power vacuum
Authority suddenly absent
A power vacuum is the absence of authority or leadership where it previously existed or is expected.
When a dictator dies or a government collapses, the resulting power vacuum often triggers competition among factions rushing to fill it: The president's assassination created a power vacuum that rival generals fought to fill.
The term implies instability—power vacuums rarely persist, as someone or something inevitably moves in.
Rulership gap period
- handoverTransfer of control
- transitionChange from one state
- regime changeReplacement of governing power
- transferMove between locations
changeover · devolution · heir apparent · caretaker · interim · succession crisis · abdication · resignation
Abrupt seizure of power
- usurpationWrongful seizure of power
- maneuveringSkillful directional control
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- intrigueSecret plotting or fascination
jockeying · machination · exploitation · ascendancy · warlordism · strongman · seizure · grab
Violent disturbance or confusion
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
- disorderAbsence of organization
crisis · collapse · fragility · volatility · breakdown · disruption · destabilization · disarray
Labored effort against resistance
- contentionAssertion or rivalry
- conflictOpposition between parties
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
- clashViolent disagreement or collision
scramble · jockeying · factionalism · infighting · turf war · civil war · warlords · splinter groups
interregnum
Rulership gap period
- handoverTransfer of control
- transitionChange from one state
- regime changeReplacement of governing power
transfer · changeover · devolution · heir apparent · caretaker · interim · succession crisis · abdication · resignation · overthrow
coup
Abrupt seizure of power
- usurpationWrongful seizure of power
- maneuveringSkillful directional control
- schemingCrafty and calculating
intrigue · jockeying · machination · exploitation · ascendancy · warlordism · strongman · seizure · grab · consolidation
turmoil
Violent disturbance or confusion
- upheavalViolent disturbance of order
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- unrestState of public disturbance
disorder · crisis · collapse · fragility · volatility · breakdown · disruption · destabilization · disarray · precariousness
struggle
Labored effort against resistance
- contentionAssertion or rivalry
- conflictOpposition between parties
- competitionStruggle for supremacy
clash · scramble · jockeying · factionalism · infighting · turf war · civil war · warlords · splinter groups · polarization
- geopoliticsbipolarity, bloc, blocs, brinkmanship, buffer state
- Cold War OriginsIron Curtain, Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, Berlin Blockade, Berlin Airlift
- political turmoilpolitical instability, coup d'etat, military coup, uprising, revolt
- power shiftsregime change, coup d'etat, overthrow, abdication, inauguration
- successionheir apparent, heir presumptive, line of succession, primogeniture, successor
- succession crisessuccession crisis, succession dispute, disputed succession, succession war, war of succession
power vacuumpolitical stability
Enduring, predictable state authority
rule of law · political order · hegemony · iron grip · central authority
power vacuumabsolute power
Unrestricted governmental control
iron grip · autocracy · dictatorship · totalitarianism · power consolidation
power, powerful, vacuum, empower, powers, overpower, vacuous, horsepower, overpowering