The concept of a political regime is one of the main ones in generally accepted political science. Any political power has its own characteristics and features. The implementation of power is carried out through certain methods and means.
Political regime
In different historical periods, state power can have different forms of political regime. The mechanisms of interaction between society and the state, the methods of political management of the country, the scope of rights, freedoms and duties of citizens depend on them.
It is rarely possible to meet any political regime in its purest form. This is evidenced by the history of the USSR, when a harsh dictatorship of power functioned under the mask of democracy for a long time. Nowadays, a similar situation is observed in a number of countries, including a dictatorship against a background of democracy.
Signs of a Political Regime
The main features that characterize the political regime are:
- principles on the basis of which the institutions of power operate;
- political goals;
- ways and mechanisms to achieve political goals.
The nature of the political regime of the country is directly related to the historical development of the state, the traditions of the people, the level of political awareness and culture. No wonder they say: "The people have the power that they deserve." This phrase well illustrates cases of usurpation of power by one person or group of persons (the so-called political elite). In fact, the people themselves allow the dictator to take the place where he is.
What is a dictatorship, the citizens of many states have felt on themselves, and sometimes more than once. As a rule, the cycle of totalitarian regimes tends to be repeated precisely in countries with an unchanged political culture.
Mode Shapes
The political regime is a reflection of the situation prevailing in society, characterized by the volume of participation of citizens in the exercise of state power. Political scientists distinguish two main types of state regimes.
- Democratic.
- Undemocratic (dictatorial).
The main characteristic of a democratic regime is the direct influence of citizens on the exercise of state power in the country. The constitution of the state does not determine the nature of political power. But it may contain indications of a democratic orientation.
In turn, answering the question: “What is a dictatorship?” - Political science characterizes a regime with a complete absence of civil society participation in the mechanisms for exercising state power. The concentration of all power in the hands of one person or group of people. The latter may constitute a ruling party or even a small elite part of this party.
There are two main types of dictatorial (undemocratic) political regime:
- totalitarian;
- authoritarian.
Totalitarian regime
What is a dictatorship in the form of totalitarianism, was determined in the 20s by critics of B. Mussolini. For the first time, the term "totalitarianism" was applied to the fascist regime in 1925. Later, the term was used to refer to the Soviet regime.
The first manifestations of totalitarianism date back to the early twentieth century. Its appearance is due to the desire of society for clear guidelines for the development of a “new person”, a “new economic order”. Such a socio-economic model is a kind of reaction of the masses to the rapid destruction of familiar structures, the desire of people to unite in the face of a frightening future.
In an unbalanced, frightened state, the masses are easily influenced by strong political leaders (leaders, Fuhrer). Charismatic individuals with sufficient political will easily find like-minded people. And already relying on their support, they are exerting imposing pressure on citizens, introducing their ideology, decisions, goals and ways to achieve them.
The totalitarian regime is characterized by complete (total) subordination by the state of all life directions of a particular person and society as a whole. The state power structure under totalitarianism is a centralized political structure. The appearance of other uncontrolled political or public organizations in this situation is excluded. Due to the complete absorption by one power structure of all spheres of society, ideological control of the ruling organization is achieved. As a result, such an ideology becomes a global unifying force. It is precisely such global control by the state that distinguishes totalitarianism from such regimes as military dictatorship, tyranny, despotism, and so on.
The difference in ideological trends allows us to subdivide totalitarian regimes into “left” and “right”. Based on the ideas of Marxism-Leninism and fascism, respectively.
Common features for any totalitarian regime are:
- the constant search for enemies, both within the country and abroad;
- military or partially military organization of the company;
- creation of extreme situations;
- constant mobilization of the masses to carry out important, urgent tasks;
- rigid vertical of power;
- submission to leadership.
Slogans are inherent in totalitarian regimes: “victory at all costs”, “the end justifies the means”, “the party is our helmsman”.
Authoritarian mode
The authoritarian political regime of power is characterized by the concentration of all state power in one ruling group or one person (monarch, dictator).
Unlike totalitarianism, here society is not controlled so tightly. Ideology allows pluralism of opinions, provided it is harmless in relation to the state system. The bulk of the repressive measures rests with the zealous opponents of the regime. The rights and freedoms of citizens are personal.
Characteristic features of authoritarianism are:
- high centralization of power;
- the subordination of many aspects of the life of citizens to the interests of the state;
- a clear separation between the people and the authorities;
- preventing strong political opposition;
- infringement of media freedoms;
- with the formal separation of the branches of government into executive, legislative and judicial, such a separation does not really exist;
- the constitution is declarative;
- the election system is actually indicative.
Authoritarianism is a transition process between democratic and totalitarian regimes. Moreover, development can occur both in one direction and in the other direction (conservative or progressive options). Transition is well defined in the fuzziness of characteristics that simultaneously have the features of a totalitarian and democratic regimes.
Most often, authoritarian regimes can be found in a state where the government seeks to carry out fundamental changes in the social system and carries out a “revolution from above”.
The causes of the dictatorship
Having dealt with the question “what is a dictatorship”, one cannot ignore the reasons for its occurrence. Dictatorship, according to many political scientists, is the result of the reaction of the masses to political and socio-economic crises. Such phenomena are accompanied by mass appearances of “unsettled”, “unsettled” persons. In other words, as a result of external circumstances (migration, economic crises, etc.), the individual loses touch with his social groups and cultural norms. As a result, the personality is easily influenced, and it can be manipulated. The masses consisting of such people are very sensitive to the calls of leaders who are ready to offer a new unifying foundation, in other words, a new ideology. It creates an illusion of attracting the individual to the general (to the class, race, state, party). The reasons for the dictatorship can be not only internal, but also external. The dictatorial regime can be established as a response to an external threat, and it can be not only real, but also imaginary. Threats may include: preconditions for the outbreak of military conflicts, the danger of losing independence, assumptions about the invasion of the country.
