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In its classical form, despotism is a state in which a single individual (the despot) holds all the power and authority embodying the state, and everyone else is a subsidiary person. This form of despotism was common in the first forms of statehood and civilization; the Pharaoh of Egypt is an exemplary figure of the classical despot.
John Stuart Mill stated that despotism is a legitimate mode of government in dealing with barbarians, provided the end be their improvement. [ 2 ] Enlightened absolutists' beliefs about royal power were typically similar to those of regular despots, both recognizing that they were destined to rule.
The terms "infrastructural" and "despotic" have been used “to identify the two different ways in which a governmental apparatus acquires and uses centralized power.” [4] The simplest differentiation between Mann's two types of state power is that despotic power is power over society, while infrastructural power is power through society. [5]
Despot or despotes (Ancient Greek: δεσπότης, romanized: despótēs, lit. 'lord, master') [1] [2] [n 1] was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent of the Byzantine emperor.
Despot may refer to: Despot (court title), a Byzantine court title; Despotism, a form of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of one individual;
Oriental Despotism: A Comparative Study of Total Power is a book of political theory and comparative history by Karl August Wittfogel (1896–1988) published by Yale University Press in 1957. The book offers an explanation for the despotic governments in "Oriental" societies, where control of water was necessary for irrigation and flood-control.
Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people.
A benevolent dictatorship is a government in which an authoritarian leader exercises absolute political power over the state but is perceived to do so with regard for the benefit of the population as a whole.