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The Encyclopedia Britannica describes a dictatorship as, “a form of government in which one person or a small group possesses absolute power without effective constitutional restrictions. Whilst dictators have existed since the Roman Republic, contemporary ones resemble tyrants more than their ancient counterparts. The definition also notes that dictators usually resort to force to gain political power. Since this is from an encyclopedia, specifically on political science, there is no doubt that this is an objective definition.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Dictatorship.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 4 Nov. 2014
www.britannica.com/topic/dictatorship. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018
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Dr. Fathali Moghaddam, a professor of psychology, distinguishes dictatorships from democracies as, “When we think of the difference between dictatorship and democracy one of the most important differences is voice. The ability to express one’s thoughts freely.” Dr. Moghaddam further explains that dictatorships are clearly defined by their ability to restrict a citizen’s freedom. He also gives clear examples of contemporary dictatorships, such as Russia and China. As Dr. Moghaddam explains that while these countries are not as dictatorial as they had previously been, they still in some ways restrict freedom of thought. Given that he is a professor of Georgetown University, I believe he explains and identifies dictatorships from a purely objective standpoint in order to be a better instructor and to conduct himself in a professional way.
“Psychology of Dictatorships.” YouTube, uploaded by Center for Homeland Defense and Security Naval Postgraduate School,
19 June 2014. Accessed 31 Mar. 2018
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From Scholastic’s Multimedia Encyclopedia, a totalitarian dictatorship is described as a, “[dictatorship that] seeks to control all aspects of national life, including the beliefs and attitudes of its people.” Scholastic Corporation is known for publishing, selling, and distributing educational material. As such, it’s generally respected by educational institutions as a source of reliable and trustworthy information. The viability of this information is certainly present. Also, since this information is generally directed towards teaching students, the ability to be objective is a must a must have. That seems evident in their definition as there is no underlying agenda present.
Hartmann, Thomas B. "Government." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2014. Web. 1 July 2014. Accessed 31 Mar. 2018
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“A dictatorship requires one person and one party to be in control of a nation and a climate of fear.” UK Professor Chris Trueman explains how Germany changed from a democratic state to a dictatorship. One thing of importance that Professor Trueman notes of Nazi Germany was Adolf Hitler’s consolidation of power during the elections by playing on the fears of the public. Thus, he was able to seize power and was allowed to build up his party along with the military. On the matter of objectivity of this source, I would argue that it lacks in that regard. The author frequently chooses words that have clear emotional undertones. He describes the SA and SS as “thugs” and that Germany had become a nation of “snoops.” While these things may be true, there are more objective ways to describe them.
Trueman, Chris. “Nazi Germany - Dictatorship.” History Learning Site,
www.historylearningsite.co.uk/nazi-germany/nazi-germany-dictatorship/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2018
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Shane Smith, a journalist for Vice Media, and a camera crew were allowed to tour North Korea in 2011. In it he mentions that, “Once [North Koreans] get through with the indoctrination of how bad Americans are, then it begins of how great they are and that starts with Kim il-Sung, the Eternal President. Everybody has to go and pay respects to the great statue of Colonel Sung who although has been dead since 1994, is still the president of North Korea.” During his tour of North Korea, Mr. Smith documented many instances of people being completely devoted to their leader to the point that it bordered on worship. They even compare this dictatorship to a cult. This viewpoint is completely viable as there were plenty of documented instances of adoration that would support this comparison. However, there is undoubtedly a slant towards Western ideals, more so than the other sources. This is probably due to how personal this project was for the journalists. There were many times during the documentary where Mr. Smith expressed discomfort and uneasiness while in North Korea. If they had broken any rules set by the North Korean government, there would have been serious repercussions.
“Inside North Korea.” YouTube, uploaded by Vice News, 11 Dec. 2011,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=24R8JObNNQ4&t=623s&ab_channel=VICE. Accessed 1 Apr 2018
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