authoritarianism

noun

Meaning

A system of government or management that demands strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

Examples

  • The rise of authoritarianism in the region led to the suppression of independent media outlets.
  • Historians often study the conditions that allow authoritarianism to take root in fragile democracies.

Synonyms: tyranny, autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarianism