dictatorship
n. C / Un. a type of government where one person or a small group has all the power. In this system, people usually do not have the right to vote or speak freely.
n. a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a single leader or a small clique. Characterised by the absence of democratic processes and the restriction of political freedoms.
The country suffered for decades under a brutal dictatorship.
After the military coup, the new regime quickly transformed the young democracy into a strict dictatorship.
Historians often distinguish between a military dictatorship, where the army holds power, and a personality cult where a single charismatic individual dominates every aspect of the state.
From dictator + -ship.
Uncountable when referring to the system of government in general; countable when referring to a specific country or regime.