Authoritarianism
Etymology
From Latin auctoritas, “authority, influence,” from auctor, “originator, author.” The -ian and -ism suffixes built a term for governance that leans heavily on top-down authority. It came into wide use in the twentieth century as social scientists classified regimes, marking a middle band between open democracy and all-controlling dictatorship.
noun · /aw-THOR-ih-tair-ee-uh-niz-um/
A system of government concentrating power in a leader or small group, with limited political pluralism and weak checks from citizens.
What it names
The broad category of rule-by-command — where obedience to authority outranks consent — without necessarily reaching total control of society.
Example
Analysts labeled the government authoritarian rather than totalitarian, since it tolerated private life so long as no one challenged the leadership.
Related idea
Totalitarianism is the more extreme case, seeking to control belief and daily life entirely; authoritarianism typically demands obedience while leaving much of private life alone.