There any different types of governments throughout the world. The governance is of a nation is determined person or persons in power. In an attempt to understand human organization, sociologists classify these governments. This essay will explore three of those classifications. Those classifications are: an autocracy, absolute monarchy and an authoritarian oligarchy.

In an autocracy, complete political power is given to one person. An autocracy is also referred to as a dictatorship. The power of government is absolute (i.e., unlimited). The power is concentrated in the hands of the autocrat. The autocrat reserves the right to make the final decisions of government. One person makes the important decisions regarding public policy and its implementation. More recent forms of autocracy obtained the position through an armed takeover. Autocrats can gain victory in a popular election.

An absolute monarchy is much like an autocracy. However, an absolute monarch is usually hereditary. This person will inherit his title and office. They wield political power that is not effectively limited by law. The Monarch exercises full and unbridled ruling power.  They do not have to share authority with a legislative assembly. Absolute monarchy is the older and more traditional form of autocracy. The autocrat, though not a hereditary monarch, is still complete master and absolute ruler of the political society he leads and governs. The autocrat’s word is law. 

Authoritarian Oligarchy is characterized by absolute rule of the few. Unchecked, overriding political power belongs to a single cohesive elite. Governing power is concentrated in one small, closely-knit group that operates as a single unit. They govern as if its members were one person exercising unlimited power. The elite may have gained power through inheritance. They could also forcibly seize power, or win an election. One modern type of authoritarian oligarchy is the one-party state. The single official party is the only legally recognized party. It is the only political party permitted to exist and operate. The official party, is the sole provider of candidates for public office. It completely dominates the government and all other aspects of political life. This is the typical pattern of government in Communist-ruled societies. 

In short, these characteristics are used to classify governments. These classifications help social scientists understand human organization. This paper discussed: an autocracy, absolute monarchy and an authoritarian oligarchy. However, there are many other institutions besides the ones in this paper.

Reference :Constitutionalism, Dictatorship, PS201H-2C, https://www.proconservative.net/CUNAPolSci201PartTwoC.shtml.

Throughout history humans have struggled to define the concept of leadership. There are differing ideas of what good leadership should entail. While some argue that leadership inspires, Other contend that leadership is governance(st). Anyone familiar with leadership should agree that leaders should encompass three qualities(st). Leaders should empathize, guide and improve one’s followers.

A good leader should possess a high emotional intelligence quotient. Emotional intelligence is the ability to handle interpersonal relationships with empathy. Emotional intelligence is also the capacity to control and express one’s emotions. It has become common today to dismiss another person’s feelings and experiences(st). An empathetic leader makes their followers feel heard and less socially isolated. A relationship between a leader and their followers is based on emotional understanding. The follower will trust the leader to solve any problem. The followers will celebrate the fact that they have an understanding leader (st).

A leader should have enough authority to lead his followers. The leader should be able to guide his followers through tough situations. Disney’s Mulan is a good example of this. Mulan, along with the Chinese imperial army, was subjected to intense training. This training prepared them for their fight with the Huns. Mulan slowly but surely improved her military skills. Then she led the Chinese imperial army to victory. She showed them perseverance, bravery and a vision to success. Common sense seems to dictate that she led by example(st). Despite her status as a woman, she gained the army’s respect. Motivating them to fight even when there seemed to be no hope. 

Lastly, a good leader should always seek to improve. Self-reflection allows a leader to think objectively. They should determine the beneficial tactics from the detrimental ones. Leaders should also judge their followers objectively. This will improve their followers abilities. In addition, they will develop skills under the influence of their leader. A true leader only looks to service his followers. 

My conclusion, then, is that leadership depends on characteristics a leader possess(st). A leader should be emotionally intelligent. They should be able to effectively lead. Leaders should also always seek to improve.

A quick Google search defines government as systems by which nations are governed. There are many types of governments (democratic, communists, autocratic, theocracy, etc…). These types of government have either failed or prevailed into today’s society. In discussion of governments, a controversial issue is whether governments are necessary(st). On the one hand, governments provide protection, and order. On the other hand, governments limit free thinking and can be hypocritical(st).

Government presence is essential in protecting our individual rights. The government ensures that people with more physical power cannot exploit us. Anyone could decide that they wanted to start enslaving people again. Without a law prohibiting slavery, our individual rights would be in danger. Laws are created to ensure that everyone respects one another’s rights. Laws, in theory, are made to combat the many injustices citizens may face. Without consequences, there is no incentive to restrain from committing heinous crimes. Without government regulation the validity of our rights would be in danger.

