It is an intermediate step between totalitarianism and democracy, combining the features of these two systems.
signs
To understand what authoritarianism is, it is necessary to highlight its features. There are several of them. The first is autocracy or autocracy. In other words, a person or a group of persons who has taken the helm of the state takes control of all the levers of governing the country and does not give them to competitors, as, for example, is done during democratic elections.
Authoritarian power has no limits. Citizens cannot control it, even if their opinion counts for something by law. Documents such as the constitution are changed at the discretion of the authorities and take on a form that is comfortable for them. For example, the law establishes an unlimited number of terms that the head of state can hold office.
sole power
The most important signs of authoritarianism lie in its aspirations to rely on force - potential or real. It is not at all necessary for such a regime to arrange repressions - it can be popular among the people. However, if necessary, such a government will always be able to use force to force uncontrolled citizens to submit.
What is authoritarianism? It is the avoidance of any competition or opposition. If the regime has existed for many years, then monotony will become the norm, and society will lose the need for an alternative. At the same time, authoritarianism allows the existence of trade unions, parties and other public organizations, but only if they are fully controlled and are a decoration.
Another important characteristic is the rejection of universal control over society. Power is mainly concerned with ensuring its own survival and eliminating the threats directed against it. The state and society in such a system can live in two parallel worlds, where officials do not interfere in the privacy of citizens, but do not allow themselves to be deprived of their posts.
Bureaucracy
The classical authoritarianism of a country sets in at the moment when it becomes a nomenklatura. In other words, it refuses its own rotation by competitive struggle in elections. Instead, officials are appointed by decree from above. The result is a nomenclature, vertical and closed environment.
Of all the signs that characterize what authoritarianism is, one of the most obvious is the merging of all branches of government (judicial, executive and legislative) into one. Such regimes are characterized by populism. The rhetoric of the "fathers of the nation" is based on the idea of the need to unite the entire country around the existing system. In foreign policy, such states behave aggressively and imperialistically, if there are enough resources for this.
Authoritarianism cannot exist without authority. It can be a charismatic leader or an organization (party), which is also a symbol (of sovereignty, a great past, etc.). These features are the main features of authoritarianism. At the same time, each country has its own unique features.
Causes
To better illustrate what authoritarianism is, it is necessary to list its most significant examples. These are the despotisms of the Ancient East, ancient tyrannies, absolute monarchies in the era of modern times, empires of the 19th century. History shows a great variety of forms of this phenomenon. This means that political authoritarianism can be combined with a variety of systems: feudalism, slavery, socialism, capitalism, monarchy and democracy. Because of this, it is extremely difficult to isolate a universal rule according to which such a system arises.
Most often, the prerequisite for the emergence of authoritarianism in the country is the political and social crisis of society. Such a situation can develop during the transitional period, when established traditions, the historical way of life and way of life break down. Such a process can cover a period during which one or two generations change. People who have not adapted to the new conditions of life (for example, those that have arisen as a result of economic reforms) strive for a “strong hand and order”, that is, the sole power of the dictator.
Leader and Enemies
Such phenomena as authoritarianism and democracy are incompatible. In the first case, a marginalized society delegates all decisions that are fundamentally important for the life of the country to one person. In an authoritarian country, the figure of the leader and the state personify the only hope for a better life for people who find themselves at the bottom of the social ladder.
Also, the image of an indispensable enemy necessarily appears. It can be a certain social group), a public institution or a whole country (nation). There is a personality cult of the leader, on whom the last hopes of overcoming the crisis are pinned. There are other features that distinguish authoritarianism. This type of regime reinforces the importance of bureaucracy. Without it, the normal functioning of the executive power is impossible.
Various examples of authoritarianism have taken place in history. They played different roles in the historical process. For example, Sulla's regime in Ancient Rome was conservative, Hitler's power in Germany was reactionary, and the reigns of Peter I, Napoleon and Bismarck were progressive.
Modern authoritarianism
Despite progress everywhere, even today the world has not become completely democratic. States continue to exist, the basis of which is authoritarianism. Power in such countries is fundamentally different from the exemplary Western European systems. An illustrative example of such a difference is the so-called "third world". It includes countries in Africa, Latin America and other regions of the world.
The "Black Continent" until recently (until the second half of the 20th century) remained a colonial base for European metropolises: Great Britain, France, etc. When African countries gained independence, they adopted a democratic model from the Old World. However, it didn't work. Almost all African states eventually turned into
This pattern is partly explained by the traditions of Eastern society. In Africa, Asia, and to a lesser extent in Latin America, the value of human life and individual autonomy has never been at its best. Every citizen there is considered part of a common whole. The collective is more important than the personal. From this mentality, authoritarianism arises. The definition of such a regime suggests that it deprives society of freedom. It is much easier to do this where independence has never been considered something valuable.
Differences from the totalitarian regime
As an intermediate step, authoritarianism is much more like totalitarianism than democracy, and what, then, is the difference between these dictatorships? Authoritarianism is directed "inward". His doctrine applies only to his own country. Totalitarian regimes, on the other hand, are obsessed with the utopian idea of reorganizing the whole world, thus influencing not only the lives of their own citizens, but also the existence of their neighbors. For example, the German Nazis dreamed of clearing Europe of the "wrong" peoples, and the Bolsheviks were going to arrange an international revolution.
Under totalitarianism, an ideology is being built, according to which everything in society should be redone: from everyday life to relations with others. Thus, the state grossly interferes in human private life. It plays the role of an educator. on the contrary, it tries to depoliticize the masses - to instill in them the habit of not being interested in politics and social relations. People in such a country are distinguished by poor awareness (in contrast to totalitarianism, where everyone is mobilized).
Society of Imaginary Freedom
Under authoritarianism, power is actually usurped, but the elite still retains the appearance of democracy. What remains is the parliament, the formal separation of powers, parties and other attributes of a free society. Such a dictatorship can tolerate some internal social conflicts.
In an authoritarian country, influential groups (military, bureaucracy, industrialists, etc.) remain. Protecting their own interests (especially economic ones), they can block decisions that are undesirable for them. Totalitarianism does not mean anything of the sort.
Impact on the economy
Authoritarian power seeks to preserve the traditional and customary estate, class or tribal structure of society. Totalitarianism, on the contrary, completely changes the country according to its ideal. The old model and internal partitions are necessarily destroyed. Liquidated Classes become masses.
The authorities in authoritarian countries (for example, in Latin America) are cautious about the economic structure. If the military (the junta) begins to rule, they become more like controllers of specialists. All economic policy is built according to dry pragmatics. If a crisis is approaching and it threatens the authorities, then reforms begin.
Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation
Federal State Educational Budgetary Institution
higher professional education
"Khabarovsk State Academy of Economics and Law"
Center for work with branches and distance learning
Test
Khabarovsk 2013
Introduction
1. Concept and typology of political regimes
Conclusion
Application
Introduction
One of the most common types of political system in history is authoritarianism. In its characteristic features, it occupies an intermediate position between totalitarianism and democracy. However, such a characterization does not indicate the essential features of the phenomenon as a whole, even if the features of totalitarianism and democracy are clearly distinguished in it. The richness and diversity of authoritarian political systems, which are essentially an intermediate type between democracy and totalitarianism, have also determined a number of universal, fundamental distinguishing features of these political orders. An authoritarian regime is a political regime in which state power is exercised by one person or a narrow circle of persons (the ruling elite) with minimal participation of the population. An authoritarian regime is a regime that restricts democracy and establishes the power of one person or group of people (dictatorship). Such a regime significantly limits the powers of representative institutions, ignores the principle of separation of powers, infringes on civil and political rights, misappropriates, usurps or seizes power. At present, authoritarian political orders have been established in many modern countries of the world. Moreover, many scientists, both in the past and in the present, very positively assessed and evaluate this type of organization of power. In Russia, the formation of a new political system is associated with the collapse of the USSR. The political system functioning in Russia in many ways does not meet the generally accepted criteria of democracy. Political scientists characterize this political system using the terms "authoritarian democracy", "regime system", linking its emergence with the weakness of the state and the immaturity of civil society.
1. The concept and typology of political regimes
The essence of power lies in its ability to impart expediency, rationality, orderliness to relations between people.
Society as a complex system of interaction between individuals, groups, organizations needs to be managed, regulated and coordinated by human interests and actions. Power regulates social relations through various means: violence, coercion, persuasion, encouragement, fear, etc. The totality of means and methods for the implementation of political power, which determines the degree of freedom and legal status of an individual, is called a political regime.
Political power is diverse in forms and means of manifestation. To reflect various aspects of its functioning, such concepts as "form of government", "political regime", "political system" are used.
In order to effectively influence society, the behavior of people, classes, power must be organized, have means of influence, coercion. The organization of the supreme state power, its bodies, their relationship with the population are designated by the concept of "form of government". Usually, monarchic and republican forms of government are distinguished. However, the nature of political power in society does not always correspond to the form of government. For example, Sweden, Norway, Belgium are more democratic than many republics, although they are constitutional monarchies in form of government. At the same time, Germany in the 1930s was a republic in form of government, but the nature of power was dictatorial. In this regard, there was a need to determine the means and methods by which state power regulates and streamlines relations between people. This aspect of the functioning of power reflects the concept of "political regime".
In European political science, this concept is basic, while in American science, preference is given to the category "political system" in terms of its fundamental nature. Despite the long use of the concept of "political regime", it has not retained a sufficiently clear content.
Supporters of the systemic approach broadly interpret this concept, identifying it with the category of "political system". This gives rise to well-known theoretical difficulties, since there is a danger of terminological duplication of two concepts of one series of political phenomena. The terms "political system" and "political regime" characterize political life from different angles: if the political system reflects the nature of the relationship between politics and the economy, social, cultural and other spheres of society, then the political regime determines the means and methods of exercising power. Consequently, the political regime is a functional "cut" of the political system, it develops as a result of political activity and political course, which are chosen by the holders of supreme power.
Some researchers limit the content of the political regime to the form of government. According to this point of view, the classification of political regimes is based on the difference between the legislative and executive functions of the state and the clarification of their relationship. According to this principle, the regime of merger of powers (absolute monarchy), the regime of separation of powers (presidential republic) and the regime of cooperation (parliamentary republic) were distinguished. Focusing on the activities of government structures, such an interpretation ignores the influence of other political institutions: the party system, pressure groups, etc. In this regard, it would be more accurate to present the form of government as one of the components of the political regime.
In political science, the definition of a political regime given by the political scientist Zh-L is generally recognized. Kermonne: "A political regime is understood as a set of elements of an ideological, institutional and sociological order that contribute to the formation of the political power of a given country for a certain period." Among these elements, he singled out: 1) the principle of legitimacy; 2) the structure of institutions; 3) the party system; 4) the form and role of the state.
The concept of "political regime" expresses the nature of the relationship between state power and the individual, and also gives an idea of the foundations of the system of power. In this regard, C. L. Montesquieu remarked: "Just as virtue is needed for a republic, and honor for a monarchy, so fear is needed for a despotic government." Depending on the ratio of democracy and dictatorship as the principles of organizing public life, which determines the degree of social freedom of the individual, there are three types of regimes: totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic. Between totalitarianism and democracy as the extreme poles of this classification, there are many intermediate ways of exercising power.
The term "totalitarianism" comes from the medieval Latin word "totalis", which means "whole", "whole", "complete". Totalitarianism is a complete control and strict regulation by the state of all spheres of the life of society, of each person through direct armed violence. The state absorbs the whole society and the individual. At the same time, power at all levels is formed behind closed doors, as a rule, by one person or a narrow group of persons from the ruling elite. Totalitarianism is a specifically new form of dictatorship that emerged in the 20th century.
Dictatorship (from Latin dictatura - "unlimited power") - the regime of government of one person or a group of people headed by a leader without any control by the ruled arose a long time ago and had many historical forms of its manifestation. Initially, in republican Rome (V-I centuries BC), a dictator was an emergency official (magistrate), who was appointed for a period of no more than six months to organize protection from an external threat or to suppress an internal rebellion. The dictator was bound by law in his powers and terms of office. Beginning with Sulla and especially Caesar, who was repeatedly endowed with dictatorial powers, the nature of the dictatorship has changed significantly. The dictator became not subject to the law, not accountable to the people and changed the laws in his own interests. However, subsequently - both in the Middle Ages and in modern times - dictatorships were internally fragile regimes, they were united only by the will of the dictator.
Totalitarianism is a fundamentally new type of dictatorship in which the state and ideology play a special role. The term "totalitarian" was introduced into the political lexicon by the leader of the Italian fascists B. Mussolini (1883 - 1945). The goals of the fascist movement, in his opinion, consisted in creating a strong state, using exclusively forceful principles of exercising power and subordinating all social forces to the hierarchical principle. The essence of totalitarianism as a new political order, B. Mussolini expressed the formula: "Everything is in the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state."
The emergence of totalitarianism was facilitated by objective processes that developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The entry of human society into the industrial stage of development led to the creation of an extensive system of mass communications. Technical possibilities arose for ideological and political control over the individual. The growing division and specialization of industrial labor destroyed traditional forms of life and made the individual defenseless against the world of market elements and competition. The complication of social relations required strengthening the role of the state as a universal regulator and organizer of the interaction of individuals with divergent interests. Experience shows that totalitarian regimes, as a rule, arise under extraordinary conditions: growing instability in society; a deep crisis covering all aspects of life; finally, if it is necessary to solve a strategic task that is extremely important for the country.
In Western political science, the following signs of totalitarianism are distinguished: a) the only mass party; b) a monopoly existing ideology recognized by all; c) monopoly on mass media; d) monopoly on the means of armed struggle; e) terrorist control by the political police; f) centralized system of control and management of the economy. Of particular note is such a sign as the absolute concentration of power in the hands of the leader, who relies on the ruling party. The principle of leaderism or Fuhrerism reflects the low level of development of democratic consciousness, arises as an expression of the need for a symbol of the unity of the nation in conditions of social instability. The Fuhrer in fascist Germany stood at the head of the state, expressed his will; the strength of the state came from the Fuhrer. He had unlimited power over his subordinates. The authority of the leader was not based on conscious trust, but rather had a mystical, personal character.
