monocratic
One person governs
Monocratic describes rule by a single person with unchecked authority.
A monocratic government concentrates power in one leader rather than distributing it among branches or representatives: The party's monocratic structure left no room for dissent.
The term appears in political science and organizational theory to characterize autocratic leadership styles.
Favoring absolute control
- centralizedConcentrated in one location
- absolutistOne allowing no exceptions
- one-personFor a lone individual
- unilateralAffecting one side only
dictatorial · totalitarian · despotic · tyrannical · monarchic · autarchic · top-down · executive
Unchecked single-ruler government
- despotismAbsolute one-person rule
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- absolutismUnrestricted governmental authority
- totalitarianismState controls everything absolutely
authoritarianism · one-party · junta · theocracy · sultanate · emirate · caliphate · tsardom
Ruler with total control
- despotRuler with absolute power
- tyrantCruel, absolute ruler
- emperorMale ruler of empire
- czarAbsolute ruler or appointee
sultan · pharaoh · caliph · shogun · kaiser · potentate · overlord · strongman
Total, without qualification
- uncheckedNot controlled or limited
- unaccountableNot required to justify
- unlimitedWithout bounds or restrictions
- unrestrictedHaving no limitations
unrestrained · all-powerful · omnipotent · supreme · dominant · hegemonic · imperial · arbitrary
Opposed to majority rule
- illiberalOpposed to individual freedoms
- antidemocraticOpposing rule by citizens
- oppressiveUnjustly harsh or stifling
- repressiveTending to suppress
suppressive · coercive · censorious · restrictive · controlling · domineering · heavy-handed · iron-fisted
authoritarian
Favoring absolute control
- centralizedConcentrated in one location
- absolutistOne allowing no exceptions
- one-personFor a lone individual
unilateral · dictatorial · totalitarian · despotic · tyrannical · monarchic · autarchic · top-down · executive · concentrated
dictatorship
Unchecked single-ruler government
- despotismAbsolute one-person rule
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- absolutismUnrestricted governmental authority
totalitarianism · authoritarianism · one-party · junta · theocracy · sultanate · emirate · caliphate · tsardom · shogunate
dictator
Ruler with total control
czar · sultan · pharaoh · caliph · shogun · kaiser · potentate · overlord · strongman · supremo
absolute
Total, without qualification
- uncheckedNot controlled or limited
- unaccountableNot required to justify
- unlimitedWithout bounds or restrictions
unrestricted · unrestrained · all-powerful · omnipotent · supreme · dominant · hegemonic · imperial · arbitrary · discretionary
undemocratic
Opposed to majority rule
- illiberalOpposed to individual freedoms
- antidemocraticOpposing rule by citizens
- oppressiveUnjustly harsh or stifling
repressive · suppressive · coercive · censorious · restrictive · controlling · domineering · heavy-handed · iron-fisted · draconian
monocraticdemocratic
Government by the people
pluralistic · collective · collegial · parliamentary · collaborative
monocraticdemocratic
Government by the people
electable · elected · representative · popular · constitutional
monarch, monarchy, democrat, autocratic, bureaucracy, autocracy, aristocrat, autocrat, plutocrat