User:Igeurts/sandbox

plans to edit the page of autocracy
First I want to elaborate autocracy a bit more. Hague, Harrop and McCormick elaborate autocracy very well in their book Comparative Government and politics, so I will cite a lot from this book. For example, they give some basic features of autocracy which are not yet mentioned on the Wikipedia page. So first I will add those. Second, I want to compare autocracy a bit more with some other forms of government. At the moment, autocracy is only compared with totalitarian form of government on the wikipedia page. I want to compare autocracy at least with democracy and maybe with some other forms of government. I also want to improve the structure of the page, because at this moment there isn't really a structure and information isn't given in a chronological way. It would make more sense if the page was structured in a chronological way. It is also important to elaborate the different forms of autocracy like a military government and theocracy. These forms give more insight in what autocracy really is or can be. I also maybe want to give some more background information for the historical examples. At this moment there are some examples given, but they aren't elaborated. I think it is a good thing to show why these examples belong to autocracy.

Basic features of autocracy
There are several features of a regime which is classified as an autocracy.

The first feature of an autocracy is the absence of an representative government. In some authoritarian regimes elections are being held, but they are often accompanied by fraud, manipulation and violence. Because of this, there is almost no chance that the government will be representative for the citizens. Citizens have practically no influence in the decision making of an autocracy.

Secondly, an autocracy has weak, immature or poorly defined political institutions and processes. The power of the state is in the hands of the elites. Laws are vague and are usually only used so certain troublemakers can be judged. So the political elite determines everything in the state.

Another feature of an autocracy is that there are limited options for citizens to participate in politics. There are also no guarantees that the voices of citizens will be heard. In a autocracy, there are also few limits on the powers of the government. Because of this, there isn't always much protection of individual rights. The government can do what they want, and citizens have not enough power to stop the government.

An autocracy also features a political system, where opposition is constrained. The opposition is often subject to threats and violence from the political elite. The political elite in an autocracy will try everything they can to make sure the opposition can't gain any form of power.

Lastly, in an autocracy there is a limited and controlled media establishment. The political elite of the state, controls all of the media outlets. They make sure the media only shares officially sanctioned opinions. The media in an autocracy can't publish any opinions different then those of the government, or they are shut down.

Forms of autocracy
There isn't one basic form of an autocracy. Autocracy comes in various forms and shapes.

One form of autocracy is an absolute monarchy. In an absolute monarchy wields a monarch the absolute power over a state. There aren't really any other institutions of government besides the monarch. Usually the monarch places members of his family in key positions were they can wield power. The power in a absolute monarchy is completely in hands of the monarch and therefore also his family. Examples of countries were a absolute monarch has the power, are Bahrain and Qatar.

Another form of autocracy is the form of ruling presidents. In this system a president dominates the government and media. The president tends to keep opponents off-guard and tries to marginalize the opposition. This form of autocracy is quite the same as an absolute monarchy, because the power in the hands of one person. The main difference between these two forms, is that there is no form of succession with presidents. Ruling presidents are common in several former Soviet republics.

Ruling parties are another form of autocracy. This means that there is a single party, usually accompanied with a strong president, that rules the state. The ruling party can be seen as an arena were elite groups express and perpetuate their control. This form of autocracy can be found in Ethiopia, Kenya and Zambia.

Autocracy can also be found in the form of a military government. The military has the power in this form of autocracy. In a military government there are no political institutions except the bureaucracy, courts and police. These institutions are based on military principles of hierarchy and there is no room for negotiation. A military government usually arises from a coup d'etat. A coup d'etat is an illegal seizure of political power by the military. A military government can for example be found in Nigeria.

The last form of autocracy is theocracy. This is a form of rule were religious leaders govern directly. This means that the country also becomes religious. A theocracy usually intensifies generational divisions in the society. A lot of well-educated young people revolt against the religious establishment. This can lead towards a very unstable country. Iran is an example of a theocracy.

Difference between autocracy and democracy
An autocracy differs from other regime types. The regime type that perhaps differs the most from autocracy is democracy.

In a democracy there is a representative government based on regular, fair and competitive elections. This is completely the opposite of an autocracy. A representative government is absent in an autocracy. There are usually no elections, and when elections are being held they are often subject to fraud, manipulation and violence.

A democracy also contains stable political institutions and a distribution of power. In an autocracy these elements do not exist. There are only weak political institutions and the power of the state lays with the political elites.

Within a democracy, there are also much more options for citizens to participate in politics. There are multiple political parties to choose from, citizens have the opportunity to choose the political party of their liking and if they want to, they can even get involved with politics themselves. In a democracy, it is also possible to act as opposition. The opposition within a democracy is active, effective and protected. All of this is not possible within an autocracy. An autocracy gives almost no room for citizens to participate in politics. In some autocracies there are elections, but these are often rigged. Within an autocracy there is also no active, effective and protective opposition. The political elite tries to limit mass participation, instead of mobilizing a opposition. Usually when there is opposition in a autocracy, the political elite will use their power to punish the opposition.

The last main difference between an autocracy and democracy is the control over media establishments. In a democracy there are multiple diverse and independent media outlets. These media outlets are subject to very few political controls and they are free to spread a variety of opinions. In an autocracy this is completely the opposite. The political elite makes sure the media doesn't share anything that isn't in line with the opinions of the elite. These media constraints make sure the opposition can't get any ground in the autocracy.