Authoritarian regime - a government in which one leader or group of people hold absolute power
Another form of authoritarian government is a dictatorship
Under socialism it was hoped that a nation's wealth would be more evenly divided among its citizens
Today there are a few absolute monarchs
However this was not the case and totalitarian states
Once they have power though dictators rarely give it up
Rulers often have an ideology for the society
In the Middle East the king of Saudi Arabia and America tire might still be seen as absolute monarchs
Their power is officially without limits
Authoritarian governments also have included oligarchies and theocracy
Religious law is the basis of all society's laws in a theocracy
In a dictatorship people do not have freedom
An oligarchy is a form of government in which a small group of people hold power
Nation of Cuba North Korea and Myanmar are thought to be totalitarian states
Religious law is often absolute and forced upon all of the nation's citizens
Elections are often refused by dictators
Governments are over thrown just so dictators can seize power
In a totalitarian state the government controls almost all aspects of people's lives
Modern dictators include North Korea and Turkmenistan
Exercising complete control over the state is what dictators do
