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Despot vs Authoritarian - What's the difference?

despot | authoritarian |

As nouns the difference between despot and authoritarian

is that despot is a ruler with absolute power; a tyrant while authoritarian is one who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.

As an adjective authoritarian is

of, or relating to, absolute obedience to an authority.

despot

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A ruler with absolute power; a tyrant.
  • (label) A title awarded to senior members of the imperial family in the late Byzantine Empire, and claimed by various independent or semi-autonomous rulers in the Balkans (12th to 15th centuries)

    • Derived terms

    * despotate * despotism

    Anagrams

    * * *

    References

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    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