Authoritarianism
A political system where power is concentrated in a leader or small group, with limited political freedoms and no competitive elections.
Explanation
Authoritarianism describes political systems where power is concentrated in a leader, party, or ruling group that is not meaningfully accountable to the public through free elections. Characteristics include restricted political freedoms, controlled media, suppression of opposition, and limited rule of law. Authoritarian systems range from military juntas to one-party states to personalist regimes. Some authoritarian states hold elections, but these are not genuinely competitive. Examples include China (one-party state), Russia (managed democracy), Saudi Arabia (absolute monarchy), and North Korea (totalitarian state). The line between authoritarian and democratic systems is not always clear-cut.
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