Despotism

Despotism or the despotism ( gr δεσποτία despotía of δεσπότης despotes "Lord" ) is a form of government in which the head of state ( the despot ) exercises full sovereignty. Nowadays the term is used mostly pejorative meaning " tyranny ".

Often with despotism degeneration form of monarchy meant ( tyranny ). Feature of this form is tyranny and despotism, because there are simply deciding the will and caprice of the ruler. Thus, the despotism of the highest degree and the special design of an autocratic or absolutist system of government dar. but Despotism is not limited to the monarchy, because even in a republic rulers may at times despotic occur if they succeed, merely according to their will the fortunes to determine the people. Therefore, in the modern typology of political systems corresponds to the totalitarian dictatorship of despotism.

As a term despotism also commonly referred a rule or order of government marked by arbitrariness and limitlessness. The expression of despotism is transferred from the theory of the state is not rare in other living conditions. In the community, church, club or family life, the term is also used when an individual will against dominated unjustified others.

Because the ruler or ruling group to exercise their power in a despotic manner and abusing powers, the despotism of some state theorists is denied any promotion of the common good. The despotism justified as an illegitimate form of domination of many political theorists, according a right of resistance, which is guaranteed in the Basic Law in Germany in Article 20, paragraph 4 of the Constitution.

History

The despot is the Greek word origin of the Lord, especially over slaves and also in the sense of householder. The Greek polis was characterized by a separation of household ( oikos ) and the public sphere. If a politician in the public sphere behaves like in private households, ie treated the free citizens as slaves, we speak in the ancient tradition of despotism. Despotism is one of the oldest forms of government, as always monarchist and democratic governments are degenerated into despotism. In ancient times the Greeks ( Dionysius I of Syracuse ) and in the Roman Empire ( Caligula ), there are many examples, and also at the time of the great migrations dominated numerous tribal leaders on their way despotic nations.

In the Middle Ages, some princes aspired to absolute power, and so the Fürstendespotismus arises. In the 17th century Louis XIV of France referred to himself as " Sun King" and turned off the influence of the nobility. In Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries was a patriarchal despotism, was characterized by a rather fatherly caring relationship between the sovereign and country children.

Stark despotic empires also occurred in Asia, where the Emperor of China exercised the greatest power and established an enlightened despotism in the Qing Dynasty.

Since the Enlightenment, the absolute state power of the French philosopher Jean -Jacques Rousseau, Condorcet, Montesquieu and Voltaire and the English thinkers like Hume and also by the founding father of American democracy, Thomas Jefferson was criticized.

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

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

Properties of a despotism

Despotism in ancient times

Prior to the ancient times, the distinction between despotism and other forms of domination was hardly represent conceptual, because there were no laws and restrictions of rule. According to the Greek understanding existed before the polis and beyond the polis only despotism (s). In ancient Greece, especially Athens, the Athenian democracy, which could distinguish between a legitimate and an illegitimate rule was developed. The tyranny, a degeneration of the monarchy, was not a despotism, because the frame of the Political still existed. Only if we succeed the tyrant to make all citizens are kept as slaves and also to bring the memory of a time before the tyranny disappear, then you can, by understanding antique speak of a despotism. The term dictatorship was a temporary understanding on the Roman tyranny. This limitation distinguished them from the despotism. Even in the Roman Empire were still de jure laws of the Republic. De facto, however, can the actions of several emperors are referred to as despotic.

Term " despotism " after the Antique

The subjects are bound by their own despots to unconditional obedience. There is no parliament and no political parties or these exist only in appearance. An opposition does not exist and a discussion will not be tolerated. Critics and dissidents are persecuted mercilessly. The despot ruled mostly by minions who have often large, but originating exclusively from him political power he seeks by stirring up the competition to control among them.

The ruler of a despotism has an absolute monopoly on power, he alone among the organs of power are military and police. In general, there is a secret police for organized in terms of a surveillance state persecution of political opponents. Often the policies of these countries is based on an ideology.

The cult of personality around a despot often takes on religious overtones: His image is shown for example on medals and porcelain plates, you can see him on monuments; Streets and squares are named after him.

Title " despot "

Main article: Despot (title)

In the Middle Ages the title of Despotes that was reserved for the higher aristocracy originated in Byzantium. As the highest title created after the Emperor, the despot could be the holder of a despotism or Despotat, but was also from 1261 the title of the heir apparent, who was the ruler of the Despotate of Morea simultaneously. The female form Despoina denotes a female despot or the wife of a despot.

Even outside Byzantium, especially in Southeast Europe, the title used as the highest ruler titles, so Béla III was. of Hungary (reigned 1172-1196 ), the first non- Byzantine Despotes. As a rule, their dominion was then called Despotat as the Despotate of Epirus or the Despotate of Dobruja.

In the Byzantine liturgy, the priest is addressed as a despot by the deacon today. These titles are neutral to be understood in the sense of " ruler ", without the now common negative meaning " tyrant ".