Democracy is the most complex type of political regime. According to the Russian lawyer P.I. Novgorodtsev, "democracy is always a crossroads ... a system of open doors diverging into unknown directions of roads ... Far from creating a firm balance of life, it excites the spirit of quest more than any other form."
"Democracy" (demos - "people" and kratos - power, rule) in Greek means "the power of the people." However, from the first mention of it in the translation of the Aristotelian "Politics" in 1260 to the present day, disputes about its content have not ceased. Various authors focus on certain components of democracy, for example, on the power of the majority, its limitation and control over it, the fundamental rights of citizens, legal and social statehood, separation of powers, general elections, openness, competition of different opinions and positions, pluralism, equality, complicity. etc. This led to the fact that today there are several interpretations of the meaning of democracy. In some cases, it is interpreted broadly, as a social system based on the voluntariness of all forms of an individual's life. In other cases, it is interpreted more narrowly - as a form of state in which all citizens have equal rights to power. In this it differs from a monarchy, where power belongs to one person, and from an aristocracy, where control is exercised by a group of people. This interpretation of democracy comes from the ancient tradition starting with Herodotus (5th century BC). And, finally, democracy is understood as an ideal model of social order, a certain worldview based on the values of freedom, equality, and human rights. Individuals, groups, professing these values, form a movement for their implementation. In this sense, the term "democracy" is interpreted as a social movement, as a type of political orientation, embodied in the programs of certain parties.
The evolution of the meaning of the term "democracy" is due to the development of human society. Initially, democracy was seen as the direct rule of citizens, as opposed to the rule of a monarch or aristocrats. However, already in antiquity, democracy was considered the "worst form" of government. At that time, it was believed that the low level of culture of the citizens of the Greek policies-states allows the rulers to manipulate the "power of the people." As a result, democratic regimes did not last long and turned into ochlocracy (crowd power), and those, in turn, gave rise to tyranny. Based on this, Aristotle did not distinguish between democracy and ochlocracy, having a negative attitude towards democracy. His assessment of democracy influenced its further fate: democracy began to be perceived negatively and was forced out of political life.
Functionally, polyarchy as a political regime relies on seven institutions that ensure its effectiveness. These include:
a) elected officials; control over government decisions is constitutionally assigned to representatives elected by the people;
a) free and fair elections, excluding any violence and coercion;
) relatively high dependence of the government on voters and election results;
) freedom of speech, providing the opportunity freely. express their opinion, including criticism of the government, regime, society, the dominant ideology;
) the existence of alternative and often competing sources of information and beliefs, removed from government control;
) a high degree of freedom in the creation of relatively autonomous and diverse independent organizations, including opposition parties and interest groups.
The world experience of democratization is extremely relevant for the modern modernization of Russia. At the very least, it allows us to identify the features of the political development of Russian society, to correlate them with world trends.
Authoritarianism is usually seen as a type of regime that occupies an intermediate position between totalitarianism and democracy. However, such a characterization does not indicate the essential features of the phenomenon as a whole, even if we take into account which features of totalitarianism and which of democracy can be found in it.
Essentially significant in defining authoritarianism is the nature of the relationship between the state and the individual: they are built more on coercion than on persuasion. At the same time, the authoritarian regime liberalizes public life, does not seek to impose a clearly developed official ideology on society, allows limited and controlled pluralism in political thinking, opinions and actions, and tolerates the existence of the opposition. The management of various spheres of society's life is not so total, there is no strictly organized control over the social and economic infrastructure of civil society, over production, trade unions, educational institutions, mass organizations, and the media. Autocracy (from the Greek autokrateia - autocracy, autocracy, i.e. unlimited power of one person) does not require a demonstration of loyalty from the population, as in totalitarianism, it is enough for it to lack open political confrontation. However, the regime is merciless to manifestations of real political competition for power, to the actual participation of the population in decision-making on the most important issues of society. Authoritarianism suppresses basic civil rights.
In order to keep unlimited power in its hands, the authoritarian regime circulates the elites not through the competitive struggle of candidates in the elections, but by co-opting (volitional introduction) of them into the governing structures. Due to the fact that the process of transfer of power in such regimes is carried out not through the procedures for replacing leaders established by law, but by force, these regimes are not legitimate. However, despite the lack of support from the people, autocracies can exist for a long time and quite successfully. They are able to effectively solve strategic problems, despite their illegitimacy. Authoritarian regimes in Chile, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Argentina, and the countries of the Arab East can serve as an example of such effective economic and social reforms.
These features of authoritarianism testify to its well-known similarity with totalitarianism. However, the most significant difference between them lies in the nature of the relationship of power with society and the individual. If under authoritarianism these relations are differentiated and based on "limited pluralism", then totalitarianism generally rejects any pluralism and diversity of social interests. Moreover, totalitarianism seeks to eliminate not only social, but also ideological pluralism and dissent. Authoritarianism does not challenge the right to autonomous self-expression of various groups in society.
Traditional absolutist monarchies are regimes in which there is no separation of powers, political competition, power is concentrated in the hands of a narrow group of people, and the ideology of the aristocratic class dominates. An example is the regimes in the Persian Gulf countries, as well as in Nepal, Morocco, etc.
Traditional authoritarian regimes of the oligarchic type prevail in Latin America. As a rule, economic and political power under such regimes is concentrated in the hands of a few influential families. One leader replaces another with the help of a coup or falsification of the election results. The elite is closely connected with the church and the military elite (for example, the regime in Guatemala).
The hegemonic authoritarianism of the new oligarchy was created as a regime that expressed the interests of the comprador bourgeoisie, i.e. that part of the bourgeoisie of economically backward, dependent countries, which mediated between foreign capital and the national market. Such regimes existed under the presidency of Marcos in the Philippines (1972 - 1985), Tunisia, Cameroon, etc. Quite a massive variety of authoritarian regimes are "military regimes". They are of three types:
a) having a strictly dictatorial, terrorist nature and personal nature of power (for example, the regime of I. Amin in Uganda);
b) military juntas carrying out structural reforms (for example, the regime of General Pinochet in Chile);
c) one-party regimes that existed in Egypt under G. A. Nasser, in Peru under X. Peron, etc. Theocratic regimes, in which political power is concentrated in the hands of clerics, should be singled out as another type of authoritarianism. An example of this type would be Ayatollah Khomeini's regime in Iran.
The ways of exercising political power in the history of Russian society have not remained unchanged. Three periods of Russian political history, qualitatively different from each other - pre-Soviet, Soviet and post-Soviet - corresponded to the specific method and nature of state government. The similarity of these three periods consisted, first of all, in the fact that the Russian political process throughout its entire duration was more in line with dictatorship than democracy.
The traditional absolute monarchy, which existed from the reign of Ivan III until 1917, was characterized by dictatorship, either increasing its rigidity (as was the case under Ivan IV, Peter I), or moving into a moderate authoritarian system with elements of parliamentarism in the person of the State Duma and a multi-party system (for example , at the end of the reign of Nicholas II). All power was concentrated in the hands of the monarch, who in his reign relied not only on tradition, but also on violence.
