Right-wing dictatorship

Right-wing dictatorship
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 ones, such as Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Estado Novo, Francoist Spain, Chilean Junta and a number of military dictatorships in Latin America during the Cold War, or 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). There also exist clerical dictatorships in the Muslim world, including the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The theocratic absolute monarchies of Saudi Arabia or Vatican City also share many similarities with the regimes mentioned above. Many of those are/were led by spiritual leaders, such as the Slovak Republic under the Reverend Josef Tiso or Iran under the Ayatollahs Khomeini (1979–1989) and Khamenei (1989–present). Some right-wing dictatorships, like Nazi Germany, were even 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 varius 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
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
North, Central, and South America
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.
List of North and South American right-wing dictatorships
Africa
Right-wing dictatorships in Africa most commonly consist of military juntas and military dictatorships but also have included regimes that promote White Supremacy in Southern Africa from the 1940s–1990s.
List of African right-wing dictatorships
See also
Authoritarian capitalism
Films depicting Latin American military dictatorships
List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office
Military government
Police state
Operation Condor
References
Bibliography
Anti-communism
Dictatorship
Right-wing politics