Understanding “Dictatorship” Beyond Propaganda

The average person living in the U.S. has a negative perception of the word “dictatorship.” And why wouldn’t they? Corporate media’s purposeful use of the word has been relegated solely towards U.S. enemy states (ie. the Democratic People’s Republic of #Korea, People’s Republic of #China, #Zimbabwe, The Islamic Republic of #Iran, #Cuba, #Nicaragua, etc.). This helps solidify the image of the U.S. as a beacon of ‘democracy’ defending ‘human rights’ globally; the “shining light on the hill”. However, it’s important to place #dictatorship in context and proper perspective. In order to understand the “role” of a dictatorship, it’s important to understand that the term, itself, is neutral and dependent on the class character of the state.

A dictatorship is a form of government where one individual or a small group holds absolute power and authority over the state and its citizens. Dictatorships can vary in their ideologies and methods of governance. Yes, repressive regimes exist. But this does not mean that “dictatorship” can be defined as inherently that way, nor that the term itself is inherently negative. How “dictatorships” are understood should be determined by a state’s use of it.