Despotism

DESPOTISM CONNOTES autocracy, the absolute rule of one or a select group and exercise of power without imposed limits. The word is closely associated with a host of other concepts, including tyranny, domination, absolutism, dictatorship, oppression, and servitude. [Page 135]In politics, it refers to a specific model of governance regarding the ability to make others do what one wants them to do despite their possible opposition.

Despots come into a position of power in a number of different ways: seizing power through inheritance (the cases of Roman emperors Caligula and Nero), through military means and then legitimizing their position once in power (the case of Roman emperor Augustus), through revolution and bloodshed (Josef Stalin following Vladimir Lenin in the newly founded Soviet Union), through bids for power supported by the religious or other key establishments in the society (Alexander the Great of ancient Macedonia).

But despotism was not always regarded as a dangerous political practice and was once considered a liberal concept. Its dubious reputation today is related to the fact that the word demokratia (democracy) did not even exist before the 5th century. Furthermore, the ambiguities around the meaning of the word tyrant were part and parcel of ancient Greek politics. In effect, tyranny practically meant a “transitional government” in the Greek city-state that emerged in times of crisis, one that served to weaken an overbearing and exclusivist aristo-cratic government, one that can manage rapid economic change and enlarge the range of citizenship.

According to Aristotle, for instance, tyrants were commonly champions of the many and the poor against the few and the rich—a definitively leftist or liberal view. Despots or tyrants were thus seen as the engines of transformation, who initiated a shift from oligarchy to democracy. It is only later in history that tyranny and despotism began to be associated with evil and cruelty guarded by a narrow, unchecked, and more often than not class-based rule. Still, the ancient tyrants themselves also had class ties: many of them had aristo-cratic origins and sought further fame, fortune, and power. Their main difference perhaps was that they wanted to weaken the rule of older, more traditional aristocracies.

In other words, ancient forms of tyranny had a lot to do with the internal class feud within the aristocracy, although the tyrants opted for populism while the settled aristocrats tended to favor elitism. This characteristic was generally maintained by later instances of despotism in history.

Plato's tyrant is, by definition, a person governed solely by desire and hence totally out of balance as he or she is indifferent to both reason and honor. Whereas the philosopher-ruler pursues rationality and prioritizes justice and well-being of the society, the tyrant is por-trayed as someone chasing after his or her own satisfaction. This characterization of tyranny is also present in the writings of Aristotle, Tacitus, and later on Niccolo Machiavelli. Meanwhile, neither Plato nor Aristotle defined despotism as the opposite of freedom. Their problems with despotism or a particular despot were related more to the issues of virtue, excellence, and justice.

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