The term "dictatorship" can be confusing because it can be quite varied.

Historians have decided to separate it into two ideas.

• power generally used to stabilise society and preserve a more traditional social system

• Anti-democratic, but not revolutionary - protecting wealthier classes or national and religious traditions to ensure society was not disrupted by new ideas

• Did not try to create a completely new mass political movement to reshape society

• more powerful regimes

• tried to use their authority to actively reshape society

• generally attempted to create a new mass political movement, promoting a new ideology to lead to revolution and bring about major political, economic and social change

• tried to gain control of the media and arts to promote their ideology

• tried to extend control over the entire economy to ensure that every job, product and business served the interests of the nation