Government is necessary to maintain order within society. A government provides a national defense to protect citizens from other countries. Governments provide policing to protect us from other people. A government makes trade deals. This is important because citizens are relieved of a tedious task(st). In addition, citizens will have access to foreign goods. Governments create regulated currencies for the purpose of exchanging for monetary value. A government provides financial aid programs for college students. Affordable healthcare programs alleviate the problems people in poverty face. Therefore, government legislation is crucial to prevent potential chaos.

There is a counter argument that the government does not allow us to think for ourselves. The government tells us what is right and what is wrong. Most humans do not need laws to tell us what is morally right. Most people are not murderers, rapists, and/or kidnappers. People usually have a conscience that reinforces our good and our bad actions. The government forces us to align our beliefs with theirs. The government used to believe that slavery was necessary. Now in present day they decided that slavery was wrong. They have told us that abortion is wrong. Then they changed their minds and deemed abortion is a woman’s right. If we let the government dictate our morals, we will never know what’s truly right.

The government in inherently hypocritical. Americans have always believed that the constitution is the supreme law(st). While this is true, Governments do not necessarily follow that sentiment(st). The constitution says we shouldn’t exploit others. Yet the government constantly exploits us by forcing us to pay taxes. The constitution says that we have the right to private property. Yet the government needs to get involved when you decide to build a pool on your property. The government cares about preserving its power while laws control citizen power. 

All in all, the necessity of government is a controversial issue. Some argue that the government protects its citizens and their liberties(st). Others contend that the government imposes on individual thought and is insincere(st). The necessity of government may seem a concern to only a small group of people. It should in fact concern anyone who cares about human society(st).

Dictatorships have been around since the fifth century BCE. However, sociological studies on authoritarianism only began in the early 1950s. Social scientists have studied the effects of an authoritarian personality on politics. Social scientists have also studied the impetus for authoritarian personalities. This paper will compare the childhoods of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. This paper will also discuss how their authoritarian personalities affected interpersonal relationships. 

Both dictators did not have a happy childhood. Hitler’s father was a “cruel and emotionally distant alcoholic”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 24). His father (Alois) was also physically and verbally abusive. Their relationship was strained by their differing priorities. Alois was not pleased with Hitler’s poor academic performance. Their relationship was further hindered when Hitler dreams of becoming an artist. Alois had responded “Not as long as I live. Never!”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 24). Hitler’s mother “doted on him, and expressed much love and affection”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 24). Hitler was therefore exposed to two parenting extremes, an abusive parent and a parent that coddles him. His bad behavior went unpunished. His mother gave unwarranted praise and attention regardless of his behavior.  Hitler “grew to be demanding, ill-mannered, and indolent” (Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 24). Social scientists argue that Hitler’s authoritarianism is rooted in his cultural upbringing(st). Mothers were passive and fathers were domineering. The father never admitted to his mistakes. Fathers “asserted male authority by instilling fear in” his sons and daughters (Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25). Children were subjected to obsessive and repetitive chores to avoid ‘punishment’. This is because “obedience was of greatest importance” to the German family(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25).  

Much of Hitler’s childhood experience could explain his psychological development. Hitler advocated an “ideology in which he was the predestined savior”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25)(st). In his fantasy he rescues his “nation from the Jewish nemesis”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25).  He then implements a “system based on fear and spite”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25). Moreover, the system prioritizes “obedience and [promotes] violent struggle”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25). Common sense seems to indicate that the traditional German father influenced Hitler(st). Hitler was unknowingly trying to relive his childhood trauma. But in this narrative Hitler could be the aggressor instead of victim. In addition, Hitler’s trauma caused Hitler to develop an insecure attachment style. Insecure Attachment is a relationship style where bonds are contaminated by fear. People with insecure attachments lack the ability to build trust with others. In addition, insecurely attached individuals become easily distrusting of others. These characteristics also “became the quintessential characteristic of his government and culture of Nazi society”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25). 

Stalin, like Hitler, suffered at the hands of an “abusive, alcoholic father”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 25). Who also “victimized his family and deserted them”. This forced Stalin’s mother into housework. The undeserved beatings Stalin received hardened him as a person. Whether unconsciously or consciously “men [with] authority … reminded him of his father”. Hatred towards his father initiated feelings of revenge against men in authority. Which “became the goal towards which every thing was aimed”(Suny, R.,48). Stalin grew to be an insecure man of low self- esteem. “Stalin created an elevated self-image [which] was undermined by an abusive father”(Suny, R., 48). Stalin seemed to live by two effective extremes. The first effective extreme was that he worshiped himself. He dealt with this by promoting a narcissistic cult of personality”(Suny, R., 48). The second of his effective extremes was self-hatred. Oppressive fathers stunt the emotional growth of children. This because, the fathers, are often projecting inadequacy onto the vulnerable children. These children try to combat vulnerability by projecting it onto others. They prey on the weaknesses of others, resulting in a cult personality. Hitler and Stalin (in their minds) were able to be the strong heroes they desperately needed when they were young.

