Authoritarian States - theory
What type of dictator would you be?
Play the following online game to evaluate what type of dictator you would be.
https://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/games/ib_dictators/
https://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/games/ib_dictators/
https://www.activehistory.co.uk/main_area/games/ib_dictators/
What are the common factors in the RTP of AUTHORITARIAN Leaders?
1. Existing weak leadership
Authoritarianism can grow out of problems with power in a democracy or another authoritarian regime. There are many reasons why an authoritarian regime might grow weak. As all power is often centralized within one or a handful of individuals, weakness could grow out of bad decision-making, a tendency to appeal to an increasingly narrow group of elites at the expense of others, illness or old age. As authoritarian leaders often create environments that encourage competition, their subordinates could pounce on any sign of weakness and replace them. In a democracy, this weakness can occur in different ways. For example, if democratic leaders are thought not to be able to solve acute national problems, the perception of democracy can suffer. This is especially problematic in countries where democracy is not firmly established. Democracy can also be undermined in favor of authoritarianism when politicians, in the interest of playing politics, decide not to defer to democratic process or traditions in order to achieve their goals. War or economic crises are often the factors that place governments under the most stress and expose internal problems.
2. Economic crises
As stated above, economic crises, if not coherently or adequately addressed, can place governments under great scrutiny from their populations. War can often contribute to underlying economic weaknesses and exacerbate them. Almost important as the public perception of the efficacy of the government response is the manner in which this response affects section of the population. Which groups suffer the most from economic distress and who bears the brunt of paying for any recovery?
3. Social divisions
In turn, economic distress can expose and further cause damage to existing social divisions. This can create resentment in a section of the population to another and can happen along (or even across) religious, cultural, regional or ethnic lines. If the group of resentment becomes a large bloc of the total population, the chances of effective political leaders emerging to challenge the leadership increases.
4. Exploitation of popular fears
These leaders are more often than not adept at exploiting this resentment and stoke other common fears, not only socio-economic fears but also concerns related to race, religion, class and different regions. These leaders use existing social structures to unite large sections of the population and create a "them vs. us" mentality that can threaten social norms, damage the notion of a civil society and pave the way to violence.
5. Ideology
These leaders can also offer their followers an appealing ideology that further unites them in opposition to the existing government. Often this ideology is one of 'negative cohesion', which seeks to unite people by using scapegoats and creating targets for anger. Rather than exhorting people to unite in favor of something they believe in, sections of society are united by a common disagreement or something or someone they disapprove of or dislike.
6. Nationalism
Finally, these would-be authoritarian leaders invoke nationalism in order to increase their popular support, elevating the perception of their ideals in the eyes of their followers. This signifies that their ideas must carry greater weight and significance if they can successfully tie them to the notion of nationhood.
Authoritarianism can grow out of problems with power in a democracy or another authoritarian regime. There are many reasons why an authoritarian regime might grow weak. As all power is often centralized within one or a handful of individuals, weakness could grow out of bad decision-making, a tendency to appeal to an increasingly narrow group of elites at the expense of others, illness or old age. As authoritarian leaders often create environments that encourage competition, their subordinates could pounce on any sign of weakness and replace them. In a democracy, this weakness can occur in different ways. For example, if democratic leaders are thought not to be able to solve acute national problems, the perception of democracy can suffer. This is especially problematic in countries where democracy is not firmly established. Democracy can also be undermined in favor of authoritarianism when politicians, in the interest of playing politics, decide not to defer to democratic process or traditions in order to achieve their goals. War or economic crises are often the factors that place governments under the most stress and expose internal problems.
2. Economic crises
As stated above, economic crises, if not coherently or adequately addressed, can place governments under great scrutiny from their populations. War can often contribute to underlying economic weaknesses and exacerbate them. Almost important as the public perception of the efficacy of the government response is the manner in which this response affects section of the population. Which groups suffer the most from economic distress and who bears the brunt of paying for any recovery?
3. Social divisions
In turn, economic distress can expose and further cause damage to existing social divisions. This can create resentment in a section of the population to another and can happen along (or even across) religious, cultural, regional or ethnic lines. If the group of resentment becomes a large bloc of the total population, the chances of effective political leaders emerging to challenge the leadership increases.
4. Exploitation of popular fears
These leaders are more often than not adept at exploiting this resentment and stoke other common fears, not only socio-economic fears but also concerns related to race, religion, class and different regions. These leaders use existing social structures to unite large sections of the population and create a "them vs. us" mentality that can threaten social norms, damage the notion of a civil society and pave the way to violence.
5. Ideology
These leaders can also offer their followers an appealing ideology that further unites them in opposition to the existing government. Often this ideology is one of 'negative cohesion', which seeks to unite people by using scapegoats and creating targets for anger. Rather than exhorting people to unite in favor of something they believe in, sections of society are united by a common disagreement or something or someone they disapprove of or dislike.
6. Nationalism
Finally, these would-be authoritarian leaders invoke nationalism in order to increase their popular support, elevating the perception of their ideals in the eyes of their followers. This signifies that their ideas must carry greater weight and significance if they can successfully tie them to the notion of nationhood.
Lesson Objectives
To define an authoritarian state and to analyse the common factors in their emergence
Lesson Tasks
Challenge Yourself!
To define an authoritarian state and to analyse the common factors in their emergence
Lesson Tasks
- Download, read and make notes from the Lesson PowerPoint.
- Now read this text-book article, answer the source-based questions and make notes on the emergence of authoritarian states under these headings:
- Historical Conditions
- Leaders
- Elimination of Opposition
- Now read this second article on the historical context of the emergence of Authoritarian States. Make notes and answer these questions:
- What was the effect of the First World War in the development of authoritarian regimes?
- How did the economic situation in the inter-war years contribute to the development of authoritarian regimes?
- Which countries became dictatorships in the inter-war years?
- What effect did the Second World War have on the acceptance of authoritarianism?
- Why did dictatorships flourish in the twentieth century?
- Finally, download and complete this worksheet. You need to research and make preliminary (brief) on the emergence of Hitler in Germany, Mao in China, and Castro in Cuba. Study how each leader came to power and make notes on the historical conditions they faced, the qualities and skills of the leader and how they eliminated opposition to rise to power. Try to use your notes from task 2 to help you organise your notes into categories and themes.
Challenge Yourself!
- Try reading these two extra chapters from Stephen J Lee's excellent comparison study, 'European Dictatorships 1918-45' (1987).
- Chapter 1 - Setting up Dictatorship
- Chapter 2 - Types of Dictatorship
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