Dictator is a figure of leader who rules in a country in an authoritarian or tyrannical manner. This means that oppression for the sake of oppression continues to be carried out against its people, giving rise to various internal conflicts within the country.
Usually these dictatorships seize power in a country by force. In fact, not infrequently the power was seized through a total coup. But in some cases, there are also dictators who rose to power in a democratic way such as Adolf Hitler of Germany.
Definition of Dictatorship and Dictatorship
If a dictator is a person or person who carries out a dictatorship, then a dictatorship is a system of government in which a dictator becomes the leader. This dictatorship itself is often referred to as a dictatorship. This form of dictatorship is autocratic.
An example of a dictatorship is the ancient Roman system of government. In ancient times the Roman rulers had absolute power even if only in times of emergency. It’s just that the dictators in ancient Rome are still under the auspices of the law.
In this modern era, dictatorship is more inclined to an absolute form of government in a country with an autocratic ideology that is not limited by law at all. Even social norms, constitution and politics are also eliminated in the current dictatorial government.
The Reasons for the Emergence of a Dictator
Experts argue that a dictator can suddenly appear because it is triggered by several reasons. Usually this is triggered by political, social, traditional or economic conditions. More specifically, the reasons for the emergence of dictators are as follows:
- People’s dissatisfaction with the current government. Usually this condition arises due to the incumbent government not acting effectively and tends to have weak policies.
- The people are in a state of despair and suffering in this government. Then a figure emerged who provided an easy solution for the people to deal with these conditions. This is as experienced by Hitler and Lenin.
- Dictators and their followers have broad powers and usually this happens constitutionally and legally. No cheating at all. For example, when the Nazis were able to control the majority of parliamentary seats in Germany.
- Dictators use violence or extra-constitutional forms to seize power as happened in Bolswyk, Russia
- The opposition that exists in a country is crushed by brute force or by gentle means. the law was changed according to the interests of the dictator in order to minimize the re-emergence of the power of his political opponents.
Characteristics of a Dictatorship in a Country
Dictator is a person who has great influence on a country. Whether it is a positive or negative influence, what is certain is that the existence of this dictator always brings enormous changes to a region.
But apparently there are some special characteristics of a country led by a dictator. These characteristics are:
1. The Emergence of False Democracy (false democracy)
The first characteristic of the existence of a dictator in a country is a false democracy. The existing democratic system in a country is just a decoration. Basically, these dictators suppress the freedom of their citizens to express their opinion.
2. The existence of the principle of the leader (fuhrer principle)
In a dictatorship system, there is one figure who becomes the mascot or symbol of the country. For example Germany with Hitler in the past. The existence of Hitler is the personification of Germany and this is absolute. This is the most visible feature of dictatorship.
3. Dictator Party Circle
In a country that is experiencing a dictatorship, there is a special party that carries a dictatorship where the politicians, police and officials in the country are from the same party so that they mutually reinforce each other.
4. There is Only One Ideology
Another characteristic of a dictatorship is that there is only one ideology in a country, namely the ideology adopted by the leader himself or the dictator who is currently in office. Therefore, the community is forced to enter into the ideology without negotiation.
5. There is a lot of repression
The next characteristic of the existence of a dictator is the absence of opposition in a country. The opposition was completely crushed because it was considered to interfere with the interests of the government or the dictator who was currently in office. Even the voices of parliamentarians were not heard at all.
6. The Existence of Totalitarianism
Another characteristic of the existence of a dictator is the emergence of a totalitarian system. This is the hallmark of modern dictatorships. So a dictator can impose his interests on the people without exception and those who resist will be severely punished.
7. Have an aggressive foreign policy
The last characteristic of a dictator is a very aggressive foreign policy. The goal of a dictator is usually not kidding, they want to rule the world without giving up power in their own territory. That’s why they tend to be aggressive in making political policies.
Types of Dictatorships
Because of the different way of government, this dictatorship is also divided into 5 different groups based on the facts. Here are the types of dictatorships that have emerged in the world so far.
1. Military dictatorship (military junta)
A military junta is a form of dictatorship initiated by the military within a country. Areas that have experienced such conditions are Hispania and Latin America, or Spain at the time of the Civil War.
The military junta itself is usually carried out by high-ranking officers in a military. So the officer has the power to regulate the power in the country. A popular example of a military junta is Augusto Pinochet in Chile.
2. The dictatorship of the proletariat
Another type of dictatorship is the proletariat which is based on Marxism. This system carries the communist theme adopted by the current socialist republican countries. In the concept of this one dictatorship, the workers or proletarians hold enormous political power.
3. The virtuous dictatorship
The next type of dictatorship is the virtuous dictatorship. This type of dictator is no different from other types of dictators. However, they have an understanding to maximize the welfare of the people with their dictatorship.
An example of a dictator who has this understanding is Deng Shiaoping who is considered a good dictator in China. A virtuous dictator like this never thinks about his own interests and only focuses on carrying out tyranny just to advance the lives of his people.
4. Family dictatorship
A family dictatorship is a hereditary rule between generations within a country. This one dictatorship can also be interpreted as the reins of leadership managed by a family that prioritizes their own interests.
5. Dictatorship of husband and wife
The husband-wife dictatorship is a derivative of the family dictatorship. This has happened in the Philippines where President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda once led the country. But the term family dictatorship actually comes from critics.
The World’s Everest Dictator
Dictator is a figure who is always there from time to time. So far there are more than 30 names of dictators who have appeared in this world. For more details you can see the table below.
World Dictators
Dictator is a figure that should not exist in this country. Therefore, we must continue to work hand in hand to build human resources so that the country can continue to be better than it is today. The key is in the younger generation.
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