# Right-wing dictatorship

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A right-wing dictatorship, sometimes also referred to as a rightist dictatorship or right-wing authoritarianism, is an authoritarian or sometimes totalitarian regime following right-wing policies. Right-wing dictatorships are typically characterized by appeals to traditionalism, the protection of law and order and often the advocacy of nationalism, and justify their rise to power based on a need to uphold a conservative status quo. Examples of right-wing dictatorships may include anti-communist (including pro-Western) ones, such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Estado Novo, Francoist Spain, the Chilean Junta, the Greek Junta, the Brazilian military dictatorship, the Argentine Junta (or National Reorganization Process), Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek, Indonesia's New Order regime by Suharto, in South Korea when it was led by Syngman Rhee, Park Chung Hee, and Chun Doo-hwan, a number of military dictatorships in Latin America during the Cold War, and those that agitate anti-Western sentiments, such as Russia under Vladimir Putin.

## Characteristics of a right-wing dictatorship
### Military dictatorship

In the most common Western view, the perfect example of a right-wing dictatorship is any of those that once ruled in South America. Those regimes were predominantly military juntas and most of them collapsed in the 1980s. Communist countries, which were very cautious about not revealing their authoritarian methods of rule to the public, were usually led by civilian governments and officers taking power were not much welcomed there. Few exceptions include the Burmese Way to Socialism (Burma, 1966–1988), the Military Council of National Salvation (People's Republic of Poland, 1981–1983) or the North Korean regime's evolution throughout the rule of Kim Il Sung.

### Religion and the government

Many right-wing regimes kept strong ties with local clerical establishments. This policy of a strong Church-state alliance is often referred to as Clerical fascism. Pro-Catholic dictatorships included the Estado Novo (1933–1974) and the Federal State of Austria (1934–1938). Many of those are/were led by spiritual leaders, such as the Slovak Republic under the Reverend Josef Tiso. Some right-wing dictatorships, like Nazi Germany, were openly hostile to certain religions.

## Right-wing dictatorships by region

The authoritarian politics of several countries can range from parties and movements on the center-right to the far-right, including some that are difficult to define. The degree of authoritarianism can also vary.
Cases supported by various sources and definitions will be presented below:

### Europe

The existence of right-wing dictatorships in Europe are largely associated with the rise of fascism. The conditions created by World War I and its aftermath gave way both to revolutionary socialism and reactionary politics. Fascism arose as part of the reaction to the socialist movement, in attempt to recreate a perceived status quo ante bellum. Right-wing dictatorships in Europe were mostly destroyed with the Allied victory in World War II, although some continued to exist in Southern Europe until the 1970s.

#### List of European right-wing dictatorships

| Country | Historical name(s) | Movement(s) | Years of rule | Dictator(s) |
| Albania | Albanian Republic (1925–1928)Albanian Kingdom | Conservative PartyHouse of Zogu | 1925–19281928–1939 | Ahmet ZoguZog |
| Austria | First Austrian RepublicFederal State of Austria | Fatherland Front | 1932–19341934–1938 | Engelbert DollfussKurt Schuschnigg |
| Bulgaria | Kingdom of Bulgaria | Democratic AllianceZvenoHouse of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry | 1923–19261934–19351935–1943 | Aleksandar TsankovKimon GeorgievBoris III |
| Estonia | Republic of Estonia | Patriotic League | 1934–1938 | Konstantin Päts |
| Germany | German EmpireGerman Reich | MilitaryNational Socialist German Workers' Party | 1916–19181933–1945 | Wilhelm II, Erich LudendorffAdolf Hitler |
| Greece | Second Hellenic RepublicKingdom of GreeceKingdom of Greece | Military4th of August RegimeRegime of the Colonels | 1925–19261936–19411967–1974 | Theodoros PangalosIoannis MetaxasGeorgios Tsolakoglou, Konstantinos Logothetopoulos, Ioannis RallisGeorgios Papadopoulos |
| Hungary | Kingdom of Hungary | Unity Party | 1920–1944 | Miklós Horthy |
| Italy | Kingdom of Italy | National Fascist Party | 1922–1943 | Benito Mussolini |
| Latvia | Republic of Latvia | Latvian Farmers' Union (disbanded after coup) | 1934–1940 | Kārlis Ulmanis |
| Lithuania | Republic of Lithuania | Lithuanian Nationalist Union | 1926–1940 | Antanas Smetona |
| Ottoman Empire | Sublime Ottoman StateSublime Ottoman State | House of OsmanCommittee of Union and Progress | 1878–19081913–1918 | Abdul Hamid IIThe Three Pashas |
| Portugal | Portuguese First RepublicPortuguese First RepublicDitadura NacionalEstado Novo | MilitaryNational Republican PartyMilitaryNational Union | 19151917–19181926–19331933–1974 | Joaquim Pimenta de CastroSidónio PaisÓscar CarmonaAntónio de Oliveira Salazar, Marcelo Caetano |
| Romania | Kingdom of RomaniaNational Legionary StateKingdom of Romania | National Renaissance FrontMilitary with the Iron GuardMilitary | 1938–19401940–19411941–1944 | Carol IIIon Antonescu with Horia SimaIon Antonescu |
| Russia | Russian StateRussian Federation | White movementUnited Russia/All-Russia People's Front | 1918–19201999–present | Alexander KolchakVladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev |
| San Marino | Republic of San Marino | Sammarinese Fascist Party | 1923–1943 | Giuliano Gozi |
| Spain | Kingdom of SpainSpanish State | Spanish Patriotic UnionFalange | 1923–19301939–1975 | Miguel Primo de RiveraFrancisco Franco |
| Ukraine | Ukrainian State | Ukrainian People's Hromada | 1918 | Pavlo Skoropadskyi |
| Yugoslavia | Kingdom of Yugoslavia | Yugoslav National PartyYugoslav Radical Union | 1929–19341934–1941 | Alexander IMilan Stojadinović, Dragiša Cvetković |

