despotism

thumb|233x233px|Pol Pot, leader of the [[Khmer Rouge, is widely regarded as one of the most brutal despots of the 20th century, responsible for the deaths of an estimated quarter of Cambodia's population.]] thumb|233x233px|Suharto, who ruled [[Indonesia from 1967 to 1998 under the 'New Order' regime, is regarded as a despot whose rise to power followed the 1965–66 anti-communist purges, during which an estimated half a million people were killed, and whose rule was marked by authoritarianism, repression, and endemic corruption.]]

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Despotism refers to a system of government in which a single leader, called a despot, holds absolute power and typically rules through authoritarianism, repression, and corruption rather than democratic means. It matters because despotic regimes have historically been responsible for mass violence, human rights abuses, and the deaths of large populations, as exemplified by figures like Pol Pot and Suharto in the 20th century.

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Etymology
Philosophy
French 18th century thought
History
See also
References
External links

In political science, despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. Normally, that entity is an individual, the despot (as in an autocracy), but societies which limit respect and power to specific groups have also been called despotic.