UNDEMOCRATIC REGIMES

Headnote

ABSTRACT

IN THE PRESENT STUDY WE WISH TO DESCRIBE THE TYPES OF NON-DEMOCRATIC REGIMES THAT HAVE EXISTED UNTIL NOW MAKING A COMPARISON BETWEEN THEM AND DEMOCRACY. WE DESCRIBE HOW THESE TYPES OF REGIMES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE TOTAL CONTROL EXERCISED OVER THE STATE AND THROUGH EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE. BASICALLY, THIS STUDY IS INTENDED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THE UNDEMOCRATIC REGIMES FUNCTIONED OVER TIME.

KEYWORDS: TOTALITARIANISM, AUTHORITARIANISM, SULTANISM, POST-TOTALITARIANISM

Democracy comes from the Greek (ProQuest: ... denotes non-USASCII text omitted.) - Demokratia and literally translates to "leading by the people" (demos which means people + kratos meaning power). Democracy is defined as a form of organization and political leadership of the society taking into account the will of the citizens, their interests and aspirations. It is government by the people, and people returning supreme power is exercised directly by them or by elected representatives under an electoral system[1].

Given the above said understand in large what is democracy, and in continuation of our exposure we try to present what it is not, going on the assumption that for a better understanding of the term democracy disclosure is required of the opposite. Thus, a contrario definition is the one we still use considering that this is a common method to define the concept, showing its contrast and that this type of definition is very easy. For example What is evil? The opposite of good! The problem is simply to find - in an attempt to delineate a concept - right opposite[2].

What is the opposite of the democratic system? The simple answer is undemocratic regime. In 1996, Linz and Stepan propose a new classification of undemocratic regimes, they were divided as follows: authoritarian, totalitarian, sultanic and post-totalitarian.

1. AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES

In terms of authority, it has been used since ancient times, and every society has experienced some form of authority: the authority of parents over children, teachers on students, political leaders on the population. Referring to the last example, authoritarianism was felt in countries which were shown to have a democratic tradition. Starting from the name of this authoritarian regime, we understand that he derives from authority. Appealing to history we can say that over time the term of authority, contrary to the fact that today is...