### Asia

Right-wing dictatorships in Asia emerged during the early 1930s, as military regimes seized power from local constitutional democracies and monarchies. The phenomenon soon spread to other countries with the military occupations driven by the militarist expansion of the Empire of Japan. After the end of World War II, Asian right-wing dictatorships took on a decidedly anti-communist role in the Cold War, with many being backed by the United States.

#### List of Asian right-wing dictatorships

| Country | Historical name(s) | Movement(s) | Years of rule | Dictator(s) |
| Afghanistan | Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan | Taliban | 1996–20012021–present | Mullah OmarHibatullah Akhundzada |
| Azerbaijan | Republic of Azerbaijan | New Azerbaijan Party | 1993–20032003–present | Heydar AliyevIlham Aliyev |
| Bangladesh | People's Republic of Bangladesh | Military with the Bangladesh Nationalist PartyMilitary with the Jatiya Party | 1977–19811982–1990 | Ziaur RahmanHussain Muhammad Ershad |
| Cambodia | Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–70) Khmer Republic Kingdom of Cambodia | SangkumSocial Republican PartyCambodian People's Party | 1955–19701970–19751998- present | Norodom SihanoukLon NolHun Sen, Hun Manet |
| China | Empire of China | Military | 1915–1916 | Yuan Shikai |
| Cyprus | Republic of Cyprus | EOKA B | 1974 | Nikos Sampson |
| Indonesia | Republic of Indonesia | New Order under Golkar | 1966–1998 | Suharto |
| Iran | Imperial State of Iran Islamic Republic of Iran | MilitaryMilitaryMilitary with the Iran Novin PartyMilitary with the Rastakhiz PartyMilitaryIslamic Republican PartyPrinciplists | 1925–19411941–19631963–19751975–197819791979–19891989–present | Reza ShahMohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Reza PahlaviMohammad Reza PahlaviRuhollah KhomeiniAli Khamenei |
| Iraq | Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq Republic of Iraq | Golden square with the Party of National BrotherhoodArab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region | 19411979–2003 | Rashid Ali al-GaylaniSaddam Hussein |
| Kazakhstan | Republic of Kazakhstan | Amanat | 1999–2019 | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| South Korea | Republic of Korea Republic of Korea Republic of Korea Republic of Korea Republic of Korea | Liberal PartyMilitaryDemocratic Republican PartyDemocratic Republican PartyDemocratic Justice Party | 1948–19601961–19631963–19721972–19791980–1987 | Syngman RheePark Chung HeePark Chung-heePark Chung-heeChun Doo-hwan |
| Laos | Kingdom of Laos | Military with the Committee for the Defence of National Interests | 1959–1960 | Sounthone Pathammavong |
| Malaysia | Malaysia | UMNO | 1981–2003 | Mahathir Mohamad |
| Manchuria, China | Manchukuo | Concordia Association | 1932–1945 | Puyi with Zheng Xiaoxu and Zhang Jinghui |
| Myanmar | State of Burma Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma Union of Myanmar Republic of the Union of Myanmar | MilitaryMilitary with the Union Solidarity and Development AssociationMilitary | 1943–19441962– 19881988–20102021–present | Ba MawNe WinThan ShweMin Aung Hlaing |
| Pakistan | Islamic Republic of Pakistan | Military with the Pakistan Muslim LeagueMilitary with the Pakistan Muslim LeagueMilitary with the Pakistan Muslim League | 1958–19711977–19881999–2008 | Ayub Khan, Yahya KhanMuhammad Zia-ul-HaqPervez Musharraf |
| Philippines | Dictatorial Government Second Philippine Republic Republic of the Philippines | MilitaryKapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong PilipinasKilusang Bagong Lipunan | 18981943–19451972–1986 | Emilio AguinaldoJose P. LaurelFerdinand Marcos |
| Singapore | Republic of Singapore | People's Action Party | 1965–1990 | Lee Kuan Yew |
| Syria | Syrian Republic | Military with the Arab Liberation Movement | 1951–1954 | Adib Shishakli |
| Tajikistan | Republic of Tajikistan | People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan | 1994–present | Emomali Rahmon |
| China (1928–1949) Taiwan (1945–1987) | Republic of China Republic of China Republic of China | Right-wing Kuomintang | 1928–19491940–19451949–1987 | Chiang Kai-shekWang Jingwei, Chen GongboChiang Kai-shek, Chiang Ching-kuo |
| Thailand | Kingdom of Thailand | People's PartySeri Manangkhasila PartyNational Socialist PartyUnited Thai People's PartyMilitary with the National Council for Peace and Order and United Thai Nation Party | 1933–19381938–19571959–19631963–19732014–2023 | Phraya PhahonphonphayuhasenaPlaek PhibunsongkhramSarit ThanaratThanom KittikachornPrayut Chan-o-cha |
| Turkey | Republic of TurkeyRepublic of Turkey | MilitaryJustice and Development Party | 1980–19892016–present | General Kenan EvrenRecep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Turkmenistan | Turkmenistan | Democratic Party of Turkmenistan | 1991–20062006–20222022–Present | Saparmyrat NyýazowGurbanguly BerdimuhamedowSerdar Berdimuhamedow |
| Uzbekistan | Republic of Uzbekistan | Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party | 1991–20162016–Present | Islam KarimovShavkat Mirziyoyev |
| Southern Vietnam | Republic of Vietnam | Personalist Labor Revolutionary PartyMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryNational Social Democratic Front | 1956–19631963–196419641965–19671967–1975 | Ngo Dinh DiemDương Văn MinhNguyễn KhánhDương Văn MinhNguyễn Văn Thiệu |

