism in the Qing Dynasty.

Since the time of the Enlightenment, absolute state power has been criticized by French philosophers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Condorcet, Montesquieu, and Voltaire, as well as by English thinkers such as Hume and also by the founding father of American democracy Thomas Jefferson.

The reference to an imminent "victory of Russian despotism" served SPD party leader Hugo Haase in August 1914 as a justification for approving the war credits.

In more recent times, despotism reappeared in the Third Reich (1933 to 1945) under Adolf Hitler, in Spain (1939 to 1975) under Francisco Franco, in the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin, in Italy (1922 to 1943) under Benito Mussolini, in Chile (1973 to 1990) under Augusto Pinochet, in what was then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) under Mobutu Sese Seko, in Uganda under Idi Amin, or in the Central African Republic under Jean-Bédel Bokassa. Several contemporary states in Asia and Africa can also be considered despotisms, such as North Korea, Turkmenistan or Zimbabwe.

Despotism in the ancient world

Before antiquity, the distinction between despotism and other forms of rule was difficult to conceptualize because there were no laws and limitations on rule. According to the Greek understanding, there was only despotism(s) before the polis and beyond the polis. In ancient Greece, especially Athens, Attic democracy developed, which could distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate rule. Tyranny, a degeneration of monarchy, was not a despotism because the framework of the political still existed. Only when the tyrant succeeded in making all citizens permanent slaves and also in making the memory of a time before the tyranny disappear, then, according to ancient understanding, one could speak of a despotism. The term dictatorship, according to the Roman understanding, was an exclusive rule limited in time. This limitation distinguished it from despotism. Even in the Roman Empire, the laws of the Republic continued to apply de jure. De facto, however, the actions of some emperors can be described as despotic.

term "despotism" according to antiquity

The subjects are bound to unconditional obedience to their despot. There is no parliament and no parties, or they exist only in appearance. An opposition does not exist and a discussion is not tolerated. Critics and dissenters are mercilessly persecuted. The despot rules mostly through minions, who not infrequently possess great but exclusive political power. However, the despot strives to control this power by deliberately fomenting rivalry.

The ruler of a despotism has an absolute monopoly on power, and the military and police organs of power are under his sole control. As a rule, there is a secret police for the organized persecution of political opponents in the sense of a surveillance state. Often the policy of these states is based on an ideology.

The personality cult around a despot often takes on religious features: For example, his image is depicted on medals and porcelain plates, he is seen on monuments; streets and squares are named after him.