Despotism - what it is, reasons, signs and who the Despot is.

Despotism is an acquired personality quality, manifested in the desire for unlimited power, which is achieved without regard for the opinions and needs of others by demanding constant and complete obedience. Despotism in psychology is a manifestation of extremely unfavorable characteristics of the ego, its exorbitant growth, which ultimately leads to the loss of reasonable control over one’s life manifestations, and all actions are subordinated exclusively to the affective sphere.

Despotism in the family manifests itself as psychological and physical violence, when all methods become relevant to achieving one’s own power. A despotic person has no understanding of the personal boundaries and freedoms of others, and those who are considered his family are perceived by him as property. Naturally, with such a perception, those around them are required to constantly comply with the will of the despot, as well as full compliance with his ideas about life, not only his own and shared, but also how another person should behave and feel. Among the usual requirements may be a ban on tears and the need for constant joy. Such encroachments on the sensory sphere, which is not subject to control, indicate a lack of adequate perception.

Such behavior inevitably causes conflicts at various levels. Victims of a despot may try to explain or swear, broken dishes and physical beatings may be used. Those who finally feel their powerlessness offer silent resistance through silence and adjustment, which irreversibly damages the psyche of not only the victim, but also the tyrant himself.

Autocratic behavior cannot stop on its own, and the less resistance is provided, the more a person will feel like a demigod and begin to demand the impossible as a given. It cannot be said that there are people who have never turned into despots in attempts to get what they want from others, but those for whom this line of behavior takes on critical forms need the help of specialists. Uncontrolled violence against others, inadequate demands and assessment of the situation are the main signs of the presence of mental disorders. At best, long-term psychotherapy will help correct the situation; at worst, specialized drug therapy will be required.

What is DESPOTISM - definition, meaning in simple words.

In simple terms, Despotism is the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel way.

From the point of view of the state system , despotism is defined as a regime in which the ruler has absolute power. A monarchy in which absolute power rests with the king is an example of despotism. The extreme degree of despotism is authoritarianism.

From a psychological point of view, despotism is a trait of a person who seeks to control others, while showing cruelty and aggressiveness.

Synonyms for the word “despotism”: autocracy, tyranny, authoritarianism, oppression, oppression.

Synonyms for the word “despot”: autocrat, tyrant, exploiter, oppressor, oppressor.

Similar words

Arbitrariness, tyranny, imperiousness, authoritarianism, autocracy - these synonyms for despotism very well describe the deviation that has arisen. A despot tends to impose his will on others through the use of psychological or physical violence, aggression or humiliation.

Often, the causes of despotism are childhood traumas that a person tries to cope with in such a destructive way in order to gain self-confidence. The more fears are stored in the bins of a despot’s psyche, the more he strives to control the freedom of others. He uses aggressiveness to cover up his lack of confidence in his own attractiveness.

In a family, a despot literally forces you to love yourself. He is driven by global and causeless revenge, which appears for no reason. Thus, a person restores damaged self-esteem and respect. Autocratic behavior excludes concepts such as cooperation and respect for others. As a result, instead of the missing love and understanding, a person receives hatred, hostility, misunderstanding and, as a result, loneliness.

Etymology of the words "despotism" and "despot".

The word "despot" comes from the Greek despotes, which means "lord or possessor of power." A despot has absolute control over people. For example, the pharaohs and Byzantine emperors were called "despots." Entering the English language in 1562, the word "despot" became a general title for anyone in power. But by the beginning of the 18th century, the usage changed and began to mean “the absolute ruler of the country; any ruler who rules absolutely or tyrannically; any person who has tyrannical power; tyrant, oppressor." The modern use of the word gained prominence during the French Revolution, when it was used by revolutionaries to describe the government of Louis XVI. And in the 20th century, discussions of the problem of despotism were conducted in connection with fascism and the Holocaust.

Early sources of despotism.

According to Montesquieu, some of the despotic ideas of Europe originated from the most sublime sources, namely from the writings of Plato, his student Aristotle, and the teachings of the church. Although these sources are believed to instill virtue and thus try to make people better people, Montesquieu speaks of the excesses and even cruelty of the ideas that can be found in these old and revered books. For example, he emphasizes Plato's harmful doctrines that slaves have no right of self-defense, magistrates must be absolute, and punishments must be frequent and severe. Likewise, Aristotle's teaching promotes oppressive practices by relying too much on the virtue of princes.

