Dictatorship

Sociologyindex, Sociology Books 2009, Dictatorship, Democracy, Fascism, Military Dictatorship, Communist State, Stratocracy, Totalitarianism

Dictatorship is government that has the power to govern without consent of those being governed. Dictatorship is a contrast to democracy.

In military dictatorship political power resides with the military. Similar to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military. Military dictatorships are a result of a coup d'état. Military dictatorship may be official or unofficial and may not qualify as stratocratic.

Military dictatorships is contrasted with Communist State. In Communist states, the center of power rests among civilian party officials.

Fascism is  political doctrine opposed to democracy and demanding submission to political leadership and authority. A key principle of fascism is the belief that the whole society has a shared destiny and purpose which can only be achieved by iron discipline, obedience to leadership and an all-powerful state. Fascism first developed in Italy, under the leadership of Benito Mussolini (dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943) and later influenced the development of German fascism in the Nazi movement led by Adolf Hitler (dictator of Germany from 1933-1945) . While fascism increases the power and role of the state in society and suppresses free trade unions and political opposition, it preserves private ownership and private property.

In military dictatorship political power resides with the military. Similar to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military. Military dictatorships are a result of a coup d'état. Military dictatorship may be official or unofficial and may not qualify as stratocratic.

Military dictatorships is contrasted with Communist State. In Communist states, the center of power rests among civilian party officials.

In a stratocracy the state and the military are the same and government positions are occupied by military leaders.
Stratocracy is government headed by military chiefs. Stratocracy is not a military dictatorship where the military's political power is not enforced or even supported by other laws. The military's political power is supported by law and the society. Stratocracy does not have to be autocratic by nature in order to preserve its right to rule.