Authoritarian rule is when a small group of people wields centralized power over the lives and well-being of all citizens. It is a system of government that is diametrically opposed to democracy, pluralism and human rights. Authoritarian systems seek control of the political sphere, as well as virtually every other aspect of society including media and communication, education, business, military police and religious and cultural institutions. They use any means necessary to gain and hold on to power including repression, corruption, and deception.
While there is a broad range of differences between totalitarian regimes and authoritarian ones, both rely on centralized leadership that is self-appointed or cannot be displaced by free choice among competitors. They also stifle civil society, employ a wide range of social controls, and create allegiance through indoctrination and socialization. In addition, both impose a totalitarian ideology that equates the ruling party with allegiance to the state and its leader.
A number of scholars argue that we are in an era of competitive authoritarianism, which includes both the consolidated dictatorships like China and North Korea that don’t allow elections and the more diffuse forms of autocracy that include many democratically elected governments but which erode the norms and institutions that support democracy. In these cases, leaders come to power democratically but then erode democracy by filling the civil service, judiciary and legislature with loyalists, attacking the media, universities and nongovernmental organizations to stifle criticism and tilt the electoral playing field. They may even resort to violence to maintain their grip on power.