A special kind of dictatorial political regime is the dictatorship of the proletariat, established after the October Revolution of 1917. The dictatorship of the proletariat, as defined by V. I. Lenin, meant that “only a certain class, namely urban and factory workers in general, is able to lead the entire mass of working and exploited people in the struggle to maintain and strengthen victory, in the creation of a new, socialist, social building, in the whole struggle for the complete abolition of classes." In practice, the political regime of the party nomenklatura was created. There were few workers in the government for the entire Soviet period, and in the Communist Party there were significantly less than half of them. The state, headed by professional revolutionaries, concentrated in its hands the entirety of legislative, executive and judicial power, and monopolized national property. The gradually formed new class of the party-state nomenklatura gravitated toward the oligarchic nature of power, the social base of which was the mass Communist Party and the Soviets. The ruling minority exercised its power over the majority, relying not only on a strong propaganda apparatus, but also on an extensive punitive system, means of political terror and the fight against dissent. As a result, the regime eventually acquired the features of totalitarianism. At the same time, the political regime in the USSR, for which the name “dictatorship of the nomenklatura” is more suitable, sought to respond to the socio-economic needs of the population and satisfy them. Given the availability of resources, which were formed mainly through the sale of oil, gas, and weapons, it was possible to do this, but as they were reduced, the regime's capabilities were also limited. At piecework stages, the totalitarian regime acquired the features of authoritarianism, as it was under N. S. Khrushchev.
The abolition of the constitutional guarantees of the monopoly position of the Communist Party led to the fall of the regime. New institutions of power appeared: the president, parliament, local governments. In 1993, the system of Soviets was abolished, which formally was the basis of the mechanism for the functioning of power in the country.
However, the nature of state power has changed little, in essence it has remained authoritarian. This is a natural consequence of the immaturity of civil society in Russia. Authoritarian beginnings are found today in a significant concentration of power in the hands of the head of state - the president. An authoritarian regime is able to ensure the concentration of resources in the strategic directions of the development of society, to effectively respond to emerging problems. This trend is especially typical for countries transitioning from the market. However, the authoritarian regime in Russia also has significant drawbacks. First of all, the concentration of power in the hands of the president in such volumes that exceed the powers of the presidents of France and the United States combined, make society very dependent on his subjective will.
The weak degree of separation of political roles and functions indicates the underdevelopment of the political mechanism as a whole. The higher the degree of differentiation and specialization of the functions of political institutions, the higher their ability to respond to new interests and needs emerging in society. Consequently, the pyramidal structure of power, characteristic of modern Russia, has a high degree of inertia and subjectivism.
This circumstance determines the insufficiently high efficiency of the regime. First of all, this refers to its inability to reliably guarantee all the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens, to respond to their needs. Insufficient, and in some cases, simply low efficiency of the regime constantly raises the question of its legitimacy, the need to maintain it.
In conditions of excessive concentration of power in the hands of the president and executive bodies, there are virtually no opportunities for constant effective control over their activities, both on the part of society and legislators. This creates opportunities for uncontrolled spending of federal funds, for corruption. The instruments of control under these conditions can be the mass media and a mature party system. However, a competitive party system capable of identifying and expressing the interests of social groups has not yet completed its formation. The mass media in the conditions of the market themselves become dependent on the authorities.
The evolution of the political regime in the direction of its democratization is associated with a more rational division of functions and powers between the various branches of government, which will protect society from the subjectivism of political leaders and elites.
Conclusion
One of the types of anti-democratic political regime is authoritarian. The term "authoritarianism" is used in political science to refer to a regime characterized by a monopoly on the power of any one party, group, person or institution. It is possible to single out real one-party, one-party "semi-competitive" type and pseudo-party authoritarianism. Based on the structure of the ruling bloc and the goals of the policy pursued, military, oligarchic, populist and bureaucratic regimes are distinguished. At present, an authoritarian political regime continues to dominate in Russia, the principles of democracy are combined with elements of personal power. Authoritarianism is a political regime in which political power is exercised by a specific person (leader, family, political party, social class) with minimal participation of the people. Authoritarianism is one of the most widespread political regimes of our time. It was developed mainly in a number of liberated countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, as well as in the USSR, when, after the death of I.V. Stalin, the transformation of the totalitarian regime into an authoritarian one began. An authoritarian political regime, as a rule, evolves into a democracy. Modern Russia is characterized by a confrontation between two trends. The privileged position of the president in the system of power. The president and his staff are forced to reckon with the large comprador capital that has gained strength, the financial oligarchy, which retains serious positions in the media and successfully opposes the president and his immediate circle in an attempt to stay in power. Some reforms carried out by the authorities are contrary to the principles of democracy, in particular the creation of so-called federal districts with representatives of the president, the extension of the terms for electing governors, etc.
List of used literature
1. Kravchenko A.I. Political Science: Proc. Benefit. For students ped. universities. - M.: Academy, 2005.
2. Lavrovsky N.A. Political Science: Textbook / Ed. O.V. Polishchuk: Tom. state University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics (TUSUR). Dept. Moscow: TUSUR, 2003.
Mukhaev R.T. Political science: a textbook for universities. Second edition. - M.: "Prior-izdat", 2005.
Political Science: Proc. allowance for universities / Comp. And rep. Editor A.A. Radugin. - M.: Center, 2005.
Political science: Textbook for universities / V.N. Lavrinenko, A.S. Grechin, V.Yu. Doroshenko and others; Ed. prof. V.N. Lavrinenko. - M.: UNITI, 2003.
Unpelev A. G. Political science: power, democracy, personality. Tutorial. M., 2004.
Chvikalov I.M., Kamalov R.M. Political Science: Textbook for tech. universities. - Voronezh: VGLTA, 2003.
Application
Political Science Tests
What concept corresponds to the definition: these are non-state (private) associations of citizens seeking to realize their common specific interests and exerting influence on power for this purpose (but not striving to possess it)?
) political parties;
) political movements;
) interest groups.
Which of the following types of political cultures corresponds to the typology proposed by G. Almond and S. Verba:
) democratic;
) liberal;
) patriarchal.
Which one of the three political ideologies listed below is characterized by the following features: a) militant nationalism; b) imperialist aspirations; c) the omnipotence of the nation-state; d) exposure of the liberal parliamentary system; e) recognition of private property, but denunciation of the abuses generated by it; f) the idea of national solidarity; g) anti-Marxism.
) anarchism;
) communism;
Traditional legitimacy is based on:
) legitimacy;
) force of habit;
) rationality.
Under what form of government must a government receive a "vote of confidence" in parliament in order to become legally legit?
) absolute monarchy;
) parliamentary republic;
) presidential republic.
Which of the following features most fully characterizes the rule of law?
) the rule of law;
a) existence of the Constitution and laws;
) social equality.
What concept does the definition correspond to: this is a form of political structure in which the states that are part of it fully retain their independence, have their own bodies of state power and administration, but at the same time create special joint bodies to coordinate actions for certain purposes (military, foreign political etc.)?
) confederation;
) unitary state;
) federation.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a type of political regime that implies general control and regulation by the state of all spheres of society?
) democracy;
) totalitarianism.
