authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is a system of government characterized by a requirement for unconditional submission to authority and the repression of individual freedom of thought and action. In an authoritarian regime, power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or a small group, often a political party. Decisions are made without the input of citizens, and the civil rights of citizens are severely curtailed. Authoritarian regimes do not hold democratic elections or preserve any mechanisms for the transfer of power from one leader to another.