Causes

Despotism is not inherent at the DNA level and does not depend on the characteristics of the nervous system, but the prerequisites for its formation are laid early. Raised by domineering parents who did not listen to the needs of their child, but demanded unquestioning obedience, a person perceives this model of behavior as the norm. Growing up, he begins to implement a despotic form of relationships at all possible levels. Despotism can also be caused by the desire to take revenge on others for their grievances. Constant insults, humiliation and cruelty can lead to a desire to take revenge on the whole world, and not just on the offender.

Although despotism is not only the desire to punish someone or copying the behavior model of parents. Often, despotism develops against the background of the fact that the child is constantly instilled with thoughts about his uniqueness, inimitability and superiority over others. The manifestation of despotism lies in the obsessive, neurotic idea of ​​​​confirming one's power. To do this, a person chooses inadequate methods and is confident that only he is the only one in this world who deserves universal recognition and unquestioning obedience.

Despot, dictator, tyrant, autocrat, autocrat - who are they and what is the difference.

• The dictator was originally just someone who gave orders. During the crisis in the Roman Empire, a "dictator" was someone like a chief magistrate, appointed and given absolute power, but only for the duration of a state of emergency. Later, a “dictator” became the head of state, again without any connotation of an “iron hand.” More generally, the word suggests despotic or totalitarian rule and is therefore rarely used in a neutral sense. In a dictatorship, power is concentrated in the hands of one person or a small group of people.
• The word "tyrant" first appeared in the late 13th century with the meaning of "a king or ruler who uses his power in an oppressive, unjust or cruel manner; despot". But from the mid-14th century it also began to mean “ruler, prince.” Over time, the word acquired the meaning of “one who seizes supreme power in a state without legal rights; absolute ruler; usurper". The "tyrant" is distinguished from other absolute rulers, who come to power with some degree of legitimacy and then consolidate that power into absolutism.
• An "autocrat" ("autocrat") rules an "autocracy" in which an individual or political party has complete power. Autocracy is characterized by the concentration of power in one center, be it an individual dictator or a group of power holders such as a committee or party leadership. This center relies on force to suppress opposition and limit social development that might lead to opposition. The power of the center is not subject to effective control and is not limited by real sanctions: it is absolute power. “Autocrat” is the original name of the Russian tsars. "Autocracy" is a form of domination established in the mid-15th century by Ivan the Great , who was merely Ivan III until he expelled the Mongols and created a new legal system and established tight control over the government. Catherine the Great was the first to call herself an "autocrat" in 1762 in her manifestos.

All of these names are also used in non-governmental contexts to describe people whose behavior we do not like. Sometimes these definitions overlap, and one term is often used to refer to another, but even as synonyms they carry slightly different connotations.

How does a despot act?

Despots usually act very subtly. The mechanism of influence on a person is something like this: at first, the despot will be a harmless little buffoon, ready to do anything. He will give a sea of ​​attention and compliments. Over time, a person gets used to admiration for himself, and then the despot begins to act, namely, to criticize. After the first criticism, a person does everything possible to improve. But then the criticism becomes much greater, and the victim’s desire to correct the situation increases in proportion to it. As a result, an idea is discovered with which you can easily control the consciousness of another person. Also, it is important to note that the despot will appropriate all achievements for himself, and blame failures on his partner, and it is useless to appeal to an adequate perception of reality.

Despotic state regime.

Despotic power is inherited by people from our animal past and is the most dangerous element in human sociality. Often the limitless power of a despot was explained by his divine origin, which led to his lifetime deification. Examples include ancient Egyptian pharaohs, Japanese emperors, Aztec and Inca rulers. European monarchs, including Russian emperors, although not directly deified, were still considered “anointed of God,” that is, people who had an exclusive divine right to rule.