) competitive;
) majoritarian;
) democratic.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it the sphere of realization of the interests of individuals and groups, the totality of interpersonal, family, household, economic, political, spiritual relations that are realized without the direct intervention of the state?
) civil society;
) democratic system;
Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a principle of organizing society based on the recognition of the diversity of ideas and organizations and their competition?
) anarchy;
) pluralism;
) socialism.
One of the three types of electoral systems is:
) fair;
) representative;
) is proportional.
) integrating;
) legal-rational;
) predictive.
One of the principles of the rule of law is:
) the rule of law;
) social justice;
) government responsibility for maintaining the minimum welfare of citizens.
Which of the following definitions best describes politics?
) is control;
) is the activity of the bureaucracy;
) is the desire of people to participate in power or to influence it.
Which one of the three political ideologies listed below is characterized by the following features: a) the implementation of political democracy; b) the introduction of economic democracy and the creation of a "welfare state" (social state); c) the establishment of social democracy - the filling of democratic content in all spheres of public and private life without exception; d) the main values of this movement - freedom, equality, justice, solidarity?
) anarchism;
) communism;
) social democracy.
) propaganda;
) political socialization;
) managerial.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a set of political institutions, norms and relationships between them, through which political power is exercised?
) state;
) politic system;
) government.
Public opinion is:
) a set of collective assessments and attitudes;
) survey results;
) the unanimous attitude of the public to any event.
Which of the following statements is false:
) Russia has a proportional electoral system;
a) a distinctive feature of the proportional electoral system are single-mandate constituencies;
) a mixed electoral system is a combination of elections in single-member constituencies and voting for lists of candidates from political parties in multi-member constituencies.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a political ideology that involves a revolutionary transition to a society based on the principles of equality, justice, and the satisfaction of all the needs of individuals?
) anarchism;
) communism;
) liberalism.
Which of the thinkers named below considered the social class to be the main subject of politics?
) M. Weber;
) K. Marx;
) G. Mosca.
The charismatic legitimacy of power is based on:
) belief in the supernatural qualities of the leader;
) legitimacy;
) rationalism.
24. The main feature of international actors is:
) independent participation in international relations;
) the presence of state sovereignty;
) participation in the activities of international organizations.
25. Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a certain level of knowledge of people about politics, as well as the degree of participation and forms of their political behavior?
) political culture;
) political mentality;
) political consciousness.
26. What word ends the definition: Democracy is the power of the majority, respecting the interests and rights ...
) citizens;
) minorities;
) opposition.
. A "unitary state" is:
) a state whose name contains the word "union";
) a state consisting of state territorial units that do not have their own constitution, their own laws, government; they appoint governors who form local governments;
) non-democratic state.
One of the functions of the media in a democratic society is:
) ideological;
) integrative;
) news.
) state;
) judicial system.
One of the functions of political science is:
) integrating;
) practical;
) electoral.
31. Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a form of representation of the interests of members of civil society, united by a single ideology and striving to gain political power?
) interest group;
) electoral association;
) Political Party.
The Parliament (representative and legislative body) of the Russian Federation is called:
) Council of the Federation;
) The State Duma;
) Federal Assembly.
Which one of the three ideologies below is characterized by the following statements: a) the main goal of society is the achievement of happiness and justice for all people; b) it is necessary to protect the individual from failures and abuses of the market system; c) individualism, observance of property rights and human rights in general; d) striving not for equality of property, but for equality before the law and equality of opportunity; e) morality and law should be guidelines in foreign policy?
) neo-communism;
) neoliberalism;
) neo-fascism.
34. One of the types of electoral systems is:
) democratic;
) representative;
) mixed.
35. The political system, in which state power in the country belongs to the representatives of the richest and noblest strata of society, is:
) dictatorship;
) oligarchy;
) ochlocracy.
36. Which of the French enlighteners of the 18th century named below defended in his famous work "On the Spirit of Laws" the constitutional-monarchical form of government and the principle of separation of powers?
) D. Diderot;
) C. Montesquieu;
) J.-J. Rousseau.
37. Which concept corresponds to the definition: these are values that can be used or exchanged for other values to achieve political goals?
) political resources;
) degree of trust;
) economic potential.
38. One of the functions of the policy is:
) centralization of society;
) organizational;
) defending group interests.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it recognition of the legitimacy of existing institutions of power and the legitimacy of the decisions they make on the part of society?
) legitimacy;
) submission.
Form of government in Russia in accordance with the Constitution of 1993:
) parliamentary republic;
) semi-presidential republic;
) presidential republic.
What concept corresponds to the definition: is it a political ideology that upholds the priority of the rights and interests of the individual in comparison with the interests of the state and society?
) communism;
) conservatism;
) liberalism.
Civil society is:
) a society independent of politics;
) a society free from militarism;
) the sphere of free life of people, which is outside the direct state control.
43. Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a group of people who make the most important political decisions, distinguished by special social, political, psychological qualities, prestige and a privileged position?
) scientific elite;
) Political Party;
) political elite.
The legal-rational legitimacy of power is based on:
) belief in the exceptional qualities of the leader;
) constitutional legality;
) force of habit.
The most important direction of political thought in Russia in the 19th century was:
) rationalism;
) conservatism;
46. What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a type of state striving to provide every citizen with decent living conditions, social security, and ideally, approximately the same starting opportunities for the realization of life goals, personal development?
) welfare state;
) unitary state;
) constitutional state.
47. Which of the following concepts characterizes the type of political regime?
) liberal;
) populist;
) totalitarian.
48. The main feature of the state is:
) the presence of ideology;
) the social structure of society;
) sovereignty.
In modern conditions, the role of the state as an international actor:
) increases;
) remains unchanged;
) decreases.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it the main institution of the political system, which has sovereignty, a monopoly on the use of legitimate violence and exercises control with the help of special bodies?
) state;
) Parliament.
The structure of political behavior includes:
) external situation;
) resources;
) installation.
What concept corresponds to the definition: is it the transfer of political culture to new generations, the totality of the processes of formation of political consciousness and behavior of the individual, the adoption and performance of political roles, the manifestation of political activity?
) higher education;
) political propaganda;
) political socialization.
Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a layer of professional managers whose activities are based on the division of roles and functions through clear rules and procedures?
) bureaucrats;
) politicians.
Which of the following terms characterizes the form of government?
) democracy;
) monarchy;
) totalitarianism.
One of the types of electoral systems is:
) universal;
) majoritarian;
) is representative.
56. One of the functions of political conflict is:
) humanistic;
) social progress;
) value-oriented.
What concept corresponds to the definition: is it a transformation, change, reorganization of some aspect of social life that does not destroy the foundations of the existing social structure?
) coup;
) reform;
) evolution.
One of the works of T. Hobbes is called:
) "Leviathan";
) "On the spirit of laws";
) "Politics".
The fourth power is:
) government;
To which one of the three political ideologies do all these statements correspond: a) the inequality of people in relation to physical and mental development is natural; b) in the matter of achieving personal freedom and protecting the social order, the most important role belongs to private property; c) since the scope of the human mind is limited, traditions, social institutions, symbols, rituals and even prejudices play an important role in society?
) communism;
) conservatism;
) liberalism.
