LECTURE WEEK 2

Explain the basic elements of state and function of the following governances:

Authoritarianism
Totalitarianism

INTRODUCTION TO AUTHORITARIANISM
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A form of government
A political systems characterized by four qualities:
1. "Limited, not responsible, political pluralism"; that is, constraints on political
institutions and groups (such as legislatures, political parties, and interest
groups)
2. A basis for legitimacy based on emotion, especially the identification of the
regime as a necessary evil to combat "easily recognizable societal problems"
such as underdevelopment or insurgency;
3. Neither "intensive nor extensive political mobilization" and constraints on the
mass public (such as repressive tactics against opponents and a prohibition of
antiregime activity)
4. "formally ill-defined" executive power, often shifting or vague

CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTHORITARIANISM
1. Linz distingushed new forms of authoritarianism from personalistic dictatorships
and totalitarian states (taking Francoist Spain as an example)

2. Unlike personalistic dictatorships, new forms of authoritarianism have

institutionalized representation of a variety of actors (in Spain's case, including
the military, the Catholic Church, Falange, monarchists, technocrats, and others);
unlike totalitarian states, the regime relies on passive mass acceptance rather
than popular support.
3. The two most basic subtypes :
i.

Traditional authoritarian regimes

ii.

Bureaucratic-military authoritation regimes.

TRADITIONAL AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES

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