User:YallOverYonder/sandbox

A civilian dictatorship is a form of government different from military dictatorship and absolute monarchies where the ruling dictator does not derive their power from the military. Different form monarchic and military dictatorships, civilians dictatorships do not have an institutional base of support; they have to create one. These dictators create support through regime parties or personality cult. Therefore there can be made a distinction within civilian dictatorship between Dominant-party dictatorships and personalist dictatorships. Among civilian dictatorships, dominant-party dictatorships tend to outlast personalistic dictatorships. Leaders who have come to power through guerilla movements or insurgency, such as Fidel Castro in Cuba, Yoweri Museveni in Uganda and Paul Kagame in Rwanda, are seen as civilian, rather than military dictators.

Dominant-Party dictatorship
Single-party dictatorships are regimes in which one party dominates politics. In single-party dictatorships, a single party has access to political posts and control over policy. In single-party dictatorships, party elites are typically members of the ruling body of the party, sometimes called the central committee, politburo, or secretariat. These groups of individuals controls the selection of party officials and "organizes the distribution of benefits to supporters and mobilizes citizens to vote and show support for party leaders".

Personalistic dictatorship
Personalist dictatorships are regimes in which all power lies in the hands of a single individual. Personalist dictatorships differ from other forms of dictatorships in their access to key political positions, other fruits of office, and depend much more on the discretion of the personalist dictator. Personalist dictators may be members of the military or leaders of a political party. Yet, neither the military nor the party exercises power independent from the dictator. In personalist dictatorships, the elite corps is usually made up of close friends or family members of the dictator. These individuals are all typically handpicked to serve their posts by the dictator.

These personality cults are often viewed as a narcissistic and megalomaniacal creation so dictators can be flattered and deified. But the role this personality cult plays in maintaining dictatorial rule is often downplayed.