According to the criterion of publicity, a political conflict can be:
) closed (latent);
) interregional;
) social.
Which one of the three political ideologies correspond to all the ideological and political doctrines listed below: a) the basic values - public property and social equality; b) exercise of individual freedom and political democracy; c) the establishment of social democracy - the filling of democratic content in all spheres of public and private life without exception?
) communism;
) liberalism;
) social democracy.
What concept does the definition correspond to: it is a political institution whose function is to mediate between citizens, on the one hand, and decision-makers in parliament, government, on the other?
) parliament and deputies;
) Political Party;
) media.
One of the hallmarks of democracy is:
) legitimacy;
) existence of statehood;
) the presence of civil society.
What concept does the definition correspond to: this is a form of government in which the constituent entities (lands, states, republics, regions, etc.) have their own constitutions (or charters), legislative, executive, judicial bodies, but at the same time form uniform state authorities for all subjects, establish a single citizenship, a single monetary unit, etc.?
) confederation;
) unitary state;
) federation.
One form of government is:
) republic;
) totalitarianism.
Free market economy implies:
) the presence of various forms of ownership;
) planning in the development of the country;
) decisive state intervention in the country's economy.
One of the means of foreign policy is:
) diplomacy;
) mercantilism;
) protectionism.
The effectiveness of public opinion is measured by:
) mass character;
) the position of the media in society;
) the degree of influence on policy.
Which of the following ideologies suggests the development of society based on the values of family, religion, property, traditions, as well as competition between individuals while limiting government intervention?
) communist;
) conservative;
) liberalism.
One of the functions of the media in a democratic society is:
) integrative;
) defining political priorities;
) propaganda.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a sphere of realization of the interests of individuals and groups, a set of interpersonal, family, household, economic, political, spiritual relations that are realized without direct state intervention?
) civil society;
) democratic system;
) private enterprise.
The subject area of political science includes:
) political discussions;
) political culture and political behavior;
) political traditions.
One of the elements of the power structure is:
) will to power;
) legitimacy of power;
) power resources.
The structure of civil society includes:
) bureaucracy;
) public opinion;
) government.
76. Type of power, characteristic mainly for transitional, troubled, crisis periods:
) autocracy;
) ochlocracy;
) tyranny.
77. Which of the following types of government Plato considered ideal and characterized as the rule of the best and noblest?
) aristocracy;
) democracy;
) oligarchy.
Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it a political ideology, the basic value of which is the freedom of the individual?
) anarchism;
) communism;
) liberalism.
Political forecasting according to the goal criterion can be:
) normative;
) managerial;
) target.
One of the styles of political leadership is:
) democratic;
) integrative;
) conflict.
Which concept corresponds to the definition: is it an ideology, a movement, a regime that denies democracy, preaches aggressive nationalism, practices violence and wars of conquest?
) communism;
) liberalism;
One of the features of political power is:
) integrativity;
) representativeness;
) polycentricity.
The theory of political elites was developed by:
) M. Weber;
) V. I. Lenin;
) V. Pareto.
One of the leadership styles is:
) integrative;
) consensus.
One of the functions of the media in a democratic society is:
) ideological;
) manipulative;
) commentary.
The original meaning of the Greek word "politics" was:
) People power;
) the art of managing people;
) concentrated expression of the economy.
Which of the following political regimes is characterized by the unlimited political power of one person or a group of persons, relying in their actions on a developed system of violence against the individual and society, but allowing relative freedom outside the political sphere?
) democracy;
) totalitarianism.
Depending on the object of power influence, political processes are divided into:
) domestic political and foreign policy;
) basic and peripheral.
The most typical option for ending a political conflict is:
compromise;
) consensus;
) physical destruction of the enemy.
One of the requirements for a political forecast is:
) engagement;
) scientific objectivity;
) prolongation.
Tolerance is:
) competition of ideas and programs;
) conformism;
) tolerance for others.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a private association of individuals who share common attitudes, interests and goals that they seek to realize?
) interest group;
) electoral association;
) Political Party.
The theory of political systems was developed by:
) D. Easton;
) G. Mosca;
) T. Parsons.
One of the functions of political science is:
) propaganda;
) political socialization;
) value-oriented.
The principle of separation of powers was developed by:
) T. Hobbes;
) C. Montesquieu;
) V. Pareto.
One of the methods of making political decisions is:
) intuitive;
) paternalistic;
) radical.
What concept does the definition correspond to: is it a procedure for electing officials, carried out by secret or open voting in favor of one or another candidate?
) the electoral system;
) recruiting the elite.
One of the principles of the social democratic political ideology is:
a) anti-communism;
b) socialism;
c) elitism.
The rule of law is:
) a state in which such vices as corruption, violence, and criminality are impossible;
) a society in which a regime operates with a real separation of powers and the rule of law;
a state where all power is in the hands of the people.
The leading ideology of modern Western society:
) liberal;
) nationalistic;
) socialist.
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An authoritarian political regime in the minds of people is often confused with another - a totalitarian regime, and there is a sharply negative attitude towards both forms of power. But they differ significantly from each other: totalitarianism assumes complete control of the state over all spheres of society, while authoritarianism claims only control over the political sphere. And this is just one of the differences. To understand what constitutes an authoritarian regime, we need to consider it in more detail.
Definition of the term
Authoritarianism is a type of political regime in which power is not with the people, but with one person or group of persons (party or class). Politically important decisions are made without the participation of the population, or this participation is reduced to a minimum.
The people are not required to express loyalty to the authorities, and a certain freedom of opinion and decision is retained, however, the framework of such freedom is established and controlled by representatives of the authorities. As for political competitors, authoritarianism is merciless towards them.
- North Korea;
- Saudi Arabia;
- China;
- Iran;
- Syria;
- Armenia, etc.
Classification of political regimes
The classification helps to understand what place authoritarianism occupies among the forms of government. There are many political regimes in the world, but there are only three dominant ones - democracy, totalitarianism, authoritarianism. And in more detail:
- democracy is a regime in which the participation of the population in political governance is maximum, moreover, the people can influence the change of power (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Canada or ancient Greece);
- totalitarianism is the absolute control of power over all spheres of people's lives, the population does not take any part in government at all, and power is usually usurped by one person (Germany during the Third Reich, the USSR under the rule of Stalin, etc.);
- the authoritarian system is, as it were, between these two regimes and, according to political scientists, it is a kind of compromise that combines the features of both types of government.
And separately there is such a type of regime as anarchy - this is anarchy, when there is no leader or ruling party in the state.
Differences between authoritarianism and democracy
In an authoritarian regime, as in a democracy, there is a multi-party system that leaves people with the illusion of choice, and many democratic institutions are maintained and operate so that the population has the feeling that it takes part in political decisions.
However, all this in fact turns out to be purely nominal, since the same elections, for example, are of a formal nature, and their result is decided in advance. Little real power has been left to the people, but the illusion of control has been preserved. This is the main difference between authoritarianism and democracy.