### Latin America and the Caribbean

Right-wing dictatorships largely emerged in Central America and the Caribbean during the early 20th century. Sometimes they arose in order to provide concessions to American corporations such as the United Fruit Company, forming regimes that have been described as "banana republics". North American right-wing dictatorships were instrumental in suppressing their countries' labour movements and instituting corporatist economies. During the Cold War, these right-wing dictatorships were characterized by a distinct anti-communist ideology, and often rose to power through US-backed coups. Many right-wing dictatorships in South America were established through Operation Condor in which left-wing governments in the region were replaced with right-wing military regimes through us-backed coups.

#### List of Latin American and Caribbean right-wing dictatorships

| Country | Historical name(s) | Movement(s) | Years of rule | Dictator(s) |
| Northern Argentina | Argentine Confederation | Military with the Federalist Party | 1829–18321835–1852 | Juan Manuel de Rosas |
| Argentina | Argentine Republic Argentine Republic Argentine Republic Argentine Republic | Military with the Nationalist Liberation AllianceConcordanicaConcordanicaConcordanicaMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitaryMilitary | 1930–19321932–19381938–19421940–194219431943–19441944–19461955–19581966–19701970–19711971–19731976–198119811981–19821982–1983 | José Félix UriburuAgustín Pedro JustoRoberto María OrtizRamón CastilloArturo RawsonPedro Pablo RamírezEdelmiro Julián FarrellPedro Eugenio AramburuJuan Carlos OnganíaRoberto Marcelo LevingstonAlejandro Agustín LanusseJorge Rafael VidelaRoberto Eduardo ViolaLeopoldo GaltieriReynaldo Bignone |
| Bolivia | Republic of Bolivia Republic of Bolivia | Military with the Popular Christian MovementMilitaryMilitary with the Nationalist Union of the PeopleMilitaryMilitaryMilitary | 1966–19691971–1978197819791980–19811981–1982 | René BarrientosHugo BanzerJuan PeredaAlberto NatuschLuis García MezaCelso Torrelio |
| Brazil | Republic of the United States of Brazil Republic of the United States of Brazil Federative Republic of Brazil | NoneMilitary with the National Renewal AllianceMilitary with the National Renewal AllianceMilitary with the National Renewal AllianceMilitary with the National Renewal AllianceMilitary with the National Renewal Alliance | 1937–19451964–19671967–19691969–19741974–19791979–1985 | Getúlio VargasHumberto de Alencar Castelo BrancoArtur da Costa e SilvaEmílio Garrastazu MédiciErnesto GeiselJoão Figueiredo |
| Chile | Republic of Chile Republic of Chile Republic of Chile | Military | 1924–19251927–19311973–1990 | Luis AltamiranoCarlos Ibáñez del CampoAugusto Pinochet |
| Colombia | Republic of Colombia | Colombian Conservative PartyMilitary | 1950–19531953–1957 | Laureano GómezGustavo Rojas Pinilla |
| Costa Rica | Republic of Costa Rica | Military with the Peliquista Party | 1917–1919 | Federico Tinoco Granados |
| Cuba | Republic of Cuba | Liberal Party of CubaMilitary with the Progressive Action Party | 1927–19331952–1959 | Gerardo MachadoFulgencio Batista |
| Dominican Republic | Third Dominican Republic Dominican Republic | Military with the Dominican PartyMilitary with the Dominican PartySocial Christian Reformist Party | 1930–196119611966–1978 | Rafael TrujilloRamfis TrujilloJoaquín Balaguer |
