A dictatorship is a type of government wherein the ruler or an exclusive group of people has almost absolute power over the entire country or its territory. The ruler in a dictatorship, called a dictator, basically assumes power over all his people. Any activities and concerns of his/her territory will be under the dictator’s rule. In some cases, dictatorship involves a group of people who are responsible for exercising almost absolute or unlimited power over their own state or country.

Most dictatorships involve the ruler/s gaining power by means of force or by tricking people into thinking that such a rule will be beneficial for everybody. Some territories or countries for example may be forced to be under military rule by a dictator in order for him/her to establish authority and exercise power. Everything must be decided by the ruler or ruling body in a dictatorship. No input or comments from the people are taken into consideration. National spending, security, banking, and social issues for example are controlled by the ruler in a government that is classified as a dictatorship. This is an exact opposite to a democracy wherein the power comes from the people. In a democracy for example, ruling leaders are selected and voted from a list of candidates. Several representatives of different sectors are elected for various concerns of a particular country. In contrast, no elections for ruler are held in a dictatorship. No representatives are elected form different sectors. Instead a dictator and ruler may appoint his/her allies to take care of various concerns and activities.

Governments that run on dictatorship are similar to the idea of authoritarianism wherein people are expected to obey the ruler or ruling party without any question. Obedience to laws and rules of the territory or country are literally dictated upon or forced upon people in a dictatorship.