The difference between an authoritarian regime and a totalitarian one
At first glance, both regimes are very similar: the population is removed from power, all politically important decisions are made by the ruling persons or a person, the life of society in both cases is under the control of the state. However, there are also significant differences:
- the basis of power - under authoritarianism, this is the personality of the leader, his authority and unique qualities, under totalitarianism, the basis of the ruling regime in ideology;
- since the authoritarian regime rests on the leader, the form of government itself can fall with its overthrow, and under totalitarianism, collapse can occur only when the structure of power itself falls - leaders are replaceable;
- under totalitarianism there are no democratic signs: a multi-party system and certain democratic institutions, authoritarianism allows this.
But under both regimes, real power and the ability to govern the state are not available to the population.
Signs of authoritarianism
The authoritarian regime of government manifests itself, first of all, in the political and economic sphere, it does not pretend to religion, education or culture. And so the signs can be divided into political and economic. The first of these include:
- The form of government is either an autocracy, when all power is concentrated in the hands of one person, or a dictatorship, in which power belongs to one ruling class, or an oligarchy. In fact, the state is ruled by a limited group of persons, and access to it is impossible for other people. And even if there are elections in the state, their character is absolutely nominal.
- The group of ruling persons in an authoritarian country owns all branches of power: judicial, legislative, executive. And representatives of the last of them control the work of the other two structures, which is why corruption is growing.
- The authoritarian government does not allow real opposition, but it allows a fiction - parties that, although they oppose the ruling regime, actually serve it. This gives the illusion of democracy and strengthens the authoritarian regime.
- With this form of power, a group of ruling persons and their families are, as it were, above the law: if they commit crimes, they are hushed up; if they still failed to be hushed up, the crimes remain unpunished. Power and law enforcement structures belong only to the ruling group, the people have no influence on them.
- Mass repressions, however, are not allowed in the state - if the authorities decide that there is a need, then they apply targeted ones: they eliminate one or several people who really oppose themselves to the ruling group.
- The method of governing the state is command-administrative, the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens is openly declared, but not observed in practice.
The economic signs include the fact that the main financial flows in the state are under the control of the ruling group. The country's largest enterprises will work to enrich the people in power. It will be difficult for other citizens who do not have connections with them to achieve financial well-being even if they have good business qualities.
Advantages and types of authoritarian regime
Despite the high risk of corruption, dependence on the leader and significant state control over the population, authoritarianism also has advantages:
- stability in politics and public order;
- the ability to quickly and effectively mobilize public resources to solve specific problems;
- overcoming and suppressing opponents in the field of politics;
- the ability to lead the country out of the crisis by solving progressive problems.
For example, after the Second World War, when many countries of the world suffered from acute social and economic contradictions, it was the authoritarian regime that was most desired.
- theocratic, when power is concentrated in any religious clan;
- constitutional-authoritarian, in which power is held by one party, although a formal multi-party system is allowed in the country;
- despotic - the only leader controls the state, relying on the arbitrariness and help of clan or family structures;
- personal tyranny, when power is in the hands of one person, but its power institutions are absent (example: Hussein's regime in Iraq).
The history of the development of many states was associated with the practice of building an authoritarian model of political governance. Often it is opposed to democracy, and also compared with totalitarianism. However, authoritarianism has both features in common with the indicated forms of political structure, and those characteristics that significantly distinguish it from them. What are some notable facts about authoritarian regimes? What are the specifics of the corresponding systems of political management?
The essence of authoritarianism
What is an authoritarian political regime? By this it is customary to understand the type of government that occupies an intermediate position between the two "polar" ways of organizing political power - democracy and totalitarianism. What, in turn, are the specifics of these two regimes?
Democracy is characterized by the full participation in the political process of all citizens - or their majority (for example, all adults). In turn, the totalitarian regime is characterized by the concentration of all power in the hands of one person or a very narrow group of people. Participation of citizens in the political process is absent in practice or it is nominal (there are some channels for including citizens in relevant communications, but they do not actually work).
Power in the interests of the elites
An authoritarian political regime assumes that power is not necessarily concentrated in the hands of a particular person, but it belongs to a specific group of people who act almost independently of the will of the people. Of course, in some cases, the expectations of citizens and the activity of "authoritarian" leaders may coincide. But if negative processes from the point of view of the political stability of the state take place in the ruling elite, then the people will not be able to do anything about it.
Thus, in themselves authoritarian political regimes, as well as totalitarian ones, imply state governance no worse than under democracy, but only on the condition that there are adequate, competent, responsible people in power. However, citizens, if an appropriate form of political structure is established in their country, will not be able to control this process. Democracy, in turn, allows this to be done.
Differences Between Authoritarianism and Totalitarianism: Economics
First of all, they can be traced in the mechanism of economic management. The fact is that any state system must exist for something. If only because the government employs people who need to pay salaries. Any structures - law enforcement, supervisory, tax - require funding.
If a totalitarian political regime is established in the country, then the availability of free channels for the movement of funds that characterize the actual market economy can lead to a situation where the sources of government financing (in the form of budget revenues) will be mainly in private hands. This is not in the interests of totalitarian leaders, and they are highly likely to stop such activities. Most likely, by banning market relations. So, the first thing in which authoritarian, totalitarian, democratic political regimes are different is the characteristic of the economic system of the state.
Entrepreneurial freedoms
In what cases will the economy, in turn, meet market criteria? Completely, if the state is governed by democratic principles. The presence of entrepreneurial rights and freedoms is the most important characteristic of the political system, in which the leading role belongs to citizens. In turn, authoritarian political regimes can also exist in a market economy.
However, in this case, the state will have in its hands the key tools for managing the economic system - the ability to approve any laws in the interests of the ruling elite. For example, those that allow you to withdraw funds from the budget to finance projects that are interesting to the elites, but not very useful for society. Citizens may be allowed to own a business, which in the long run may even grow into a large one. Moreover, authoritarian political regimes can encourage entrepreneurial initiative through low taxes - due to the fact that the state budget, one way or another, needs to be replenished.
Political competition under authoritarianism
The characteristics of the economic system are, of course, not the only criterion for distinguishing between authoritarianism and totalitarianism. The next noteworthy moment is the organization of elections. The fact is that authoritarian political regimes, in principle, allow the existence of certain democratic mechanisms and even political competition. That is, several candidates may well be nominated for elections to a particular authority. However, in practice, only one of them is most likely to win, and his name, in principle, is easily predicted. This is due to the fact that under an authoritarian political regime, the authorities need their own people. Their appearance in the ruling elite is organized, on the one hand, by using elective mechanisms. On the other hand, key resources that allow a person to gain more rating in the eyes of the voter (access to the media, PR, organization of election campaigning) become most accessible only to the candidate who is most interested in the ruling circles.
In terms of elections, authoritarian and democratic political regimes are systems that can be very similar in appearance. But in the first case, the winner is either obvious in advance, or, one way or another, is brought to power by interested subjects. Democracy is characterized by more visible political competition and unpredictability.
The historical role of authoritarianism
So, we have explored the key features of an authoritarian political regime, examined how it fundamentally differs from totalitarianism and democracy. The type of political system under consideration is differently assessed by experts in terms of a positive or negative role for the development of the state. However, representatives of the scientific community are in solidarity regarding the historical significance of authoritarian political regimes. Let's study this aspect in more detail.
