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Authoritarian vs Populist - What's the difference?

authoritarian | populist |

As adjectives the difference between authoritarian and populist

is that authoritarian is of, or relating to, absolute obedience to an authority while populist is democratic.

As nouns the difference between authoritarian and populist

is that authoritarian is one who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority while populist is a person who advocates democratic principles.

authoritarian

English

(wikipedia authoritarian)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Of, or relating to, absolute obedience to an authority.
  • Characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority; dictatorial.
    • The authoritarian government was demanding stricter laws for low-wage peasants.
  • Tending to impose one's demands upon others as if one was an authority.

    • Synonyms

    * (sense, tending to impose one's demands) commanding, imperious * (characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority) illiberal, oppressive * See also

    Antonyms

    * (characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority) liberal

    Derived terms

    * authoritarianism * antiauthoritarian

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.
    • The dictator was an authoritarian .
  • One who follows and is excessively obedient to authority.
  • * 2006', Robert Altemeyer, ''The '''Authoritarians

    • populist

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person who advocates democratic principles
  • A politician who advocates specific policies just because they are popular
  • A person who advocates populism
  • * 2013 , Luke Harding and Uki Goni, Argentina urges UK to hand back Falklands and 'end colonialism'' (in ''The Guardian , 3 January 2013)[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/jan/02/argentina-britain-hand-back-falklands]
    • Critics suggest that Fernández, an unashamed populist and nationalist, is seeking to deflect attention from social disharmony at home.

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Democratic
  • (of a political policy) Put forward just because it would be popular
  • Of or pertaining to populism

    • Alternative forms

    * (Bosnia, Serbia ): (l)

    Noun

    • Declension

    {{sh-decl-noun , populist, populisti , populista, populista , populistu, populistima , populista, populiste , populiste, populisti , populistu, populistima , populistom, populistima }}