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Glite Dictionary
sultanism

sultanism

9.7
A form of government where one person has almost all power and few or no limits on their rule
  • noun
  • /ˈsʌltənɪzəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sultanismo
  • In a state of sultanism, the ruler exercises absolute power without any constraints from a constitution or elected officials.

Examples

  • Juan Linz terms "patrimonialism" or "sultanism," in which the binding norms and relations of bureaucratic administration are constantly subverted by the personal whims of the ruler.

    Academic text (1992)

  • During the era of sultanism, the ruler made decisions unopposed by any legislative body or public opinion.

  • Many critics argue that sultanism leads to corruption since the leader has unchecked power over the state's resources.

Synonyms

despotism
vssultanism
  • Formal
7 9.6

A government where one person or group has all power and rules cruelly

concentrates total power without stressing cruelty or oppression

How Authoritarian

totalitarian regime
  • Formal
6 8.3
sultanism
  • Specialized
9.7
monarchy
66 3.9
liberalism
78 5.8

Surface Forms

sultanism singular
sultanisms plural

Morphology

sultanism = sultan (semi-transparent) = sultan + ism

Formally built from 'sultan' + '-ism' so the idea of 'rule by a sultan' is derivable, but 'sultanism' is a specialized political-science term and may not be fully predictable to general learners.

Etymology

The word sultanism comes from sultan, an Arabic word meaning 'authority' or 'power', and the ending -ism, a common ending that shows a system or practice. So sultanism is rule by a single ruler who keeps almost all the power.