Various types of authoritarian political regimes have a long history. Thus, the corresponding form of government was characteristic of Sparta, Persia, and many medieval states of Europe. However, authoritarianism received theoretical justification only in the 19th century. By that time, rather dissimilar forms of political structure had already formed in various states of the world, and scientists had something to compare with.
Authoritarianism as a tool for state building
Those key signs of an authoritarian political regime that we have considered were already identified in the 19th century, but as the processes of transformation of the world system of international relations could be supplemented by new conceptual approaches. Authoritarianism acquired especially great significance in the German political science of the 19th century. Thus, the corresponding form of political management was considered as a powerful tool for the social mobilization of society. Many politicians saw authoritarianism as an ideal tool for building a sovereign state.
Authoritarianism in theory, totalitarianism in practice
In the 20th century, authoritarianism flowed into well-known forms of totalitarianism. Many researchers consider the Soviet model of state administration to be one of those. At the same time, the practice of building a political system in the USSR, as some scholars note, often outstripped theory. In many respects, the impressive successes of communist construction in the USSR became an occasion for discussions on the subject of the fact that a completely competitive alternative to democracy, confidently marching around the planet, has appeared. The fact that the USSR collapsed did not become a weighty argument for supporters of the totalitarian model - soon the same communist China became one of the political and economic leaders of the world.
Thus, the successes of the most “radical” version of authoritarianism, in the form of totalitarianism, in the modern scientific community become an argument that the considered form of political structure is acceptable from the point of view of building an effective state and that democracy is not the only acceptable option for the modern world.
Authoritarianism and society
We will study what is the characteristic of an authoritarian political regime in the context of the interaction of power and society. First of all, we note - and this is another difference between authoritarianism and totalitarianism - the model of state structure under consideration does not imply challenging the right of individual citizens or their groups to a political position that differs from the state one. Pluralism of relevant guidelines and even some propaganda of those are quite acceptable. But the rights and freedoms of people begin to meet a significant restriction as soon as it comes to the approach of the subjects of the political process with beliefs that are alternative to those held by the authorities, to the top of the government.
This will not necessarily be expressed in the fact that candidates with relevant views will not be allowed to participate in the elections. On the contrary, a sign of an authoritarian political regime is, as we noted above, the presence of electoral processes in the state. But the likelihood that a person with alternative views will enter the elite is low due to the fact that he most likely will not have the necessary resources to gain an appropriate rating among voters.
Official ideology under authoritarianism
Despite the fact that pluralism of political beliefs is allowed in an authoritarian state, the official ideology in it is most likely to be established by the authorities. It can be supported by administrative methods, for example, in terms of passing laws, according to which lessons should be taught in schools with an emphasis on certain topics, so that the ideology is already strengthened in the minds of the youngest citizens. Also, this mechanism can be implemented through the media. As a rule, in an authoritarian state there are those that have the largest audience, therefore they are very effectively able to influence the consciousness of citizens.
Openness of borders
Regarding international activities, citizens of authoritarian states are in most cases allowed to travel abroad, as well as foreigners to come to the country. Of course, the relevant communications in both cases may also require the issuance of visas, but if there are other obstacles to the travel of citizens and foreigners, the authoritarian state, as a rule, does not establish.
Repression as an unpopular measure
Such a phenomenon as repression for authoritarianism - and this is another of its differences from totalitarianism - is not typical. This is due to many factors. For example, active international communications of an authoritarian state, the desire to attract foreign investors to the economy. Repression can simply scare off investors accustomed to democracy.
Authoritarian state: summary
So, what are the main features of an authoritarian political regime? The following list can be singled out: a market economy subject to frequent government intervention, an official ideology supported through legislative activities, as well as in the media, the relative openness of borders (restrictions most often relate to the introduction of visa regimes), relative freedom of entrepreneurship, the availability of opportunities for citizens to express political views that do not coincide with the state, the absence of repression.
Is authoritarianism effective?
Authoritarianism as a system of state administration cannot directly determine the level of efficiency of state administration. Basic management and economic development can be quite functional. But it all depends on what interests are pursued by the elites in power.
If they are competent, experienced in solving the actual complexities of the economy and political development, then they can manage to build a wonderful state. In turn, if people who pursue selfish interests and do not want to work effectively get into power, then a deep socio-political crisis may set in in the country. In a democracy, citizens have the opportunity to influence the priorities of government. Under authoritarianism, this is incomparably more difficult to do.
totalitarian regime- this is “full”, “universal” (from lat. totales) control over society and the individual. All spheres of society are controlled and regulated, including the private life of citizens.
Signs:
power is controlled by one person or group of persons, it is not controlled by society
an official ideology that all citizens are required to support; at the same time, all aspects of the life of society are subordinated to ideology;
relations in society are based on the principle “only what is recognized by the authorities is allowed, everything else is prohibited”;
power is exercised based on violence, organized mass terror and repression
no political opposition
one-party system (autocracy of one party)
one official ideology (all others are prohibited)
monopoly of power on information (under a totalitarian regime, all mass media are subordinate to the party and the state and unquestioningly serve them, being deprived of the right to freedom of speech and dissent)
state control over the economy
regulation and control of all spheres of society, including the private life of citizens
restriction of economic, political and social rights and freedoms of citizens
Varieties:
leftist totalitarian regime
right-wing totalitarian regime
They differ in three ways:
1) ideology:
left - communism;
right - fascism.
2) according to the direction of terror:
the left against certain social strata of society (the intelligentsia, the nobility, etc.);
right - on a national basis (nations and peoples).
3) according to economic models:
The left is based on a state-planned economy /private property is prohibited;
Right - on a market economy, but with state control (state capitalism) / private property is allowed.
10. Authoritarian regime and its characteristics.
Authoritarianism- one of the types of political regime in which political power is exercised by a specific person (class, party, elite group) with minimal participation of the people and which is characterized by bureaucratic-command methods of managing society.
Power is unlimited, beyond the control of citizens, and is concentrated in the hands of one person or group of people. It can be a tyrant, a military junta, a monarch, etc.;
Reliance (potential or real) on force. An authoritarian regime may not resort to mass repression and may even be popular among the general population. However, in principle, he can afford any actions in relation to citizens in order to force them into obedience;
Monopolization of power and politics, prevention of political opposition, independent legal political activity. This circumstance does not exclude the existence of a limited number of parties, trade unions and some other organizations, but their activities are strictly regulated and controlled by the authorities;
Replenishment of leading personnel is carried out through co-optation, and not through pre-election competition; there are no constitutional mechanisms for succession and transfer of power. Changes of power often occur through military coups and violence;
Refusal of total control over society, non-intervention or limited intervention in non-political spheres, and, above all, in the economy. The government deals primarily with issues of ensuring its own security, public order, defense and foreign policy, although it can also influence the strategy of economic development, pursue an active social policy without destroying the mechanisms of market self-regulation.
Authoritarian regimes can be divided into rigidly authoritarian, moderate and liberal. There are also types such as "populist authoritarianism", based on equalization oriented masses, and also "national patriotic", in which the national idea is used by the authorities to create either a totalitarian or a democratic society, etc.
absolute and dualistic monarchies;
military dictatorships, or regimes with military rule;
theocracy;
personal tyranny.
