Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by highly concentrated and centralized government power maintained by political repression and the exclusion of potential or supposed challengers by armed force. Here are some key features of authoritarianism:
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Blind submission to authority: Authoritarianism is characterized by the repression of individual freedom of thought and action, and the blind submission to authority.
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Concentration of power: Power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or a small elite, whose decisions are taken without regard for the will of the people.
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Limited political pluralism: Authoritarianism possesses limited political pluralism, realized with constraints on the legislature, political parties, and interest groups.
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Minimal political mobilization: There is minimal political mobilization and suppression of anti-regime activities.
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Lack of free and competitive direct elections: An authoritarian government lacks free and competitive direct elections to legislatures, free and competitive direct or indirect elections for executives, or both.
There is no one consensus definition of authoritarianism, but several annual measurements are attempted, including Freedom Houses annual Freedom in the World report.