Modern historians identify several main features of despotism in the classical sense of the word:

1. The unlimited power of a despot. The state has no codes of laws, constitutions, or representative bodies that limit the power of the ruler.
2. Lack of private property rights in the state. All material goods, instruments of production, land and the people themselves inhabiting the country are considered the property of the despot.
3. Transfer of power by inheritance. The hereditary ruler is appointed at the personal discretion of the despot, without taking into account the opinions of the people and immediate circle.
4. The justification of a despot's right to rule by his divine origin or by the divine origin of his right to rule the country.
5. The country is governed by a bureaucratic or aristocratic hierarchical system.
6. State despotism seeks to undermine the established global order of the rule of law and democracy.

Neodespotism.

Today, "despotism" seems to be a marginal concept, referring to an archaic form of government. Paradoxically, however, in the modern world, despotism thrives in the shadows. And yet the majority voluntarily follows clearly despotic leaders. Modern despotism (or neo-despotism) is perceived as political “art” and even tends to become normal (as a cult of personality). All modern despotic regimes consider themselves democracies of some kind (for example, China's "people's democracy") and base their power on the sovereignty of their citizens, while proclaiming their version of democracy superior to the traditional Western concept. These despotic regimes use tools that create the illusion of democracy without transferring real political power to the citizens. These are “phantom democracies”.

The fundamental feature of neo-despotism is that it can act as its opposite, presenting itself as a sphere of freedom. Neodespotism speaks the language of fear and security, but does not seek to legitimize the despotic order as such. On the contrary, he promises a new, democratic world, free from despots and their terror.

In other words, neo-despotism is despotism that convinces us that it is not despotism.

Thus, it is an oxymoron - anti-despotism.

Signs of a modern despotic regime.

Professor Kean identified several main features inherent in new despotic regimes:

1. Despotic regimes understand that the consent of the people is the source of their continued power;
2. Every despotic regime is built on a patron-client relationship that undermines authority and law;
3. All despotic regimes are plutocratic, employ state capitalism, and generate enormous social inequality;
4. Despotic regimes control all forms of political discourse, often presenting contradictory positions to both attract and isolate their populations and prevent any serious independent movements against the state;
5. All despotic regimes hold elections, although real power is not transferred to the citizens;
6. Despotic regimes use extensive state media to propagate their ideology;
7. Despotic regimes mask state violence through fear and torture;
8. All despotic regimes claim to exemplify a society based on the rule of law, when in reality it is a facade rife with corruption and injustice.

Gaslighting

A type of behavior called gaslighting can often be observed. This is when a despot convinces his victim that she imagined everything, and any rudeness is nothing more than the unstable mental state of the victim himself. The despot will never admit his guilt, on the contrary, his victim will be accused of manipulative hysterics, although in reality these will be tears caused by pain and humiliation.

For a despot, humiliating and insulting others is the norm. And if someone tries to clarify the relationship, he may be accused of lacking a sense of humor, and in order for the victim to dispel all doubts, her social circle is gradually narrowed. Despots always try to completely destroy another person's self-esteem, so they gain more leverage for manipulation.

Despotism in psychology.

Despots in psychology are characterized as unethical and authoritarian people who use an unethical code of conduct and have little regard for the interests of others. By pursuing their interests, they can be

• domineering,
• controlling,
• vindictive
• exploiting.

The detrimental effects of autocratic leadership in the home and workplace highlight the importance of understanding the impact of this type of leadership on the lives of family members and subordinates.

Is despotism a male or female trait?

Despotism manifests itself as a personality trait in both men and women, with only slight external differences in the choice of methods. At first it may seem that despotism is a purely masculine trait, just as when it comes to rape, everyone immediately sees a woman as a victim. However, women are also oppressive in many ways, it's just less likely to take the form of physical violence. Women are capable of destroying a man through moral jealousy, blackmail, constant hysterics, threats of suicide, reproaches and humiliation of his dignity.

I am a demigod

Despotism is believed to consist in the manifestation of unfavorable characteristics of the ego. As a result, this can lead to a loss of rational control over one’s behavior, and all actions will become subordinated exclusively to the affective sphere.

Autocratic behavior cannot stop on its own. The less resistance is offered to the despot, the more he will consider himself a demigod and will begin to demand the impossible as a matter of course.

There are no people who have not at least once turned into despots in order to achieve what they want from those around them, but if this becomes a stable line of behavior, then the person definitely needs specialist advice. After all, the main signs of mental disorders are considered to be uncontrolled violence, inadequate demands and assessment of reality.