Tyranny

Tyranny, acquisition and exercise of civil authority over government by violent and/or oppressive means. The 20th century provides many examples of tyranny, ranging from the tribal despots of post-colonial, sub-Saharan Africa to the complex, totalitarian regimes which grew out of fascism and Communism. Tyrannies often arise in circumstances of economic collapse (as in Weimar Republic Germany), or with the collapse or withdrawal of the existing political structure. Tyranny contrasts sharply with liberal democracy: the nature of tyrannical rule makes liberal democracy intolerable. Tyrannies tend to be self-justifying and self-authenticating. As a result, pluralism and the notion of democratic legitimacy are flatly rejected and those associated with them often become early targets of oppression. More so than in a dictatorship, a tyranny is concerned exclusively with the maintenance and pursuit of power by force: all tyrants are dictators; but not every dictator is a tyrant.

At its most basic, tyranny equates to despotism: arbitrary, autocratic rule by a self-appointed despot who holds his position by eliminating opposition and dissent. The tyrant might take control through a military coup d'état. Preoccupied with his own survival, he may even turn against those institutions and individuals which boosted him to power. A good example is that of Idi Amin, who came to power in Uganda in 1971 after a military coup, and then destroyed the army from which he had sprung. A more complex and sophisticated form of tyranny is totalitarianism, where government is motivated by an all-encompassing ideology or by a sense of destiny. Every aspect of life is supervised, with a secret police force to ensure conformity. Although political debate is not permitted, totalitarian regimes often imitate democratic political process to claim some spurious legitimacy. However, a one-party system and uncontested leadership elections are unconvincing parodies of democratic political life. Nevertheless, in whatever shape it comes, tyranny is a decisive and aggressive form of government, and this can give it a certain appeal in adverse social and economic conditions. With their promises of simple and rapid solutions to complex problems, tyrants could be a feature of political life in many unstable countries and regions in the years ahead.