| Ecuador | Republic of Ecuador | MilitaryVelaquista National Federation | 1963–19661970–1972 | Ramón Castro JijónJosé María Velasco Ibarra |
| El Salvador | Republic of El Salvador | Military with the National Pro Patria PartyMilitary with the Social Democratic Unification PartyMilitary with the Revolutionary Party of Democratic UnificationMilitary with the Revolutionary Party of Democratic UnificationMilitary with the National Coalition PartyMilitary with the National Coalition PartyMilitary with the National Coalition PartyMilitary with the National Coalition PartyNuevas Ideas | 1931–19441945–19481948–19561956–19601962–19671967–19721972–19771977–19792019– present | Maximiliano Hernández MartínezSalvador Castaneda CastroÓscar OsorioJosé María LemusJulio Adalberto Rivera CarballoFidel Sánchez HernándezArturo Armando MolinaCarlos Humberto RomeroNayib Bukele |
| Grenada | Grenada | Grenada United Labour Party | 1974–1979 | Eric Gairy |
| Guatemala | Republic of Guatemala | Military with the Liberal PartyProgressive Liberal PartyMilitary with the National Liberation MovementMilitary with the National Liberal MovementMilitary | 1921–19261931–19441954–19571970–19741982–1983 | José María OrellanaJorge UbicoCarlos Castillo ArmasCarlos Manuel Arana OsorioEfraín Ríos Montt |
| Haiti | Republic of HaitiRepublic of Haiti | National Unity PartyNational Unity PartyMilitary | 1957–19711971–19861991–1994 | François DuvalierJean-Claude DuvalierRaoul Cédras |
| Honduras | Republic of Honduras | Military with the National Party | 1933–19491963–1975 | Tiburcio Carías AndinoOswaldo López Arellano |
| Mexico | Mexican Republic United Mexican States Mexican Republic United Mexican States | Military with the Conservative PartyMilitary with the Conservative PartyMilitary with the Conservative PartyMilitary with the National Porfirist PartyMilitary with the National Porfirist PartyMilitary with the National Porfirist PartyMilitary | 1839–18391845–18461853–185518761877–18801884–19111913–1914 | Antonio López de Santa AnnaMariano ParedesAntonio López de Santa AnnaPorfirio DíazPorfirio DíazPorfirio DíazVictoriano Huerta |
| Nicaragua | Republic of Nicaragua | Nationalist Liberal Party | 1936–19561956–19671967–1979 | Anastasio Somoza GarcíaLuis Somoza DebayleAnastasio Somoza Debayle |
| Panama | Republic of Panama | Panameñista Party | 1949–1951 | Arnulfo Arias |
| Paraguay | Republic of Paraguay Republic of Paraguay | MilitaryMilitary with the Colorado Party | 1940–19481954–1989 | Higinio MorínigoAlfredo Stroessner |
| Peru | Peruvian Republic Peruvian Republic Republic of Peru Republic of Peru | Revolutionary UnionRevolutionary UnionMilitaryMilitaryCambio 90Vamos Vecino | 19301931–19331933–19391948–19561975–19801992–2000 | Luis Miguel Sánchez CerroÓscar R. BenavidesManuel A. OdríaFrancisco Morales BermúdezVladimiro Montesinos with Alberto Fujimori |
| Uruguay | Oriental Republic of Uruguay Oriental Republic of Uruguay | Colorado PartyMilitary with the Colorado PartyMilitary with the Colorado PartyMilitary with the National PartyMilitary | 1934–19381973–197619761976–19811981–1985 | Gabriel TerraJuan María BordaberryAlberto DemicheliAparicio MéndezGregorio Conrado Álvarez |
| Venezuela | United States of Venezuela United States of Venezuela Republic of Venezuela | Military | 1908–19131922–19291931–19351948–19501952–1958 | Juan Vicente GómezJuan Vicente GómezJuan Vicente GómezCarlos Delgado ChalbaudMarcos Pérez Jiménez |