Each dictator’s self-worth caused differing educational success and contrasting heterosexual relationships. Hitler was a mediocre student who neglected his work for artistic pursuits. One teacher called him “uncontrolled, dogmatic, hot-tempered…and despotic”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27). Hitler spent his childhood alone. In the absence of close friendships, he spent his time daydreaming. One exception was an acquaintance: August Kubizek. They met in their late teens. Social scientists noted that Kubizek listened to Hitler attentively, without expecting reciprocity. Also, no “evidence exists that peer bullying caused Hitler’s withdrawn nature”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27).  Hitler scoffed at marriage, most of all for its “legal [pretensions].” In Hitler’s view, “a lover is much more practical”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 28)(st). He also believed that “any man can stamp his personality onto a woman” (Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 28). What Hitler really means is that he projected his inadequacy onto others. Which is also a common defense mechanism for insecure individuals. Stalin, compared to Hitler, was an excellent student. Stalin unlike Hitler “graduated from high school with honors in 1894”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27).  He was described to have natural intelligence. He paid attention to detail and had a “prodigious memory”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27). This of course “impressed his teachers”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27). Stalin “was also a loner, but he was bullied at school”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27). Specifically, Stalin was bullied for his “socioeconomic status, short height, and thick Georgian accent”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 27). He was also ridiculed for his pox marks and his asymmetrical arms. These features were often omitted in his portraits. His portraits made him “looking large, domineering, and handsome”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 28). Stalin was physically and verbally abusive towards his wife Ekaterina Svanidze. But surprisingly “experienced sincere grief upon her death”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 28). Stalin and his second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva, had a turbulent relationship. She was unafraid of publicly criticizing him. He “frequently retaliated with attempts to humiliate her”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 28). Hitler demonstrated the hostile lashing out. Authoritarian theorists considered this a byproduct of childhood sexual and emotional oppression. Stalin had clearer motivations, as he had been the victim of bullying.

Hitler and Stalin differ in their methods of parenting. Their methods of parenting indicates their inability to cope with childhood traumas. Hitler remained a bachelor and refrained from marriage until his last days. He admits that he could not marry because he is “a collective”(Dreijmanis, J., 121)(st). He did not see himself as an individual but as ‘whole nation’.  His charismatic leadership was seen as an extension of his “narcissistic universe”(Dreijmanis, J., 121). Appearing dedicated to Germany’s power and prosperity was important to his personality. Although Hitler was a bachelor, his paternalistic behavior manifested throughout his dictatorship. Stalin verbally abused his two sons—Yakov and Vasily. However, he demonstrated affection and over-protection for Svetlana, his daughter. He was so “verbally abusive that Yakov attempted suicide by gunshot but failed”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 29). Stalin often mocked and demeaned Yakov for his failed suicide attempt. Yako later joined the Red army and was captured by the Germans. Stalin was given an offer for his sons release. However, Stalin has refused to negotiate. This tells us a great deal about Stalin’s role as a father(st). Here “we see traces of early psychological theories of authoritarianism”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 29). These theories “place emphasis on the oppressive role of putative fathers”(Husain, M., & Liebertz, S., 29). Stalin, the victim of a putative father, was repeating his father’s errors. His relationship with his sons show aggression towards those who violated his expectations. It also shows aggression towards those who lack obedience. These are also known as two important characteristics of the authoritarian personality.

In conclusion this paper compared Hitler’s boyhood to Stalin’s boy hood. This paper also discussed how their authoritarian personalities affected their personal relationships. The comparison between Hitler and Stalin reveals some surprising similarities and differences.

Reference list:

Dreijmanis, J. (2005). A portrait of the artist as a politician: The case of Adolf Hitler. The Social Science Journal, 42(1), 115-127.

Husain, M., & Liebertz, S. (2019). Hitler, Stalin, and Authoritarianism: A Comparative Analysis. The Journal of Psychohistory, 18-36.

Suny, R. (1991). Beyond Psychohistory: The Young Stalin in Georgia. Slavic Review, 50(1), 48.

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