### Africa

Africa has experienced several military dictatorships which makes up the majority of right-wing dictatorships that have existed. Dictatorships like the hereditary dictatorship in Togo (especially under Gnassingbé Eyadéma) had strong anti-communist and pro-western stances which is in contrast to left-wing governments that existed in other African nations around the time. Regimes like Zaire and Rwanda under Habyarimana have sometimes been called fascist. Zaire featured what their dictator called a "neither right nor left" position but was recognized by historians as a right-wing regime and its state ideology of mobutism has sometimes been seen as third position. Rwanda under Habyarimana has been compared to fascist regimes such as Nazi Germany for their hutu supremacist policies against the tutsi's as well as the Rwandan genocide that occurred after the assassination of Habyarimana sometimes being compared to the holocaust.

#### List of African right-wing dictatorships

| Country | Historical name(s) | Movement(s) | Years of rule | Dictator(s) |
| Burundi | Republic of Burundi | National Council for the Defense of Democracy – Forces for the Defense of Democracy | 2005–20202020–Present | Pierre NkurunzizaÉvariste Ndayishimiye |
| Cameroon | Republic of Cameroon | Cameroon People's Democratic Movement | 1982–Present | Paul Biya |
| Chad | Republic of Chad | National Union for Independence and RevolutionMilitary with the Patriotic Salvation MovementMilitary with the Patriotic Salvation Movement | 1982–19901991–20212022–present | Hissène HabréIdriss DébyMahamat Déby |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Republic of Zaire | Military with the Popular Movement of the Revolution | 1965–1997 | Mobutu Sese Seko |
| Egypt | Arab Republic of Egypt | Nation's Future Party | 2014–Present | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi |
| Gabon | Gabonese Republic | Gabonese Democratic Party | 1967–20092009–2023 | Omar BongoAli Bongo |
| Gambia | Republic of the Gambia | Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction | 1996–2017 | Yahya Jammeh |
| Guinea | Republic of Guinea | Military with the Unity and Progress Party | 1984–2008 | Lansana Conté |
| Equatorial Guinea | Republic of Equatorial Guinea | MilitaryMilitaryDemocratic Party of Equatorial Guinea | 1979–19821982–19871987–Present | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo |
| Kenya | Republic of Kenya | Kenya African National Union | 1964–19781978–2002 | Jomo KenyattaDaniel arap Moi |
| Liberia | Republic of Liberia | Military with the National Democratic Party of Liberia | 1986–1990 | Samuel Doe |
| Malawi | Republic of Malawi | Malawi Congress Party | 1966–1994 | Hastings Banda |
| Mauritania | Islamic Republic of Mauritania | Military with the Republican Party for Democracy and RenewalMilitary with the Union for the Republic | 1984–20052009–2019 | Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TayaMohamed Ould Abdel Aziz |
| Niger | Republic of the Niger | Military with the National Movement for the Society of Development | 1987–1993 | Ali Saibou |
| Rwanda | Rwandese Republic | ParmehutuMilitary with the National Revolutionary Movement for Development | 1962–19731973–1994 | Grégoire KayibandaJuvénal Habyarimana |
| South Africa | Union of South Africa | National Party | 1948–1994 | D. F. MalanJ. G. StrijdomHendrik VerwoerdJohn VorsterP. W. BothaF. W. de Klerk |
| Sudan | Republic of the Sudan | Military with the National Congress Party | 1989–2019 | Omar al-Bashir |
| Togo | Togolese Republic | Military with the Rally of the Togolese PeopleUnion for the Republic | 1967–20052005–present | Gnassingbé EyadémaFaure Gnassingbé |
| Uganda | Second Republic of UgandaRepublic of Uganda | MilitaryNational Resistance Movement | 1971–19792006–present | Idi AminYoweri Museveni |
| Zimbabwe | Republic of Rhodesia | Rhodesian Front | 1964–1979 | Ian Smith |